DeTomaso Mailing List: May 98, Message #33

 
> Wow! I am impressed.  Boiling the pistons. What a great  idea.  
> However, I have never heard this before.  I never would have thought

> of this.  You are the master.

I can't take credit for it since I learned it from my dad.  Not sure who
taught him but he's got some interesting stories from the "old days".
Things like boring blocks with a file by hand.  Ugh.

It wasn't all that long ago, I was a total novice.  I didn't get interested
in cars until I got out of college and moved away from Dad's well
equipped shop.  I still kick myself every now and again for not taking
advantage of the shop when I was growing up.  
   
> very interesting, do you have to boil the block too, so that you are

> checking clearance with both at simulated running temperature?

Well, I don't think it would fit on the stove.  The assumption is that
it's not needed since the aluminum piston expansion is so much
larger than the cast iron block.  Also, the expansion of the pistons
is only a problem with certain forged piston designs and alloys.
Cast pistons, when boiled, always seem to fall within the specified
clearances.  Much of the durability of forged pistons comes from 
the particular alloy used.  The ones that can withstand a good 
pounding are also the ones that expand a lot.

Later,
Dan Jones