RNBRAD

It may be easier now than a few years ago, but with all these new cylinder combinations that are readily available and most importantly reliable. Also easy to set-up and easy to tune and easy to get parts for. So basically I don't see the point when you can bolt on a cheetah (4 mill to an 18mil or larger) and get all the power you need in just a weekend of motor work. I also don't think you could use too much boost from a turbo causing to much crank case pressure, blowing seals etc..To me a turbo would be months of work and constant tuning. If turbo motors added something substantial over what the market has to offer then I would think the motor builders would be using them. I honestly think it's a benefit to disadvantage ratio most people probably look at. I do think it's pretty trick though and admire your dedication to tackle such a difficult project and hopefully you can make it work to your satisfaction.

I just think you need a better tire. Something like some cut knarly's where they will hook with the spin. Your tires are probably spinning so fast they don't have the spacing between the knobs to dig down. Honestly I think your best and cheapest fix at this point would be a tread change.

I'm wider than 50"inches. Need an orange flag though.

Lmao. I figured they may be the same, was just curious as to why the K&N's were 50% more. Thanks fellas.

Yea

K&N's cost a little more but I've never owned them. Just wondering if they are better or anyone has tried them? I'm just ready to try something besides Outerwears, you look at them just right and they will get a hole.

Man that Raptor 700 SE is sweet. Love those colors. Jeff would have to get a hold of it before I could ride it though. :biggrin:

PM Jeff from FAST racing or Dave Noss. Look for their banners on here.

Spring preload does compensate for a heavier rider. That's how you adjust your ride height/sag. Preload will need to be increased with increased rider weight and gear weight to maintain "appropriate" ride height or sag. Also increasing preload "should" never decrease suspension travel. Your not bottoming the spring, your bottoming the bump stop against the shock body, even with preload set to maximum. At least on a shock that's built correctly.

Replace the bad 0-ring, inspect your pistons, put it back together. Sounds to me like this was most likely your initial problem. Some things can dislodge an o-ring like detonation but usually rings, plugs, or a piston will go 1st. To be safe you may richen your jetting a tad then do a plug check.

Thanks, that because I never know when I will have to sleep out there. lol

I think stiffening the spring is the wrong verb perhaps. Maybe instead of stiffen, use increased compression or tension. Therefore by increasing preload, it will require a greater force to bottom out your shock.

Pretty close to new with the exception of a few goodies. Current

Come to think of it, haven't seen him around in a while. Anyway Happy Birthday!!!

No kidding.

It's either low compression, bad reeds, or low to no spark.

Yea those area's like that are frequently skipped by chromers. Reason is they like to walk up to the big buffing wheel and let it do all the work except it won't reach those area's well. Those small area's are where all the time in preperation is at. That's really what you call cutting a corner.

Honestly, I could never specifically say the % of silicon is in each brand of piston cast or forged, I'm sure that info is probably confidential for most manufacturers, I dunno. I can only go by what properties the type of piston has. Silicon has certain properties it adds to a piston. It controls thermal expansion and strength to wear ratio among other things. I'm not saying in every circumstance that a cast has more silicon. I'm one of those guys that hates to use the term "always" liberally. The medical profession taught me that. But to say using a forged piston is "always " better to use than a cast piston is untrue. Don't get me wrong here, forged units are great pistons, I currently use them, yes they have come a long way in technology and design. They are stronger and exhibit many better properties than cast and vice a versa. This doesn't mean in my next engine, depending on what it is, that I will use a forged piston.

Then tell me why the forged contracts more than cast in general. Now granted a wiseco probably has one of the tightest cylinder to bore clearnaces. Reason is that it has a higher % of silicon than other forged pistons. But it still does not have as high a % as an oem or a pro-x cast unit. Not sure I'm catching your information about a cast piston changing shape non-uniformly. Where is the disadvantage manifested on this statement? Horsepower? Wear on a certain side of the cylinder wall? Where's the evidence of this phenomenon in regarsds to piston performance?

Not sure myself, never heard of it. It's not dimensional stability which is what I am reffering to. No reason to over sophisticate this. Dimensional stability is one thing that I stated above and nothing else. We also need to remember that this is a discussion of pistons, not casting and forgings in general. :thumbsup:

A forged piston may expand and contract more than a cast piston That is dimensional stability no matter how you slice it. That's why a forged piston of the same size requires a larger bore. Fact, period, bar none, end of story, that is dimensional stability! Yes forged and cast pistons have varying %'s of silicon. Silicon adds dimensional stability to cast and forged pistons, fact, period, bar none, end of story. Now tell me which piston has more silicon. It's the piston that has the least expansion and contraction. Or in other words the piston that is more dimensionally stable meaning the dimensions adhere closer and tighter to there original manufactured specification when heated. Does this mean that every cast piston has more silicon than a forged, no but I would bet it's 98 to 2.

