fiestaturbo.com

[Burtiers]

Right people i could do with knowing the answer to this one.

When doing a ZVH conversion i know alot of people use the C20LET pistons from the calibra turbo so they can run more boost rather than skimming Zetec pistons, they obviously bore out 2.1 aswell, but can the C20XE NA pistons (Older forged type) be used instead and still run and HANDLE good boost (18 psi ish). The C20xe pistons are just easier to get hold of.

im thinking along this line as i may be taking it on a couple of trackdays and am not convinced the skimmed pistons will last.

Done a few searches but couldnt really find anything.

Cheers

Rich

[trig]

im about to try this myself.

I have been told they are good for 300ish bhp

other than making them fit as you would with c20lets, you have to machine the bowl out to get the right compression ration.

That is what I have been told, ive not tried it yet though

[Burtiers]

So if theres machining involved i suppose it would just as easy to spend a little more and get the C20LETs and bored to 86.5.

I was only thinking of using them if i could get away with just the rebore.

I take it your doing a Zvh, if so what management are you gonna use?

Rich

[FRSJON]

use the calibra pistons......there forged,low compression and can handle good power...job done

[Burtiers]

Your right, thats the best way, i just CANT FIND ANY

[trig]

Im going ZT actually, its for an escort, a late one. For which I will probably use ofab management.

The c20xe pistons I have came out of a calibra, and Im reliably informed that they are forged and good for over 300bhp, they have seen 310bhp so far with no problems.

The block needs the same treatment to fit the xe pistons as it does for the let pistons, but the xe's need the bowl machining to reduce the CR.

C20LET pistons arent easy to find at the min, and Ive not seen a set for less than £120, I have seen £200 being asked for them, so it kind of makes it seem good value to use the xe's and pay for the machining to them, especially when I got a set of xe's for £12.50

[Burtiers]

Yeah your prob the one that beat me to the set on ebay then

What do you tell the machinist to do to the piston, do they normally know how to take out to create a certain compression ratio

[trig]

Ive had mine for a couple of months, so that probably isnt me

Its a bit of trial and error, don a dummy build, calculate the cr, take it to bits, take the pistons to be worked on, you should be able to calculate how much to take out, im not sure how much yet