Connecting Rods

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by carl hinkson

Mahle now offers a 1MM 1MM 2MM ring pack you really have to stay on top of things!!!

I know that Carl.

However, as Adger said, Stock Eliminator pistons have to have the original size ring grooves, so, if it came with a 5/64", 5/64", 3/16" ring package from the OE, that's what the piston has to have. If it came with 1/16", 1/16", 3/16" ring grooves, that's what it has to have. Then you can do your own ring package from there. Wikle has his, Tilburg has his, Koppein has his, Luneack has his, Josey has his, Taylor has his, Bridges has his, I have mine, and so on. Some run thin rings and spacers, some run Dykes rings and spacers, some run back cut stock axial thickness rings.

And to begin with, the company making the piston has to make a piston and submit it for that combination to the NHRA tech department. It's a long, drawn out, tedious process, I've now had two new pistons approved, at my own expense. We talked to Mahle a couple of times about it, they weren't really interested, and their price was considerably higher than any of the other companies.

Super Stock rules are looser, but still, it's a custom piston for each combination, it requires that the top of the piston have a specific configuration, but each builder has his own ring package, uses a different wrist pin diameter and length, and often a different compression height, and Mahle has never shown any real interest in it.

I have talked to them several times about both, and I've bought several sets of Mahle pistons, both direct, and through distributors. They make a good product, but Stock Eliminator and Super Stock are outside their area of interest.