Wow, amazing picture and a testament to the maleability of forged pistons A cast will fracture every time. The reason is a cast's inherent % of silicon is what makes it brittle. A forged unit would fracture during it's production if it was as brittle. This is why a forged piston has less silicon than a cast piston. Also the % of silicon is what makes the cast piston more dimensionally stable though at the same time making it more brittle. Anyway FH, I think you are starting to get it. Now just understanding why a cast is more dimensionally stable. What makes it that way and not a forged? Why can't forged pistons use as high of a silicon % as cast? As we all know that silicon provides excellent lubricating properties. Ever heard a forged piston will wear out a bore faster than a cast? Anyone ever wonder why? Ask a builder, they will tell you, Anyway this is a great thread and a good learning opportunity for all of us. Makes people think a little more when selecting a cast or a forged piston. Both have their pros and cons. I will agree in the race engine market that forged is the way to go. A forging is a stronger piston and under the stresses of turbo's, exotic fuels, and the list goes on... you can't lose with a forged unit. BUT.... if your engine does not need nor require a forged piston, your motor will be better off with a cast. It's just one of my peeves when someone says that a forged piston is always better, that's just not true.

If they expand more unevenly or more, then everyone needs an explanation of why cast pistons in a banshee can have a tighter piston to bore clearance than a forged wiseco? Honestly, you have your forged and cast properties backwards.

Just a few corrections. 1.) A piston that is made from a casting is not more brittle, nor than a forged piston. Simple strength of materials stuff. The universal " no free lunch" rule applies here. A cast piston generally is less dense than a forged piston material. With aluminum, lower density you ge maleability. I would venture to say that piston cracking might be more common with a cast piston, but it's not because it brittle. I would say that it is because you generally cannot achieve the same sectional thickness with a casting as you can with a forging. Yes it is simple strength of material. Drop a cast piston and then drop a forged from varying heights, tell me which one breaks 1st. You are confused on the term malleability. A forged piston will deform before it cracks and exhibits more malleability than a cast piston. 3.) Tighter tolerances seems to be used as a blanket term here. If you are talking about the piston itself, then a forging is always more dimensionally stable than a casting. If were are talking about bore tolerances, then they need to be of a higher tolerance for a forging. Your kidding right? So a forging is more dimensionally stable, meaning less expansion when heated than a cast piston?

You have to ask yourself, why do some of the top engine manufacturers in the world use forged in some motors and cast in others? There's definite reasons and probably tons more than I even know about. If a forged was the best piston in all engines, there would be no need for a cast design at all and it certainly would not still be around. But to state that a cast piston is more forgiving, not at all the case. The nature of the cast pistons brittleness makes them failure prone when they are not within their specif tight tolerances. One of the reasons forged is such a popular aftermarket replacement piston and they do so well because of their strength and forgiving tolerances. This is not so with a cast, you will brake a skirt real quick if they are just slightly out of tolerance. So in a world of non-exact tolerances from thousands of small mechanics, forged strength is a great attribute for them and it allows those to have great success and reliability. This is the reason cast units get a bad rap as an oem replacement piston in many cases. So what are the benefits and disadvantages to each design? Does a cast pistons tighter tolerances improve performance and longevity when the threat of fracture from high compression high horsepower motors are not a threat? Absolutely!!! Does a cast piston have better antiwear properties and less friction due to it's higher silicon content than a forged? Absolutely!!! Is this a benefit? You tell me. If your cast piston cannot tolerate and is not recommended for the output of your motor due to high risk of fracture, then obviously the forged will be more beneficial than a cast unit. Also why do forged piston manufacturers use all these exotic coatings? To try and add the benefits of a cast piston break-in and antiwear properties without it's disadvantages. Does it work? not as well because they don't last long. I also don't look at warming up a forged piston as a disadvantage and saying a forged piston is lighter than a cast is not true as well, in some cases yes. Anyway I'm not trying to start a pissing match between the two pistons designs. I use both but people need to understand each design has specefic benefits and disadvantages. No one design is the best, just as no one pipe is the best or tire, or suspension, so on and so forth. That's why the market supports both designs so well.