I wanted to hold off until everything is offically done, but what the heck.

I had blown my headgaskets and took out a piston ringland back in may. It has been a long time in waiting, but looks like I will have my motor back this coming week. With a little luck, I will have it running by the end of this coming weekend.

One thing lead to another. I have been through a couple machine shops, found lots of issues with my parts, and I am basically sporting an entirely new motor.

New block - long story, but I basically didn't want to run a 40 over piston set
New Crank - thanks to UR crank pulley
New rev-up oil pump -
New water pump -
New timing and cam chains
new rod/main bearings
New HKS headgaskets
New GTM stage 1 FI cams
New JWT springs and retainers
New GTM 11mm series 2000 head studs
New GTM spec Extreme duty arias pistons 9:1 CR

Thankfully I was able to salvage the heads, main studs, and rods from my previous build.

I am having a local engine/machine shop doing all the work on the motor and once I get it back, I will be reinstalling the motor and APS TT kit....... more like I will be helping a local mechanic friend reinstall the motor and the kit into the car

Other goodies:
Defi gauges
- oil temp
- boost
- fuel pressure
Pathfinder cooling modification
Eagle Rods
HKS Fcon Vpro w/knock amp
HKS EVC V EBC
HKS ingnition DLII
HKS navigator
Complete T-clamp setup for IC piping
New "Turbo" floor mats
APS extreme fuel system
APS 3.5" pipes into 2.5" exhaust
crawford plenum
Koyo radiator
Ebay special oil cooler
ATS twin disc clutch
3.3 FD
Forge Actuators -> red springs

This is been a long and painful process. Sometimes I wish I would have just taken the entire car to a shop and said call me when it's done. I have come to appreciate paying for quality work at the hands of qualified shops/mechanics. My car has sat on my hoist since early june and has the dust to prove it. After weeks and weeks of waiting, there is some light at the end of the tunnel

 

Nice, it is a trying experience but well worth it.

 

Well it is about time and congrats,get that beast up and running again.

 

Good to hear your almost back on the road.
I love the fact that I have such a reliable shop down here to sweat this stuff because it would kill me. Get some pics up for us when you can. Congratz!!!

 

I know that you get real antsy when it close to being done....good luck !

 

What is special about GTM's pistons?

 

i can't wait to see the final outcome... i know you have put a lot of work into the car... at times, i wish i had the opportunity to take the route you and others have taken... doing all of the work yourself... you must come away with such a great sense of accomplishment...

 

They make them instead of Arias? Haha, I dunno, good question actually.

 

think its just the 9:1 CR thats asked for by them

 

Glad you asked....

The new design is founded in the original zero-silicon aluminum forging, with the highest heat and deformation resistance, also utilizing buttons instead of spring locks, providing additional support. The Stage II GTM pistons further expand on the gas expansion groove configuration on the outside of the piston maximizing the piston’s ability of suppressing hot fuel/gas mixture formations between the piston and the cylinder wall, allowing for greater tolerance of lean-mixture conditions and the resulting detonations. More significantly, the piston is lightened in strategic locations...

Basically these are the best pistons available for our cars

Enjoy the pics!

-George
GT Motorsports

GTM Spec Piston is on the right:

 

We usually spec all our builds with 8.5:1 CR unless requested otherwise by customer.

-George
GT Motorsports

 

Congrats on the build Aaron, I know it is a long road but it will be well worth it! All that matters at the end is when you are driving your car down the highway with that smile on your face!

Take care,

-George
GT Motorsports

 

So Arias makes two different pistons ? One just for your shop and one for every one else ? Or is this just the new design they make ?

 

hey Ziv:

- can you ellaborate on why the UR PUlley caused a crank failure?

- I also heard that the pathfinder mod can actually decrease the flow of coolant through the block (affecting velocity of the fluid or something)... have you heard this?

and I'm excited for you as well!

 

Actually this design was designed by GTM in conjuction with ARIAS for us. Therefore this design is only available exclusively through us, GT Motorsports.

We wanted to create the Ultimate piston for the VQ Community, We also coat these pistons as an option on our short blocks, standard on our stroker kits.

-George
GT Motorsports

 

You can see where you have had them reduce the Wt. , other than that they look pretty much the same . Good idea to shave some Wt. off them !

 

Thanks!

 

From my knowledge Sharif worked with Arias to develop the Extreme duty pistons that most know/refer to on the boards. Those are basically the FP spec extreme duty. I have the GTM spec extreme duty and have been "strategically lightened" -> as has already be stated

 

George,

Maybe you can provide some insight. I was at the machine shop discussing my build with them. We were discussing tq specs on the GTM spec 2000 head studs. I had called and talked to pablo at your shop and was advised that the correct spec was 85 lbs with the ARP moly for the stock size (11mm studs) and advised my builders of this. So when I went to the shop in person, he brings out this ARP chart and asks again about the tq specs on the head studs. The chart is a generalized chart and states that for a 220,000 tensel strength stud in an 11mm aplication the tq spec should be 79 lbs.

He had concerns about torquing to 85 lbs and said that the load was worry-some. He was concerned not only about the tq on the studs, but also about heads themselves. He said at that tq, the studs would start digging into the aluminum heads and possibly warping them... so I call and got Sam this time when I called GTM and he checked again and again stated 85 lbs was the correct spec. I know the L19 studs claim a 90+ lb tq spec. Just wondering if his concerns are justified or not? These guys really seem to know their stuff and are very aware when something "doesn't seem right" and this was one of those things -

 

For what it is worth I have my L19's torqued to 95 ft-lbs