[Fot] Opinion needed on GT6 pistons...I'm glad I asked

Mon Jan 4 16:59:06 MST 2016

Thanks all for the input and now I’m glad I asked. It looks like Venolia are the favorite with A & E & J & E not far behind. Pretty much anything

but the County brand.

Thanks again

Jim g

From: Fot [mailto:fot-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of R. John Lye
Sent: Monday, January 4, 2016 7:58 AM
To: Scott Janzen <sjanzen at me.com>; Spitfire Racing <spitfire_racing at twcny.rr.com>; Bill Tobin <william.tobin31 at verizon.net>
Cc: FOT list <fot at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Fot] Opinion needed on GT6 pistons

I can second the quality control for Venolia pistons.  Several years ago, we

did a group buy of several sets of TR-4 pistons from Venolia.  I weighed

them when they got in, and matched them to sets based on weight.  Even

over the five sets (I think it was five, anyway), they were all very close.

By hand picking them, though, we were able to get all sets almost spot on.

John

On Mon, 04 Jan 2016 08:52:27 -0500, Bill Tobin <william.tobin31 at verizon.net <mailto:william.tobin31 at verizon.net> > wrote:

Scott, I think they are more than double that but you get what you pay for. 

I weighed all my Venolias when I got them new and they were all dead equal; right on their spec. 

I have a more conservative redline in the TR6, 6000, but it will easily go beyond that. 

Happy New Year everyone. 

Bill 

----- Original Message -----

From: Scott Janzen <mailto:sjanzen at me.com>  

To: Spitfire Racing <mailto:spitfire_racing at twcny.rr.com>  

Cc: FOT list <mailto:fot at autox.team.net>  

Sent: Monday, January 04, 2016 8:16 AM

Subject: Re: [Fot] Opinion needed on GT6 pistons

I've had a set of Venolia Pistons in my race GT6 for probably eight years. Just measured the skirt dimension against an unused spare-   0.6/1,000 of wear, max.  They'll be going back in the engine again with new rings. My recollection is they are about $75 each.
My routine redline is 7,000 rpm.

Sent from my mobile device 

On Jan 4, 2016, at 5:07 AM, Spitfire Racing <spitfire_racing at twcny.rr.com <mailto:spitfire_racing at twcny.rr.com> > wrote:

I did an engine rebuild for a GT-6 owner on his occasional track car and against my recommendation he wanted the cheaper option of County pistons. I had suggested using either J&E; Aries or Venolia forged pistons but he didn’t want to “spend that much”. I found their weights to be less uniform but in all honesty to the best of my awareness the engine is still running. These are made in China and given how nervous they made me, I don’t think I would do another build using them. The builder is always held responsible for any failure regardless of cause. When I build a Spitfire engine using proper forged pistons we dyno test at 7800. I would be nervous doing that with County pistons.

I will say I admit to having general misgivings about anything made in China but that’s based on experience. Why risk your reputation and the expense of a total build by using cheap pistons. It’s a false economy. I dreaded every time the phone rang for a month after delivering the car, but in this instance they seemingly met the requirement. It takes years to build a reputation but it can be lost in mere minutes.

County pistons may work for street car applications but are a risky choice for the rigors of racing. Spinning a bearing indicates either poor clearances or an oiling deficiency. A proper rebuild should check and correct only everything! Don’t assume the one problem you find is the only problem. Shortcuts predictably end up in expensive disaster.

I’ll step off the soap box now!

Choose wisely!

Russ Moore

Spitfire #49

From: Fot [mailto:fot-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Jim Gray
Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2016 9:58 PM
To: 'FOT list'
Subject: [Fot] Opinion needed on GT6 pistons

I’m rebuilding and engine for a fellow club member and need to get an opinion on County pistons.

The last “ rebuild” only lasted minutes on track until it spun a bearing. The pistons were new

for the last build. Since I have no experience with the County brand I’d like to know from the collective

if they are descent racing pistons.

Thanks as always,

Jim g

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--
Thanks,
John

rjl at gt-classics.com <mailto:rjl at gt-classics.com> 

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