The engine in my car is out again for the third time since I have had it. I had two valve guides break off in the heads and it went through the valves into the cylinders and hurt two of my forged pistons that we can see. My mechanic says that buying new set of rings and two new pistons is more than half the price of a full new set of pistons. He was just wondering if I wanted to put a little more and get all new ones. I really just want to do it right and not have to be in the engine again. What would you guys do?
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1998 GT Saleen replica
New forged internals w/cobra crank, TEA CNC ported heads w/ comp cams XE270AH, AccuFab throttlebody and plenum, Spec III clutch, TKO 600 trans, aluminum drive shaft, 3:73 gears, BBK long tube headers, 255lpm intank fuel pump, Dyno tuned, Polished Procharger D-1sc 12psi, 3 core intercooler. SVO hood and 18in Budnik wheels w/toyo tires. Caster/Camber plates BBK lowering springs. Car web page
Comp cams XE262AH,T-45 with tri-ax shifter for sale
was your rotating assembly balanced before it was installed? If it was then replacing all 8 pistons is going to be the only correct way to fix it.
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Sometimes I think that government fits that old-fashioned definition of a baby: An alimentary canal with an appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.
- Ronald Reagan
I believe it was. Well I am fixing to find out the exact prices of going either way. I was thinking of putting on a tubular front suspension but found out the price "$1000+" Do you know what the aproximate gain there is from weight reduction maybe "weight-hp" if their is a average formula.
And also can you add a-arms without dropping the engine if you already have the k-member in.
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1998 GT Saleen replica
New forged internals w/cobra crank, TEA CNC ported heads w/ comp cams XE270AH, AccuFab throttlebody and plenum, Spec III clutch, TKO 600 trans, aluminum drive shaft, 3:73 gears, BBK long tube headers, 255lpm intank fuel pump, Dyno tuned, Polished Procharger D-1sc 12psi, 3 core intercooler. SVO hood and 18in Budnik wheels w/toyo tires. Caster/Camber plates BBK lowering springs. Car web page
Comp cams XE262AH,T-45 with tri-ax shifter for sale
I think every 100 pounds removed is a .1 second gain in the 1/4 mile. I'm pretty sure you can swap A-arms with or without the engine in the car.
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Sometimes I think that government fits that old-fashioned definition of a baby: An alimentary canal with an appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.
- Ronald Reagan
I'm gonna give you a little insight. TEA gets their flow #'s based on cutting the valve guide back to improve flow, at the cost of creating a very unstable guide. I strongly suggest getting new bronze guides pressed in.
Also, valve guides in mod motors just suck, bronze or stock, they just have bad dynamics. Putting that crower cam set in with .612 lift will do nothing for performance over a .550 lift cams, and will wear out those valve guides MUCH faster, causing this problem to happen again.
Lastly, just replace those pistons, no need in buying new.
EDIT: yes, A-arms can be installed with the engine in the car, no different than installing another other suspension componet.
mark,
Im having heads done, so what valve guides would you recommend, if both suck? I'm not trying to be a dick im just curious, how much better are the bronze ones over the stock ones.
As long as they aren't cut back, the bronze ones should work perfectly fine.
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Sometimes I think that government fits that old-fashioned definition of a baby: An alimentary canal with an appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.
- Ronald Reagan
advise on putting engine back together 
