Stroker Windsor V8
Thanks for your article on the Tickford 5.6 litre stroker Windsor.
We designed and are supplying the piston assemblies for this engine. They are very short in length considering the need to accommodate the Argo 5.4" rods and the need to have adequate crankshaft clearance at BDC. The pistons are cast from our 12.5% eutectic alloy and are fitted with Chev size pins (.927") retained by tangless wire circlips. The skirts are coated with a special molybdenum graphite low friction and scuff resistant coating. Alloy steel tapered ID pins are used. The lower oil ring rail is unsupported for a short portion of its circumference just below the pin boss region and so has a small tang at one end to engage into a scupper slot to prevent rotation which would otherwise allow one end of the rail to be unsupported in this region. We have specified molybdenum inlaid barrel lapped high strength iron top rings.
Importantly though the piston assembly are now available in the aftermarket and this would allow owners of current model injected 302 Windsors to make the conversion to 5.6 litres (347 CID), also of course the older carburettor versions can also be converted.
The OEM bore size is 4.003" since Tickford hones the blocks to ensure a good shape and consistent size for the new pistons. The ACL aftermarket pistons will be available in .005" oversize so that owners of standard bore size 302 Windsors need only hone to the new diameter of 4.005". There will also be 020 and 030 oversizes. The part number is 9347S. I understand there are Scat (and maybe also other brand) shafts and rods available in the market, however the OEM engines are using crankshafts from Crankshaft Rebuilders and rods from Argo in NSW. Incidentally the heads are supplied by Yella Terra and the camshafts from Crow and as far as I know most if not all other special parts on this engine are from Australian suppliers so it's a truly Aussie effort and a great tribute to the engineers at Tickford who brought about this project in a very short time.
Nigel Tait
ACL
Australia
Congrats
Just a great online mag. It's got lots for everybody. I congratulate you all on the diverse things that you bring to normal people. Well done!
Steve Antonio
Australia