which pistons & cylinders for 2056 rebuild? Options

[piscean914]

hey guys - i'm about to rebuild my '76 2.0, which I bought from the original owner, and has now about 152k miles, without any rebuild, top end, etc. (i have done about 35k miles) - i have backdated this engine to '73-'74 2.0 specs - i want to retain the stock fuel injection, but increase the performance as much as possible - my local mechanic is doing this build and i am sourcing parts

- i am looking for recommendations for 96mm pistons and cylinders - i would like to use german parts, but that does not look possible in this size - i would like the P&C's to last as long as the stock parts, but have a higher compression (no more than 8.5:1?)

- the L&N nickies are beyond my budget - i have looked at AA performace products, JE pistons, and Keith Black (european motorworks)

- putting prices of these particluar pistons and cylinders aside, which piston would be most recommended?

- which cylinders?

- any other recommendations?

thanks, brad in seattle

[Dave_Darling]

Your current cylinders, assuming they are round and true, are good candidates for boring and re-using. They've already been heat-cycled a zillion times, and are unlikely to have anything else move around any more. As long as the machine shop that does them squishes them correctly (I think the setup is "torque plate honing") when it bores them to 96mm, those would be very good candidates. I think Rimco used to charge about $25 each to do this?

For a street motor, KB or JE pistons would work fine. I'm not sure about AA, but there seem to be folks out there that are happy with them. But you need to double-check everything of theirs; roundness, weights, sizes--everything. Or rather, that was the case a couple of years ago.

--DD

[Jake Raby]

Bore your original cylinders. Couple them to our KB pistons and you'll have a combo that lasted me 160K miles.

[TheCabinetmaker]

Looks like ya got the same answer on both sites. Must be the right one.

[ptravnic]

Rimco does good cylinder honing work but shipping cylinders can be nasty business and fins can and do break off. I learned the hard way - twice. Well, I guess the second time must be b/c I'm dense...

If you go this route make sure to pack each individual cylinder as if it were a precious family heirloom...

And Jake's rebuild video is a great help if you go at the project yourself. Best to undertake this type of project if you are not in a hurry (start in the fall, finish in the spring).

-pt

[VaccaRabite]

I am another data point running bored out Mahle cylinders and Jakes KB pistons.
I think (others will need to confirm this for FI) that you can run higher compression with the stock FI. The limiter is the cam rather then compression. But, seriousy, check first as I am a carbs guy.

You did not ask but should get involved with Jakes cam program as well. Bees knees. Are you only doing top end or splitting the case?

[piscean914]

thanks for the info - this will be a total rebuild, with a split case - i found jake raby's valve train kit, and i noticed compression should be limited to 8:1 and for the 914 not t be used continuously above 4,000 ft - i posted a question to jake on this point - interested in the answer - thanks again, brad k in sea