Intake manifold and carb.

[Petros]

Any auto parts store that uses Sealed Power (Federal Mougal is the parent company) as a regular supplier should be able to order them for you. They usually have to ship them across the country from a warehouse, but they can get them.

I got mine from Autopartsgiant.com, but I would rather deal with a local parts store since if they mess up the order it is a PIA to get it straited out via email. Their prices where good, but you need to be patient, they have missed shipped half of my orders (that they corrected eventually). I happen to have two brand new "extra" ones still in boxed because of screwball shipping and lame attempts to get me a complete matching set. I paid for 4 and they sent 2 each from different factories at two diffent times, I sent two back to get a matching set, but they sent and billed be for four more, So I ended up with paying for six pistons, so the two have been sitting in my shop for some 4 years. I gave up trying to get a return authorization for two mismatched pistons.

I will be happy to sell them to who ever wants them for $40. Sealed Power flat top 3ac pistons and writs pins in 1.00mm oversize, two only. You will have to verify diameter and weight with what ever pistons you mate them with.

Make sure to match balance these pistons, even if they sell you a "matched set" mine were way out of spec even for a stock engine (one of the reasons I ended up with two extra pistons).

[CT9A]

Wow, was the fault on the part of the vendor or the manufacturer? Are the pistons worth it if they come that out of spec? What do you mean by out of spec, even for the stock engine, weight matching? How much work was required to make the usable?

[Petros]

It was the vendor's fault. they claimed they only sell them in sets of 4, and my second order they came in one box of 4. But my first order they came in individual boxes from two different manufacturing plants. One in Mexico and the other in the USA. Two arrived first, with a note say two more are on the way from a different warehouse.

When they arrived I compared them very closely, they were really different parts, they used different casting blanks, were different weights, and had even different diameters. Even the writ pin was a slightly different dia. A machine shop would normally hone each cyl. to match the dia. but this was just too much. After balancing the engine, and matching the combustion chambers, this was unacceptable to me. It would never run smooth.

I called them and chewed them out, and I told them I wanted another pair from the US plant to match what I had, and I am sending the two Mexico made pistons back, which where the ones out of spec. They sent me four new pistons in a single box, saying that was the only way they sold them (which is a lie of course, they just sent me two shipments from two different warehouses at two different times). I was going to just mail them back the first two, but they warned that they will not refund my money without a return authorization, and by this time a lot of time had passed (about 9 months). I just said forget it.

So, I still have them 4 years later, the US made matched pair. That is why I would rather deal with a local parts store, I can bring them in and show them the problem, and refuse to leave until they make it good. They always do, and I have never had to raise my voice or threaten them when I am there in person. Over the phone to a supplier in another state I think I am taking to idiots, I work my way up the food chain to the department manager, who is the biggest idiot of all. "They have the same part number, there is nothing we can do about it". They refuse to admit they have any responsibility for it, they give the manufacture's rep's number, who tells me I have to talk to the retailer not him. ARRG!

In a transaction I have no relationship with the manufacturer, only the retailer and it is the retailer's responisblity: they took my money and sent me the mismatched parts. when they are far away it is easy to ignore you, as far as they are concerned they filled your order and shipped the parts (even though no human has ever even seen what they shipped you). This is not true with a local store, they usually take it out of the box before I even pay for it, even with special orders. One time I bought a set of rings locally for these pistons. After I started to install them I brought them back and took them out of the box and set them on the counter side by side. There was three different sized rings in the package. They took them back without comment, ordered me another brand and charged me the same (a direct store credit for the better quality rings from another supplier). I had good rings the next morning. I doubt this is what would have happened if I got them mail order.

Unless there is significant savings, I would rather buy locally. If I shop between NAPA, AutoZone, and a few other local stores, I find I can get as good, or almost as good prices, and much better service. And I can inspect the parts before I pay for them. Sometimes there is a large savings, so I will still risk a mail order now and then, especially if I can shop a known brand.

Anyone want to risk buy the two flat top pistons from me? Make me an offer, but I suggest getting two from a local parts store first, and we can compare them before I send them. I never intend to use them, I am going 4age or 4afe next.