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Suitable pistons?

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:55 pm
by Oil leaks
Hello people,
First time on the board, there is some interesting stuff here, a couple of questions you lot may be able to help with.
I’m thinking of a (cheap) stroker using a 3.5 with P76 crank, I know about the main bearing size issue and can handle that. Using the standard rover rods, has any one a suggestions on suitable pistons? (Ford 170 pistons look interesting but I haven’t enough information to be sure). Failing that can anyone give me an idea on the required compression height or the deck height of the 3.5 motor? (or should I be going the other way and replacing rods?)

The donor 4.4 was in my RR when I brought it, unfortunately it had digested a screw from the carbie (yes it was cheap), It was a recent rebuild so I tried replacing the damaged piston but unfortunately the damage included a moving liner. Has any one had success in pinning the liner after it has started to knock?

One more, am I right in my conclusion that a mid 80's 350 Buick v8 Hei distributor can be made to fit without major mods? (Except grinding the manifold)(its a standard 1983 high compression motor with an early pre-emission Cam) if so why have people gone to the trouble to convert the V6 distributor?
Any advice on what to look for if I splash out on eBay for one? (Mine seems to take a lot of advance to get it t run on LPG, I suspect I need more sparks!)
Thanks
Fred

Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 7:52 am
by TuffRR
I too am looking into the stroker option using a p76 crank, although i'm going to bore the block out to the same size as a 3.9.

If you bore out to 3.9 specs (88.9mm) then i'm pretty sure you can use Ford 255 pistons.

My research into this is only in its infancy though so i'm not sure about rod lengths, compression etc.

Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:53 pm
by Rotazuk
Hi
Well I have a 3.9 already , just waiting for it to give me some kind ( even a sign ) of trouble and its coming out to get the p76 crank in it , maybe . I have an auto I I think they do not bolt up to the crank .
Need to change the rear seal some how also . I have a couple of biiks by David Hardcastle that goes into it a we bit . Also I came accros a web site , uk based , that listed all the different options , ie 3.5 with p76 , 3.9 etc and also offset grinding the crank to get 5+ litres . They then listed all the conrods and pistion options and the compression you would get etc .
You think I can find it again . Will keep looking .

Will be keen to see how it goes . A guy here has done it but done it in a big way .
http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/~bdaley/rp.htm

I was going to left the 3.9 heads on etc and maybe one day superchagre it . When time and $$$ allow

Cheers
Chris