Well, after purchasing the 4.16 Ross racing pistons, and Total Seal gapless rings
our 428 block did not clean up until 4.17 That is the bad news. The good news is that we found that Probe pistons make a SRS set at 4.17 so we ordered them along with another set of TS 4.175 gapless rings. The other good news is that when I get time to rebuild the 428scj that is in the Falcon, I can use the Ross 4.16 pistons, because that block is stock 4.13 bore.
I have spent a lot of time on the other 428 block with oiling modifications, and drilling and taping the oil plug holes for threaded plugs, along with installing main studs, etc. so I was not a happy camper thinking that this block was junk.
At 4.16 there was a small pit in number one cylinder, that boring it out to 4.17 fixed. I still have .240 wall thickness on this block on the thrust side.
So today is a happy day. Also good news, is that balancing the crank with the new pistons, rods, and new 184 tooth flexplate, can be done with removing some of the weight on the flexplates welded weight, and not from the crank.
This is a racing application, so I want everything right.
The CR is 11.27 which will work fine with the aluminum heads.

 

Glad to hear it's working out.

Could be like me and have .015 over pistons in my 428, have it eat a carb screw and tear up a piston and cylinder. Easy to put a sleeve in, but couldn't buy ONE piston. Ended up buying a set of TEN, that way I had ONE for this motor and a set of 9(one extra) for next motor. Any time you buy a custom set of pistons, always get an extra(cheap to add one) as it sure beats buying ALOT of extras!!

 

.015 over? Larry, you're quite the conservative engine builder, saving those blocks forever

 

Custom pistons get pricey. They can be $500 plus more than a off the shelf piston set. The 4.17 set I purchased was a stocking piston for Probe. I agree that if I did order custom pistons, I would get an extra one. Did you go .015 because of your cylinder wall thickness? Good FE blocks that can be bored to 4.13 or (4.145) or in my case 4.17 are getting hard to find. I am down to two more blocks that can safely be bored to 4.16. That is if the stock 428scj engine can be bored to 4.16 and I would be surprised if it can not. The other block has been sonic tested and it is good to go for a 4.16 bore. I am getting excited because I should be getting my other block and parts back from the machine shop next week. My favorite hobby is building FE race engines. Next step is boxing up my heads and send them to Keith Craft for porting.

 

Got that right Art! These things ain't cheap and aren't too available anymore so I only took it to what I needed. It started as a NOS 428 service block(in the FOMOCO box), the cylinders were not too straight/square so we wanted to go minimum to get it better, find a std ring package too. .015 worked out perfect, and it's been 8 yrs running, with a few freshen ups since. Still got that extra set of pistons for IF I find another std bore block and I want to build another. They are Wiseco pistons, and ya, NOT cheap(If I recall near $800 for the set).

I'm not in it for the MAXX build up/power, just a good, solid, reliable bracket motor. It' been that and more. Drags the ol wagon around quite well I must say.