'68 318 to carbed Magnum 5.2: Check my checklist

txstang84 said
Before I read the rest of your posts, I saw something I need to nip in the bud right now, regardless of what pistons you use, the balance needs to be done if you want longevity and even bearing wear. Even if they're supposedly the same or near the same as stock slugs. I've taken stock reciprocating assemblies to the machine shop before that needed to be balanced. To put it in perspective, the next time you install a set of tires on your car, or even just one tire, don't balance it and find out where it hits a bad harmonic. Over the course of 10K miles or more plus variable rpm, those vibrations can turn into uneven wear or damage.

I'll read the rest now...

Understood. Not happy about what that entails (drag engine back onto borrowed pickup truck, go toengine shop, spend more money, open bottom end, spend more money, worry whether they did the job right, spend more money) but understood!

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if I would be best off throwing a pair of Magnum heads on it to bump up compression to 8.3:1 and leave the pistons and the rest of the bottom end alone. Particularly so as part of the evening's discovery involved finding out that none of the exhaust valves are sealing well enough to prevent mineral spirits from oozing out through them either:

-Kurt