Terminator piston damage (pic)

[Grey03Cobra]

Since I've been seeing more threads regarding the teflon on the stock pistons wearing off, I thought I'd post this pic of my #7 piston (damaged) next to my #3 piston.

After a high speed run I noticed a loud ticking coming from my engine. Upon tearing the motor down it turned out the teflon on the #7 piston had wore off on one side. The piston was catching the cylinder wall creating a loud ticking sound, and scoring the cylinder wall. My mods at the time were a 2.80 pulley, full Bassani exhaust, UPR CAI, and Diablo chip. The car had 19,000 miles on it at the time.

 

[Venomous04]

damn thats no good

 

[BruntzySVT]

how much are those pistons a peice?

 

[Quadcammer]

how much are those pistons a peice?

please don't tell me you would actually replace one of these with a stocker?

 

[BruntzySVT]

please don't tell me you would actually replace one of these with a stocker?

haha just wondering geez

 

[Eatonup]

Did your car have loud piston slap at warmup or was it quiet?

 

[69cobrajet]

Had the same thing happen to mine on a high speed run at 5000mi.Had a 2.8pulley JDM :nonono: box tune,and magnaflow catback.The engine was replaced with a new one.If I keep the car I plan on installing better pistons along with a twin screw huffer.

 

[grnenvy]

hmm

I'm thinking there has to be a reason the teflon wore off. Look at the other piston it looks pretty good. I wonder if the balance on the motor was off or the rob is bent. There has to be side load force or something. Who knows
Good luck

 

[JB]

I'm thinking there has to be a reason the teflon wore off. Look at the other piston it looks pretty good. I wonder if the balance on the motor was off or the rob is bent. There has to be side load force or something. Who knows
Good luck

the reason is because it was #7 and cylinders 7 & 8 have cooling issues....heat is what did it

 

[SICKBOY]

how long were you goin balls out for?...seems these cars don't like the heat of prolonged high sped...but then again what car does?

 

[Screamin'SVT]

Thanks, been wanting to see what that looked like..

 

[Grey03Cobra]

I'm thinking there has to be a reason the teflon wore off. Look at the other piston it looks pretty good. I wonder if the balance on the motor was off or the rob is bent. There has to be side load force or something. Who knows
Good luck

It was caused by high heat. The rods, bearings, and crank all looked great. I ended up reusing the stock rods and bearings (the bearings were in perfect shape, no scoring at all).

The Apten cooling mod, which I installed while the engine was out getting the pistons replaced, will go a long way in helping. Also, the JE pistons I replaced the stockers with are much better quality.

 

[WS6JJP]

do you get any kind of piston slap when its started for the first time? Ive always heard the expansion rates are greater for *some* forged pistons. I know the ones that i had in my old GT (Diamond) had some piston slap when it was cold.

 

[Grey03Cobra]

how long were you goin balls out for?...seems these cars don't like the heat of prolonged high sped...but then again what car does?

Probably about 25-30 seconds, or however long it takes to go from 35mph to 160mph with my mods at the time.

On a quarter mile run, the car is only driven that hard for 11-13 seconds (depending on mods and driver), so IMO it should be fine at the track.

Besides the Apten, I ordered a GordsFord HE, and a Vortech intercooler coolant resevior to help keep things a bit cooler. That, the installation of the JE pistons, and the fact the Whipple runs cooler than the Eaton should keep me safe.

 

[Grey03Cobra]

do you get any kind of piston slap when its started for the first time? Ive always heard the expansion rates are greater for *some* forged pistons. I know the ones that i had in my old GT (Diamond) had some piston slap when it was cold.

Nope, no slap at all. Once the car is warmed up it purrs just like the day I picked it up from Ford, albiet with a bit more rumble from the exhaust. The Whipple kind of whistles at idle too, so that sounds cool IMO.

 

[SICKBOY]

did you upgrade you radiator? I was just curious if these are thing the most the intake and exhaust and maybe 2.8 chip and pulley guys should also be aware of....I don't intend on prolonged high speed runs...but you never know

 

[Quadcammer]

I ended up reusing the stock rods and bearings (the bearings were in perfect shape, no scoring at all).

Dude..........
reusing bearings is not a good idea. not to mention the stock al backed bearings are not the best.

I would have thrown in a set of fed Mogul race bearings while you were in there.

 

[KENZILLA]

gray03cobra....question on your vortec tank. I added this to my car as well and added a fluidyne IC also. My problem is that the vortec tank leaks some coolent out almost all the time when its hot. Does yours do this? I am thinking that the rubber seal must have a crack or something in it. I thought about removing it and try some black RTV seal.

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

Since I've been seeing more threads regarding the teflon on the stock pistons wearing off, I thought I'd post this pic of my #7 piston (damaged) next to my #3 piston.

After a high speed run I noticed a loud ticking coming from my engine. Upon tearing the motor down it turned out the teflon on the #7 piston had wore off on one side. The piston was catching the cylinder wall creating a loud ticking sound, and scoring the cylinder wall. My mods at the time were a 2.80 pulley, full Bassani exhaust, UPR CAI, and Diablo chip. The car had 19,000 miles on it at the time.

The only way to help prevent this is with the Apten mod right? What about a HE? Would that alone help prevent this? :shrug:

 

[SmokenGRA03]

WOW do a search and you WILL find that the SAME thing happen to my engine but this was not covered under warranty...8k later and .20 over block and J&E pistons
here I am with 515 whp & 516 wtq. I said it before and will say it again, ALL 03-04 COBRAs will have this problem sooner (Like Gra03CObra and I) or later!!!!
Even my pistons look like that but my #3 & #7 were both the same. Come to think of it ALL the pistons had some wear but 3-7 were the worse! I will take some pic and put them up this week and show you guys

BE READY TO REBUILD YOUR BLOCKS WITH NEW PISTONS!!!!
The TICK is the cause!!!!