Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

Yep another post...

Major piston manufacturer... first set of pistons arrived with 3 lefts and 5 rights in the box. Called manufacturer (about 60 miles from the shop) they had another set in stock. Drive to the manufacturer and exchanged for a new set of course checking to make sure there were 4 rights and 4 lefts. Drive back open the box prep the pistons, weigh and sort. Pull the oil rails out of the packages... 6 of the 8 rails do not have the dimples in them... really??? Have a set of Mahle piston on the shelf same bore size and 3mm oil ring and of course they are not the same dimensions.

So, now the question that I think I know the answer... has anyone had this same issue with rail with dimples missing? Did you run them without, dimple them yourself (what method did you use), or wait for replacements with the dimples.

This build has been a pain in the behind. Nearly Every single part has needed some type of modification or massaging and as ALWAYS with a quickly approaching deadline.

5 letters.........

C H I N A

Sadly... made in the good old USA. I do my best to by USA whenever possible.

I have used rails with no dimples. After a year and a half that engine has not came back with any issues.
I can say that the rails do move.

jed wrote: ↑Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:25 pm I have used rails with no dimples. After a year and a half that engine has not came back with any issues.
I can say that the rails do move.

Thanks for the reply!

I have resigned myself to the fact that there is no way I can make the deadline with these issues that have taken hours from my day to address. Guess I will be headed out tomorrow morning to exchange the rails. This job should have been done yesterday and now I will be lucky to have it finished by the end of the day tomorrow. A lost day because others couldn't do their job correctly.

Kurshuk wrote: ↑Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:50 pm

jed wrote: ↑Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:25 pm I have used rails with no dimples. After a year and a half that engine has not came back with any issues.
I can say that the rails do move.

Thanks for the reply!

I have resigned myself to the fact that there is no way I can make the deadline with these issues that have taken hours from my day to address. Guess I will be headed out tomorrow morning to exchange the rails. This job should have been done yesterday and now I will be lucky to have it finished by the end of the day tomorrow. A lost day because others couldn't do their job correctly.

Welcome to the world of custom engine building.
You have to check every part every time from every manufacture regardless of origin.
Machine packaging miss's stuff and damages parts.
keep on checking

The assumption is that there was ever quality control. Even cheap Chinese stuff is probably a lot better than things were 50 years ago... of course automation has helped with that.

Yep, just got 100 custom titanium valves from a manufacturer in USA and all of them had incorrect keeper grooves.

hoffman900 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:26 pm The assumption is that there was ever quality control. Even cheap Chinese stuff is probably a lot better than things were 50 years ago... of course automation has helped with that.

"Quality Control" was engineering to tolerances loose enough that you could throw any crap in the box and call it good, and it would work.

Kurshuk wrote: ↑Tue Oct 08, 2019 9:27 pm Sadly... made in the good old USA. I do my best to by USA whenever possible.

That should answer your question, the cost to manufacture here is so over priced that corners will be cut to compete with real world costs of production...