Give a call to 'The Bowtie Connection', they are super nice folks
with all kinds of Hi-Perf Chevy parts. The blond gal knows her stuff! I
see them every year at Fall Carlisle. Also Jegs, or Summit Racing has
nice stuff. If you replace the pistons, you are going to get some machine
shop time involved, boring/honing, cleaning. You may get some bucks tied
up in your motor, but if it will run W.O.T. all day and not blow apart
it was worth it! Drop in new Cleavite bearings, that is a good move even
if you are just 'freshening up' a factory size set. Boats are so hard
on bottom end parts!!!





In article ,
says...


"Gudmundur" wrote in message
...
In article ,

says...

I have done some research and heard you can put higher compression
flat-top
pistons in the 4.3 and gain a few HP. Who makes these pistons? I have
done a
bunch of searches and come up empty handed.

A related question, I have also read that the 4.3 is a 350 minus two
cylinders and that the pistons and rods are the same. Is this true or
false?

Almost everything swaps with most 350's. Of course there are 'large
jounal'
and 'small journal' 350's, and one can't really make more than a
generalized
statement about the 4.3 262 being a 350 minus two jugs. As for flat top
pistons, Geez, everyone makes them for a 4.3, wiseco, TRW, Sealed Power
(who is TRW in disguise anyway) Keith Black Silv-O-Lite. It isn't worth
your time or trouble unless your motor is already apart. If so, go with
forged aluminum. They can take the most abuse, it's all the blower crowd
would ever consider.



engine is already apart.
This spring when I tuned it up and hooked the hose to it to time it, got
LOTS of water in the oil. I bought a long block for it before I took it
apart. When I took it apart it was the intake manifold that was screwed. I
decided to use the new long block anyway. Putting it together I found a
valve cover bolt broken off in the head which I had to drill and ez-out.
Got it running and it kept backfiring - found the wrong size pushrod in #6
exhaust. But the straw that broke the camels back was, after 1.5 hrs
running the intake rocker arm on number was loose, must have been a stuck
lifter. So I have returned the motor and am going to rebuild my old block
(or at least plastigage the bearing etc). That is where I am at, I am
considering the pistons and need at least a gasket kit. I replaced the 2
bbl intake with a 4 bbl intake and adapter plate for my 2 bbl, hopefully I
will get 10- 15 hp from this. With the pistons maybe 10-15 more HP????

Any recommendations where I can purchase the pistons and the gasket kit?