What brand of piston do you use?

[bcorradi]

I usually stick with OEM stuff for customers. The labor is the same, so even with aftermarket parts there is some investment on the customers part. A shop environment is so much different than doing you own work at home, mostly because the clock is ticking and you can't lose sight of things like cleaning and preping the original cylinder. So, unless I know the customer, and unless I know that he's clear in understanding the difference between a full OEM rebuild and taking the AM piston shortcut, my standard approach is OEM P&C or I don't mess with it.

For myself at home, when I'm counting the beers, rather than the labor clock, I've brought a bunch of saws back to life with just a Forester piston and whatever time it takes. So far, my results have been great, and I'm growing comfortable enough to use them selectively in the shop. For those of you who can do your own work, an AM piston is a great way to go.

It's also worth mentioning that complete aftermarket P&C sets often cost the same as just the OEM piston. So, if the original cylinder is questionable, this is an option other than an expensive OEM set. I've also used some of these kits, a few of which are in commercial use for over a year. So far, so good.

great post Spike.

I've experimented with a few aftermarket pistons Golf, AIP, etc. when they first came on the market. Some of the first Golf pistons (especially the 024) were real ugly at first, but they have probably progressed. I usually stick with meteor or episan lately and have had good luck with them. I have yet to try to forester or NWP pistons.

 

[DavesMower&Saw]

Gotta watch that too,alot of aftermarket stuff now have different groove sizes,so oem clips wont always work.

That's what I've noticed, you have to used all of their provided hardware in order for it to work.

 

[splitpost]

That's what I've noticed, you have to used all of their provided hardware in order for it to work.

even the clips supplied don't always fit real good ,then you gotta fart arse around measuring to get the best fitting ones from other pistons or parts boxes

 

[Cliff R]

"I would typically rather install a worn OEM piston then most of the AM pistons that I have seen."

+1

I've always stuck with OEM, Mahle P/C's, even nice used ones vs any of the aftermarket stuff.

On a related topic, it finally came time to build the Kohler 12HP engine in my 1982 JD 212. A mouse had kindly built a nest against the cooling fins with pink insulation and it burn up the factory piston.

The bore was fine, so I hone it, measured within specs, and I ordered a piston from NAPA.

The piston looked fine, relatively well made, etc. It mic'd out about .003" clearance at the skirt, so I installed it. I also ground the valves/seats, replaced all the gasket/seals, etc.

The engine fired right up, and ran smooth and quiet for a couple of minutes. I did notice a very slight "knock", but it wasn't overly loud, and those are pretty noisey engines anyhow, so I didn't pay much attention to it.

Well, the "knock" got louder, and louder, to a point where I had to pull the engine back out of it.

On the bench I could feel the knock by turning the flywheel. It was piston "slap". Turns out the top of the piston was appr. .060" smaller than the skirt, and it "slapped" as it crossed over TDC and the connecting rod changed direction.

I ended up paying over $200 for a factory replacment piston and new connecting rod (required for the updated piston). It now runs fine and no knocking or slapping anyplace.

Turns out the NAPA piston was made in China. It wasn't worth the price of the paper box it showed up in, let alone the $40 I paid for it and had to go thru the engine twice!

Another valuable lesson learned using aftermarket "offshore" parts!.......Cliff

 

[Mad Professor]

Tecomec/precision tooling is now selling piston assys in addition to their P/C/ assys

 

[ZeroJunk]

It depends on the saw. If it is a high dollar saw I usually go OEM. But, I'm not going to put a $100 piston in a $150 saw.

I bought a piston for an 026 that I got a couple of days ago. Came in a brown box with a typed label on it. Don't know the manufacturer. Anyhow the clips were thick and had no spring. When you bent them enough to go in the groove they stayed bent. The groove is so big and deep that an OEM Stihl clip is loose in it and the pin can slip out over the top.

I don't know where I could get some good spring steel clips that size. And, I'm not going to use the original fat clips and the OEM clips are too small. Trash can bound I suspect.

 

[dboyd351]

MS 211 piston?

I know this is an old thread, but I found it while looking for a piston kit for a MS 211. Anyone know of a piston for a Stihl MS 211?

 

[Saw Dr.]

Due to recent "developments" on an MS-460, I will no longer be using white box pistons. Maybe Meteor or NWP with quality rings, or OEM.