Wiseco pistons - love 'em or hate 'em? And why?

**rgsauger** · 02-14-2021, 02:22 PM

2.4 200 Merc

Has the 3102 Wiseco's in five of the holes and I just bought a new one for #6. Will be four Chrome and two cast iron (sleeved). The pistons look in excellent shape. I ALWAYS let my motor build heat in it before getting in it. 100%of the time. It was rebuilt before I got it in 2012 with the wiseco's and has run great pretty much since for the last 5 years. I got lean and melted #6 last year but not the piston's fault to the best of my knowledge.

So I see some of the guys I respect on here - Texas and Chaz - say that they wouldn't run Wiseco's if someone gave them to 'em but then T-rex and his crew ran the chit out of 'em but just made sure to heat cycle them on the hose on a fresh build. They ran great for me. I'm debating spending the $300 with Marles to have my Wiseco's top-pinned and then running them - OR - just maybe buy new ones but will stick be stuck with side pins.

I'm leaning toward having my current one's pinned but want to try to understand why some of ya'll love 'em and some of ya'll hate 'em.

Thanks

**tcrabtree** · 02-14-2021, 03:38 PM

Love em . Most know that Weisco builds pistons for many reputable companies including mercury wizard & many others .. For yrs they were notorious for having side pin issues. That being said ,I’ve ran em side pinned in all my race motors for several yrs & will continue using them .

**rgsauger** · 02-14-2021, 03:51 PM

I checked the pins in the old remaining five pistons as best I could and all look and seem tight. Any good way to tell?

**rgsauger** · 02-14-2021, 03:55 PM

This is a lake motor and I would like to not be back inside it anytime soon if possible.

**rock** · 02-14-2021, 04:06 PM

Pin issues were so bad at one point they took all, either starboard or port, off the shelves. This was many years ago. I had a bridgeport that ate three sets. Many have had good luck with them I just ain't one of them. After the third set I gave up. Just pulled apart the last motor with wisecos and two of the six pistons are re-usable. Not had one failure with Pro V or Vertex.

Rock

**Capt.Insane-o** · 02-14-2021, 04:58 PM

The new series are pretty good. I will use them in stupid motor builds, but I have had too many failure free years with wsm and vertex pistons for what I build for my personal lake motors.

Like Rock I had a couple years of sub five hour failures and swore them off for a long time.

**Merc 2.5** · 02-14-2021, 07:28 PM

Stock ported block ain't it?

**rgsauger** · 02-14-2021, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by rock

Just pulled apart the last motor with wisecos and two of the six pistons are re-usable. Not had one failure with Pro V or Vertex.

Rock

When you say two were reusable, what was up with the other 4?

**rgsauger** · 02-14-2021, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Merc 2.5

Stock ported block ain't it?

yes. Loved on the exhaust chest just a little. Decked everything.

**rgsauger** · 02-14-2021, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by Capt.Insane-o

Like Rock I had a couple years of sub five hour failures and swore them off for a long time.

Omg, I would flip my chit BAD if I lost one or more motors under 5 hrs!!!

**rgsauger** · 02-14-2021, 08:27 PM

Is there any way to "check" the other 5 pins? None seemed to have moved, we're not loose to the touch with a pick, and did not move when I lightly tapped with a punch "in"

**rock** · 02-14-2021, 09:49 PM

I just went out and looked at them again and found that one of the standard bore pistons is likely ok. Motor was 3 .020 and 3 standard. 2 good port .020 with the third being scuffed on opposite sides. Of the 3 standard one was ok, one was junk, and the other on it's way. The bridgeport was built by Earl Moorman many years ago and heavily modified. All three sets had different mods done to them including teflon sides and ceramic tops and different porting. All three blow ups involved different cylinders and resulted in 3 sets of 5 decent pistons with each set having different mods. All 15 pistons ended up in Sweden and I have no idea what became of them as far as use. My guess is they are better than they used to be but once you get a certain taste in your mouth you become very careful what you put in your mouth. I have built quite a few motors and the wisecos have out puked em all by far.

Rock

**rgsauger** · 02-14-2021, 09:55 PM

What causes the scuffing?

**Chaz** · 02-14-2021, 10:59 PM

I don't think I said I don't like Wiseco's . I might have said : if your not willing to do the work to make them happy , then look elsewhere.

Skirt coating , chryo , test wheel and let run many cycles . It's a pain , I just park it at 2500 rpm .. go sit in the truck , listen to Iron Butterfly .. Thats one cycle ..

Only 15 - 20 more to go ...