Hey guys, I've been out of the loop for a while and have come crawling back looking for some help. I have an 03 cobra (mods in signature) and it has apparently melted a piston.
Here's some back story:
I left the car with my brother and father while I left for Afghanistan figuring they would take care of it. Flash forward to about a month ago, I call my wife and she's telling me something is wrong with my car but I cant get an answer as to what the problem is. I get home, go get the car (trailered there and back to Tucson from El Paso) and start looking at it. Car wasn't leaking oil, started and would run but was smoking slightly out of the right side exhaust pipe. So I do a compression test and I have no compression in my Driver side #3 cylinder. So, about 2 weeks ago, the car gets dropped off at a shop here locally. They get it apart and I go take a look and this is what I find:
Sooooooo yeah... The other 3 pistons on this side are all fine. The other side, I'm assuming is fine because compression numbers were all between 145-150.
So this brings me back to why I'm asking you all for help. I need to get a set of pistons and rings but I don't know where to start. A simple search reveals a scrambled brain. To be honest, I have no idea what I'm looking at. So what should I look for? Can you guys make me some suggestions on where to start or even just what to get? Money for me is a little tight right now so I cant really afford something ridiculously expensive but at the same time, I don't want the cheapest option out there. I know that's a lot to ask for but I'm sure something will meet all the requirements.
I'm all ears guys so let me hear it! If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks in advance for any and all help
UPDATE 15 Dec, 2016:
Made some phone calls today and spoke to many, MANY people and different places and have decided to go with .020 over weisco pistons and rings. So after all is said and done, I'm so far looking at 4k for parts and labor between the mechanic and machine shop.
UPDATE: 28 Dec, 2016:
Motor came apart and here's a better picture of the piston. He sent me pictures of all 8 but this is the only one that has any type of unusual or abnormal wear, all the others look just fine.
UPDATE 06 Jan, 2017:
So got some bad news today. There's a crack in the head from the seat of an intake valve to the plug hole for the same cylinder that melted the piston. So now I'm waiting to hear back from the machine shop to see if he will be able to repair said crack. So in the meantime, I start looking for a decent used drivers side head.
Also, today I was called and told that the injectors are all good and in working order.
And finally, I got the valve covers back from getting powder coated today. Payed $80 for them both. I also had the "32 valve V8" plate done as well. They look great and match almost perfectly. They are a slight shade brighter than the car paint but I think they will work out just fine. Thinking of getting the blower when I go to drop these off to paint the fins of it. Not to sure yet though.
Here's some back story:
I left the car with my brother and father while I left for Afghanistan figuring they would take care of it. Flash forward to about a month ago, I call my wife and she's telling me something is wrong with my car but I cant get an answer as to what the problem is. I get home, go get the car (trailered there and back to Tucson from El Paso) and start looking at it. Car wasn't leaking oil, started and would run but was smoking slightly out of the right side exhaust pipe. So I do a compression test and I have no compression in my Driver side #3 cylinder. So, about 2 weeks ago, the car gets dropped off at a shop here locally. They get it apart and I go take a look and this is what I find:
Sooooooo yeah... The other 3 pistons on this side are all fine. The other side, I'm assuming is fine because compression numbers were all between 145-150.
So this brings me back to why I'm asking you all for help. I need to get a set of pistons and rings but I don't know where to start. A simple search reveals a scrambled brain. To be honest, I have no idea what I'm looking at. So what should I look for? Can you guys make me some suggestions on where to start or even just what to get? Money for me is a little tight right now so I cant really afford something ridiculously expensive but at the same time, I don't want the cheapest option out there. I know that's a lot to ask for but I'm sure something will meet all the requirements.
I'm all ears guys so let me hear it! If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks in advance for any and all help
UPDATE 15 Dec, 2016:
Made some phone calls today and spoke to many, MANY people and different places and have decided to go with .020 over weisco pistons and rings. So after all is said and done, I'm so far looking at 4k for parts and labor between the mechanic and machine shop.
UPDATE: 28 Dec, 2016:
Motor came apart and here's a better picture of the piston. He sent me pictures of all 8 but this is the only one that has any type of unusual or abnormal wear, all the others look just fine.
UPDATE 06 Jan, 2017:
So got some bad news today. There's a crack in the head from the seat of an intake valve to the plug hole for the same cylinder that melted the piston. So now I'm waiting to hear back from the machine shop to see if he will be able to repair said crack. So in the meantime, I start looking for a decent used drivers side head.
Also, today I was called and told that the injectors are all good and in working order.
And finally, I got the valve covers back from getting powder coated today. Payed $80 for them both. I also had the "32 valve V8" plate done as well. They look great and match almost perfectly. They are a slight shade brighter than the car paint but I think they will work out just fine. Thinking of getting the blower when I go to drop these off to paint the fins of it. Not to sure yet though.
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