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Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => Parts Resources, Here is where you can find this or that. => Topic started by: SwedeChariot on June 21, 2014, 11:26:56 PM

Title: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: SwedeChariot on June 21, 2014, 11:26:56 PM
Hi folks,

I need a single low compression Pinto 2.0 piston to replace one I broke in my modified Ford Taunus V4 engine (the stock engine in my '71 SAAB). I installed Mahle low compression pistons, but they're very rare and I'm having trouble finding them. If I can't find a Mahle (and probably I can't) I'll settle for the standard piston.

The bore is 90.83mm or 3.575"

I suspect you guys are swapping out low compression pistons for high compression, so maybe they're are some unwanted LCs out there.
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: 72pair on June 22, 2014, 08:55:11 AM
Rockauto seems to have a few left
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: SwedeChariot on June 22, 2014, 11:35:10 PM
Thanks for the suggestion. The compression height seems to be slightly lower on the Sealed Power pistons compared to the Mahle's, so I'm hesitant to mix and match. I might have to replace the whole set.

The bore is also 1/100th of a mm off, but I don't suppose that matters much on a '70s engine.
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: amc49 on June 23, 2014, 06:43:21 PM
Make 'em all the same, the piston weights will be different part to part. You are asking for vibration mixing piston brands there. Inline fours do that bad enough as it is.........
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: SwedeChariot on June 28, 2014, 12:27:42 AM
Thanks AMC49. Believe it or not, it's a V4. It's the stock Ford Taunus engine in my '71 SAAB (but not the stock pistons).

I managed to find a single Mahle piston in a shop in Germany. More than I wanted to pay, but better than swapping out all four pistons...
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: amc49 on June 28, 2014, 01:45:09 PM
A V-4, that's pretty wild.......... .......only ones I've played with are the Honda bike motors, but the piston weight balance issues are somewhat close to the same.......... ...one right angled reciprocating weight has to still balance out to itself and the other one too if a true 90 degree V there.

Motor must sound kinda weird all muffled up, the bikes do not sound like they are revving high even at 9000 rpm, and in my view sounded horrible with open headers on them. But they sure pulled good down low and mid  though.
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: 74 PintoWagon on June 28, 2014, 02:09:14 PM
You can get some pretty wild V-4's...

(http://www.stu-offroad.com/misc/scat/scat-2.jpg)

(http://image.hotrod.com/f/techarticles/engine/hrdp_1109_v4_motorcycle_engine/37391562/hrdp-1109-00%2Bv4-motorcycle-engine.jpg)

Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: amc49 on June 28, 2014, 02:24:18 PM
I've seen them but I believe they suffer a bit being put in practical applications. For hot dragging OK.
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: 74 PintoWagon on June 28, 2014, 02:31:59 PM
You can build a Scat any way you want..
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: amc49 on June 28, 2014, 09:18:12 PM
You're probably right, I still have visions of the rough parts shown when someone first converted some SBC parts to make a V-4, I just remember details as being woefully incomplete there like intakes and exhaust. With passage of time I'm sure they are much more focused than before.
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: 74 PintoWagon on June 29, 2014, 07:53:04 AM
I used to live right down the street from Scat back in the day been in their shop many times, they did a lot of R & D on that V-4 finished product is very nice, actually the whole shop is a class act..
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: Srt on June 29, 2014, 10:15:07 AM
an older Ford V4

Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: SwedeChariot on June 29, 2014, 02:41:41 PM
amc49, it's a 60 degree V. Regardless, the balance shaft is a weak point on these engines – the bearings give out. So I guess I'd better take the balance issue seriously. (Besides, I went to the expense of getting the engine balanced, so...)

Ford made at least two V4s, the Essex and the Taunus. That's the Taunus that Srt posted. It's 2/3rds of the 2.8L V6 Cologne.
Title: Re: Low Compression 2.0L pistons
Post by: Srt on June 29, 2014, 06:34:05 PM
amc49, it's a 60 degree V. Regardless, the balance shaft is a weak point on these engines – the bearings give out. So I guess I'd better take the balance issue seriously. (Besides, I went to the expense of getting the engine balanced, so...)

Ford made at least two V4s, the Essex and the Taunus. That's the Taunus that Srt posted. It's 2/3rds of the 2.8L V6 Cologne.


i think that it was used in the Sonnet also.  At my old muffler shop we did a lot of exhaust work on Saab vehicles, as well as Volvo, Datsun & VW back in the 70's.  A lot of shops wouldn't touch the foreign stuff.