Thread: Why don't they make what I want?!?!

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After reading countless proformance catalogs i am unable to find any domed pistons...Jegs, Summit, Doug Herbert, and Ross... nothing. Is it because of valve to piston clearence or that thay are already running a high compression as it is? Some time when my engine (390 FE) decides to kick out on me i'd like to up the compression a little more. I know that you can stroke it and i have considered that avenue. its a little bit more expensive though. Any ideas, or experince that you could pass on would be great!

Compression ratio is the main reason. With today's fuel and cast iron heads about 9 or 9.5 to 1 is as high as you can run with pump premium!!! Low compression strokers cost a bit more to build, but with poor quality fuel you have to build for torque and not horsepower. With the right cam and good heads, the old FE's can still put hp and torque in the 500 range and run on pump fuel!!! Not bad for an engine design that's almost 50 years old!!!!

If your heart is set on domes, TRW L2292F is a choice.

If I'm not mistaken those L2292F's are no longer available. Unless they recently tooled up again. Think it's been since 01-02 since they went away. Also with those and 74cc heads your looking at 11.6:1 comp.

Check Probe pistons. They sell a nice forged 390 flatty and a dish that won't break the bank. And they are nice and light!!! I see guys like Alex and Mad Dog on ebay every so often with really good prices on these. Diamond also makes a nice off the shelf 390 slug but costs and weighs a little more. Keep in mind stroking will not give you a higher comp ratio. It will give you more torque though. The piston, head and gasket combo will deterime that. There is also quench and static compression to be factored with your choices. Just to clear that.

I was shocked to see them still available too. But I found a few distributors that supply them in sets and with bottom end kits. Personally, I like the flat top set up because of today's pump gas and depending on machine work to the heads and block, the flatties are more than enough compression to get what is desired and yet minimize damage.

Wow no kidding!! That's good to know. Thanks for the update on that.