Piston differences?????
Piston differences?????
New User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Summerville, SC
Flat tops are just that...(Flat) except for the valve relief notches cut in them.
Dished pistons usually have a semi-large circular depression in the top of them and this usually will lower compression ratio.
Dished pistons usually have a semi-large circular depression in the top of them and this usually will lower compression ratio.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 682
Likes: 0
From: Peoria, IL (more or less)
A flattop piston is, as you might guess, flat on the top. No dish, no dome. As a rule they do have valve reliefs. A dished piston has a concave "cut" out of the top, sort of like a very shallow dish with thick edges. A dished piston is normally used to lower compression.
The current thinking is to use a flattop or dished piston, combined with the appropriate size combustion chamber in the cylinder head, to get the compression ratio you want. The older method was to use a domed piston, which can inhibit flame travel.
This is all pretty general; it really depends on what parts you currently have, what engine, & what you want to do. If you have '70s heads, they usually have pretty big chambers & you may have to use a domed piston. With most stroker kits, you don't need to anyway. Hope it helps!
The current thinking is to use a flattop or dished piston, combined with the appropriate size combustion chamber in the cylinder head, to get the compression ratio you want. The older method was to use a domed piston, which can inhibit flame travel.
This is all pretty general; it really depends on what parts you currently have, what engine, & what you want to do. If you have '70s heads, they usually have pretty big chambers & you may have to use a domed piston. With most stroker kits, you don't need to anyway. Hope it helps!
