Venolia Pistons Worth the Price?

[Clutch450]

I'm currently in the process of rebuilding my 2.4 G4CS motor and am hung up on a piston choice.
My goal is 700+awhp, Street weekend car. Won't see but 1 track day a year.
I am going with a Manley Turbo Tuff rod on an OEM crank.
I've been reading a lot of good stuff on Venolia pistons. In all honesty a piston that can withstand 5000+hp in a funny car is good in my book.
But are they worth the $800+ price tag when I can get a set of Manley's for $400?
Just looking for some opinions or advice from people with experience with these pistons

 

[Clutch450]

Anyone out there?! Someone has to have some sort of opinion...

 

[grothe3297venge]

Get ahold of glowryder on here, his 2.4 has venolia pistons and I haven't seen him complain yet! - http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/members/glowryder-26089.html

 

[rhamlinii]

I'm currently in the process of rebuilding my 2.4 G4CS motor and am hung up on a piston choice.
My goal is 700+awhp, Street weekend car. Won't see but 1 track day a year.
I am going with a Manley Turbo Tuff rod on an OEM crank.
I've been reading a lot of good stuff on Venolia pistons. In all honesty a piston that can withstand 5000+hp in a funny car is good in my book.
But are they worth the $800+ price tag when I can get a set of Manley's for $400?
Just looking for some opinions or advice from people with experience with these pistons

They are worth every pennyaccording to all my research. Call JAM and ask questions, or ask old school V8 guys, what they trust. Ive used CP, Ross, Weisco, J/E, and now Venolia pistons. J/E, Ross, Weisco, are the only ones that, i'll say "never again".

 

[Dsmkauai]

I'm about to run a set on my next build they are .20 venolia pistons with the coating from jam.

 

[rhamlinii]

I'm about to run a set on my next build they are .20 venolia pistons with the coating from jam.

Same thing in my motor, but my compression in 7.5 to 1, but its more like 8.0-to-1.

 

[andyb2637]

I have Weisco's. I like them so far but If i had everything apart I'd spend the extra coin for the Venolia. Whats a couple extra bucks for peice of mind and performace.

 

[WES_393]

This quote from Buschur pretty much covers it.

I have been building 4g63's for nearly 20 years. Not sure when I built the first one but very-very early 1990's. I've used Venolia, Ross, Wiseco, JE, Manley, CP and I am sure a few others I can't remember. None of them were "bad". I have never seen a pistons just fall apart into powder, so it's not like any of them are "bad".

Most of what has been recommended will hold up to 700 hp no problem. Is that what you want? You want one that is good for 700 hp, what about RPM? I can tell you the higher you rev the engine the more problems are going to show up in a piston.

I currently build about 85% of our engines with JE's, custom part numbers WE have developed with JE over many years and maybe a hundred changes. We use Wiseco for some builds and the rest of the majority is Manley.

You are asking for an offset pin, OK, big deal honestly. ANYONE of those manufacturers can build an offset pin for you.

I guess my point is, any piston company can make a piston. What you and anyone else building an really high end engine is going to need though is a custom part number with some development behind it, not just some shelf piston that is offered.

In the last year alone I bet we've changed piston designs 15 times. Our shelf pistons right now I think are the best, strongest piston you can buy for an EVO, this referring to our JE's or Manley's. Manley just made some major changes AGAIN for us and are running a batch of 40 of the new parts for us now.

I was blind in the past as obviously most people are to how many things can be done to a piston to make it stronger, lighter and better at getting the combustion process done.

There's more to it than "Who makes a piston in XXX alloy that will make 700 hp with an offset pin." The answer to that is, "50 peoples opinions referring to what they use."

Either way, just keep in mind that your engine will have considerably greater piston speed and rod angle due to it's stroke.

PS: If your going with H-beams rods, I'd suggest Eagle over Manley. They're ~100g lighter, equal in price, and every bit as good.

 

[JacksonAuto]

. Typical Buschur post. I wouldn't be too quick to take advice about pistons from a guy who sells springs to hold the dipsticks in his engines because they have so much blowby/crankcase pressure.

 

[boost97gst]

hahahaha, good one. I got a kick outta that

 

[jjw205]

. Typical Buschur post. I wouldn't be too quick to take advice about pistons from a guy who sells springs to hold the dipsticks in his engines because they have so much blowby/crankcase pressure.

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[WES_393]

. Typical Buschur post. I wouldn't be too quick to take advice about pistons from a guy who sells springs to hold the dipsticks in his engines because they have so much blowby/crankcase pressure.

And I can't imagine your opinion on the subject is biased...

 

[JacksonAuto]

It's not an opinion, it's a fact. A properly built engine shouldn't need a spring to hold the dipstick in place. That's the difference between an engine assembler like Buschur and an engine builder like us.

