<VV> Stock Piston Breakage

[Roger Gault]

Chuck,
I think they're just doomed by the pounding from detonation.

My first "real" Corvair was a '66 110 - we won't count the '62 beach car
that pumped a quart of oil out the dipstick hole every 40 miles.  The '66
got great gas mileage (33+), but clattered all the time.  I assume it ran
lean.  I broke two pistons in it before I went forged.

I haven't had any recent bad experiences, since I've actually been running
the same '65 140 for the last 26 years.  It has had forged TRWs in it since
it broke the second stocker within the first year after I got the car.  I do
eventually learn from these experiences.  ;-)

Roger

?? When did 80mph on the highway stop being "normal" ??
You drive slower than that around here and you'll have everybody waving
their middle finger at you.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "BBRT" <chsadek at comcast.net>
To: "Roger Gault" <r.gault at sbcglobal.net>; "Corvair List"
<virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 3:33 PM
Subject: <VV> Stock Piston Breakage


> Hmmm. And reasonably high rpm for extended periods?  So any cracks really
> show up?  Do you think they would have broken in "normal" usage? (Meaning
> around town, low rpm-like speed limit? Or do you think they would break
> anyway in extended hot highway driving?)
>
> I have no experience in breaking any but have little on-road experience.
My
> FCs did fine and so did my LM cpes in FL, but then I didn't run them
really
> hard.
>
> Chuck S
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Roger Gault" <r.gault at sbcglobal.net>
>
> > Chuck,
> > I think running around in hot Texas summers with a little bit of pinging
> > breaks the stock pistons whether they have new rings or not.  All the
ones
> > I've broken have been with "old" rings.  At least "I" had not changed
the
> > rings.  They were also all after a relatively long stretch of highway
> > (read
> > that 80mph) driving.  Of course, being a responsible, law abiding adult,
I
> > no longer drive at such speeds.
> >
> > Roger
>
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "BBRT" <chsadek at comcast.net>
> >> I am tending to think the stock old, used pistons break when new rings
> >> are
> >> put on them. Seems as if, using the old pistons and old rings in the
same
> >> cylinders-assuming they are suitable for use - doesn't carry the same
> > threat
> >> of breaking them. >> What do y'all think?
> >>
> >> Chuck S
> >> BBRT
>
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