Which pistons would YOU buy?

[itlives]

I have to get new pistons for my 2.3L. I'm changing to n/a from turbo.
I've gone on Ebay and notice some big differences in price. I know Esslinger and others offer forged. There's also hyperuetectic (sp?) and cast.

I'll be using the engine to pull my 1,000 lb. camper when I leave the rat race a few times a year. Other than that, I'm fairly easy on my engines- just normal street driving. My work is only 5 miles from home.
That pretty much describes my driving habits.
I can afford the forged pistons but don't want to waste money.
I'll try to get away without having any machine work if I can. Just changing rings and bearings other than pistons.
Any thoughts on this are welcome. Thanks -Mike

 

[martin]

I would get the forged ones. I'm sure that after you drive around n/a for a few days you'll want to put the turbo back on, boost is like crack.

 

[itlives]

Fortunately, I've never had that crack (or the other), so I won't know what I'm missing. In fact, this 2.3L will have almost twice the power of what I have now so it'll be almost like crack to me.
Do you think the forged ones are worth the price difference for my kind of driving.
Are there any preferred vendors that folks here like to buy from?

 

[beluga420]

So you're going to turbo FROM n/a? If you're going to be rebuilding the engine and going turbo, don't even waste your time on hypereutetic or cast pistons, go with forged ones.

It all depends on how much boost you will be running, if you want to run more than 6 lbs and be safe go with forged... If you want just get the TC ones, you can find some good used set for 50$ and you already have forged rods so thats ok.

If you never did crack(one or another lol) you may have heard that it's gets highly addictive and that you WILL always want more... LMAO. I'm talking turbo here ahah. You will always end up wanting more boost. So I highly recommend to go forged.

Keith black, diamond pistons and cp does quality piston for the 2.3 engines, but they run in beetween 300-500 $ usually for a set.

 

[John Smith]

For a n/a motor

Keith Black hypo..etc...they do a good job and are reasonable for flat top pistons.

 

[itlives]

beluga420- I'm going the other way. I'm going TO n/a.

My project truck is a 1971 VW. I may be able to fit it in n/a style without cutting my bed.
I know squat about turbo's and didn't want to have wire the EFI in the old VW .

That said, if anyone wants a set of turbo pistons shoot me a PM.