But in hind sight I probably shouldn't have posted that. He's got his clientele and we have ours.

 

[11Banger]

But in hind sight I probably shouldn't have posted that. He's got his clientele and we have ours.

Well its a valid point...

 

[WES_393]

It's not an opinion, it's a fact. A properly built engine shouldn't need a spring to hold the dipstick in place. That's the difference between an engine assembler like Buschur and an engine builder like us.

But in hind sight I probably shouldn't have posted that. He's got his clientele and we have ours.

I'm not talking about build quality or semantics. I'm talking piston vs piston, which I felt was pretty well covered by Buschur's post. The products his company produces has nothing to do with the physical strength of a piston. If you have experience and/or data to prove his statements wrong, then by all means. But so far all I see is mud slinging.

 

[nitrouskris]

I love my set. Have been using them for years. If anyone is paying more then $700.00 for a set. You are getting ripped off

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[TSITurbo95]

. Typical Buschur post. I wouldn't be too quick to take advice about pistons from a guy who sells springs to hold the dipsticks in his engines because they have so much blowby/crankcase pressure.

And you are one to talk because?!?!?!?!?!

So what if he "sells" springs to keep dip sticks in, so do many other venders. That says nothing about his engine "builds" or "assembly"

Any who back on the piston subject. . . Yes Venolia's are nice pistons, however personally, I don't see what all the hype is about, when people making good power have been, and still are using off the shelf pistons. . .

 

[killercolt]

If it is not a billet aluminum piston, I don 't think it is worth 800. If you want big money pistons, JE has the billet pistons for 1200-1500 bux. If you want a set of low compression piston that is heavy duty, you try the je quench pad pistons. It is je new design for our car. Magnus motorsport carry the same design. The dish area mirror the head combustion chamber.


Here is my suggestion to you. If e85 is available to you do the following.
Call wiseco or one of the vendors on here. Ask for wiseco hd piston and pins. Tell them you have a 2.0l 1990 4g63t. **Do not tell them it is for a g4cs or 4g64.** Ask for 11:1 compression piston in a 86.5mm-87mm bore. When you put the pidtons on your g4cs, the compression will be around 12.5-13:1. Your compression tester will read about 265psi. On low boost, it will reach your 700hp goal. My friend did this and made over 700hp and 600tq at 28psi with the gt40r. With ecmlink, you can tune timing to run in pump if you like. My car compression test 245psi and I ran 87 octane for a while when hurricane Katrina limited the production of fuel.

I would avoid piston that has a short distant from the top of the piston to the first ring land. You need that extra thickness to buffer accidental lean condition. If it is too thin, it can accidently melt and lock the top ring from moving.

 

[Dsmkauai]

Here's mine that are getting sent to be balanced with everything. Once I get them back I can assemble the motor and see if I like venolia or not . I didn't really pay for these pistons so its worth using them for me. I got them when I bought my talon, the guy filled my jeep up with parts when I got it and I got these. He had plans to build up a high hp motor, but for some reason gave up and just wanted everything gone. I know they are .20 over pistons and have the coating, but I don't know the compression of them. Anyone know how I could find that out?

 

[JacksonAuto]

That says nothing about his engine "builds" or "assembly"

Yes it does. A dipstick blowing out is indicative of crankcase pressure which means the rings aren't sealing. That has everything to do with piston selection, machining and assembly.

 

[Dsmkauai]

^^ would you have an idea what compression these pistons are supposed to be? From what I can see the guy I got them from got them from you guys years ago. Thx for any info

 

[C_Keagy]

Why do people on here hate on the ones that post facts?

 

[T is for TURBO]

Why do people on here hate on the ones that post facts?

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That's why...

 

[nitrouskris]

Why do people on here hate on the ones that post facts?

That is how it always been. Everyone knows everything but Dont have anything fast or cant build car themself

Here's mine that are getting sent to be balanced with everything. Once I get them back I can assemble the motor and see if I like venolia or not . I didn't really pay for these pistons so its worth using them for me. I got them when I bought my talon, the guy filled my jeep up with parts when I got it and I got these. He had plans to build up a high hp motor, but for some reason gave up and just wanted everything gone. I know they are .20 over pistons and have the coating, but I don't know the compression of them. Anyone know how I could find that out?

PMed

 

[rhamlinii]

Here's mine that are getting sent to be balanced with everything. Once I get them back I can assemble the motor and see if I like venolia or not . I didn't really pay for these pistons so its worth using them for me. I got them when I bought my talon, the guy filled my jeep up with parts when I got it and I got these. He had plans to build up a high hp motor, but for some reason gave up and just wanted everything gone. I know they are .20 over pistons and have the coating, but I don't know the compression of them. Anyone know how I could find that out?

How thick are your wrist pins.