HKS rates there forged piston/rod kit safely to 500PS (crank i assume). As per usual they'll be playing it safe, so i'm sure they'll be able to hold a bit more. They also sell a beefier rod kit that will hold a lot more (not sure how much).
The benefit of the HKS piston/rod kit is that you don't have to get the engine balanced, and you only have to remove 0.2mm from your cylinder walls as opposed to 0.5mm with every other piston kit out there. Basically it means that you don't have to have the cylinders bored, you can just have them honed.

 

Didn't bore my cylinders either.

Balancing is always good though. Just a cheap piece of insurance, especially on a V-motor

Tom

 

Did you use an overbore piston, or a stock bore piston. If you want to balance it you can, but HKS states that it isn't necessary.
For me that works out perfect when i build my motor. I have means of honing my cylinder walls, but not of balancing my crank.

 

Stock bore

 

That'll be why you didn't bore it out then.
How many miles have you put on them? Have you had any issues with it? I ask because so many people are hell bent on overboring when you put forged pistons, but i don't think it's completely necessary.

 

Think about 2500miles (damn the miles go on fast) in just a couple months.

No issues. Drives/sounds just like stock.

Tom

 

ECU=Utec, psi i have two maps one @ 7.3psi daily and 9lbs on c16/91 mix(463rwhp)

 

if your building an engine you should balance it. its not that expensive, lightens the rotating assembly. not to mention if your building an engine thats going to be seeing high revs not having a balanced rotating assembly will make the crank bend and flex.

 

Don't forget Wiseco pistions...

 

yup

 

Yes i understand this. In the US everything is easy because that kind of **** can get done almost anywhere. Here in Europe you've got to find a specialist shop, and it ain't as cheap as the US. The whole point is that the rod piston combo from HKS weighs the same as stock so if your engine is revving happy in stock form to 7000, which mine is, then there will be no need to balance it. Yes, like i said before, it would be nice to have it fully balanced, but with the HKS kit it isn't NECESSARY.

 

so basiclly that would throw out some of the benefits of getting forged internals. having a lighter reciprocating mass allowing for higher rpms. the price of HKS internals vs. getting an assembled short block sent to you kind of negates the whole specialist theory. just the parts for the HKS internals is 3500. you can get a FP S1 assembled short block for that same price. when you tack on the cost to going hks internals including bearings, mainstuds, and assembly cost the price doesnt speak for itself when for the price the reasonably priced FP short block has been proven time and time again.

 

I know I know I am the biggest SP nutswinger here, but you may want to contact them. They ship a lot of stuff (whole cars, built motors, transmissions, turbo kits, parts) to Europe (actually the world) on a daily basis. Might want to talk to them about shipping you a built shortblock. Would probably save you a ton of hassels having it show up ready to go without worry.

Tom

 

Definitely worth looking into. The only problem i would have is shipping my engine to them. (Because it would have to be part exchange)
Also, the MSRP from HKS is 3500, but as with everything, you can get it for less. I can get it for 2800 shipped to my door.

 

Well. I could be wrong here, but getting forged rods and pistons actually increases the mass of your rotating assembly. You do reduce a bit of weight when you balance your crank, but no way near as much as your adding with rods and pistons. You are increasing your rev ability by balancing everything, but if you were to balance the stock assembly, you could probably rev higher. Anyway, yes the Forged block is 3500, but then how much would i have to pay to have entire engine shipped to Spain. And because it's a short block i would have to get the headgaskets and studs extra anyway aswell. So it would look more like 4000. Whereas like i said before, i can get the HKS kit for 2800 shipped, and that's not even shopping around. Add head gaskets and bolts and i'm at around 3300. Still less than and FP shortblock without shipping.
I don't know if you understand my logic behind this.
Basically it's not as easy for me because i have to deal with expensive shipping costs, and the bigger the item, the more it's gonna be.