I've been thinking about doing this for a while, and I finally have enough money set aside. I did a bunch of reading about it on EvoM and have talked to English Racing who would be doing the install. Seems like the key to success is to properly assess the condition of the cylinders. If round and not scored, then its just a matter of properly prepping the walls to seat the rings.

So I've seen a bunch of threads with people asking whether they should do it, but I've not seen a thread about long term results. I'd love to hear from people who have at least two years into a drop-in build. Data on compression or leak down results would be excellent.

 

I got 2 years prob...10k+ miles....Eagle rods (that haven't snapped yet) with BR spec pistons. Did a compression test before i pulled head to do valve seals and supertech springs/retain. I got 140,135,140,100....then put everything back together now i got 155,150,150,155....so im glad i replaced the seals lol.

Overall i'm very happy with how the drop-ins have preformed...very little piston slap on start-up also.

Jacks Transmissions did the drop-ins....i did everything else.

DO IT !!!!!

 

I've got 4 years on a set of stock bore Ross pistons (I'll have to look up the rods, I don't remember OTOMH) with about 20K miles of driving/road racing. They're still doing great and see 9000 RPM on most trips. Install was done by AMS. Initially had oil consumption issues, but that turned out to be my cylinder head, not the pistons. Car has been run at 23, 26 and 28 psi.

l8r)

edit: Crower rods

 

If English says it will work fine,trust their word...They wouldn't steer you wrong.

 

I am pretty sure Dan Bushurs car has drop in pistons and rods and has been running this way for a while...

 

How many miles does your block currently have?

 

what was causing it to consume oil?

to the OP how many miles you have on the engine?

 

If English says they can do it.....(as was stated) i would let them do it. They're a reputable shop.

 

47k mi. English did a great job installing my turbo, cams, and t-belt, so i know they do good work. this is more about understanding how well people have been able to get the rings to seat and how well it works in the long term. i like to thoroughly understand what i'm getting into.

 

I don't remember the exact issue. I ended up swapping the entire head for an OG AMS ported head, which fixed the issue.

l8r)

 

Wait...so i feel like a newb right now. You are referring to just pulling the head, dropping the oil pan, pulling pistons and rods out and replacing them with aftermarket pistons, rods and bearings? This does work??

This would be a great option for me! I am running 62k miles on my 9 motor.

 

no^ thats a cheap way that will prolly end up costing you in the long run, most of the time for those due for a rebuild the cylinders dont wear evenly from top of cylinder to bottom, so if you drop in pistons/rods combo into the engine from underneath with the cylinders not being even, that can lead to issues with piston ring sealing to the combustion chamber. But hey its your car do whatcha want haha my 0.02 spend the money crack open the engine replace as many parts as you can then be broke like me for the next 5 years haha

 

Yes. People have been doing this for years

 

Not to sound like a jerk but there's quite a few things in that paragraph that dont make sense.

You dont put the pistons in from the bottom, you take the head off, drop the oil pan so you have access to the rod bolts and push them out through the top. Also, the piston rings dont seal to the combustion chamber, they seat against the cylinder wall, the combustion chamber is in the cylinder head.

If the work is done right, yes it can last. But is it as good as pulling the motor and having it machined the correct way? No.

It should save your car from making a peep hole in your block though! You just wont have the compression you could if you were to get the block honed for your particular set of pistons

 

thats what I meant, as in droppin it from the cop of the block down to the crank shouldve specified that. well tell me this as an example what does a sock due to your foot in a shoe, same thing as sayin a piston ring sealin to the wall in a combustion chamber, well ur savin money now, but hey you can go cheap n buy a megan 02 housing for cheap does that make it good? no..? haha...but its your car, do it right the first time is my motto, or else youll kick yourself in the a$$ for it...?