Since Im upgrading to ARP rod bolts and a SCAT 9000 crank which they say are good to 7000rpm, I was thinking about changing out my cam for a bigger one. Peak power should be right around 6000rpm with a new cam, so I would shift at 6500rpm. I read in another post someone had problems with too much RPM for hyper pistons so I just wanted to make sure I'll be ok. This is a 383 small block.

I used to run my junk 301 up above 7,000rpm alot and it had W/JCW's cheap, $39.95/set, 1/8" over 283, 1/8" half round dome cast pistons it!!

BUT nowaday's for no more then a set of good inexpense forged pistons cost, the added insurance is well worth the price to not gernade my motor!!

Step up to forged and not look back, imho.......

Then if/when the dreaded "more power, Scotty" bug bites you and the 177 mini-blower looks tempting you won't have to worry about your pistons..

pdq67

friend of mine i built his engine for him 355 has cast pop up pistons 11 to 1 cheapos i think he paid like just over 100 bucks for the set.

he has been running them to 6500 on regular bases for two years so far with out problems hes running low 13's right now making about 375 hp at the crank.......he has traction issues since he has been running just a regular street tire

ive ran hypers for years in my big block running past the 6500 mark.

A friend of mine rebuilt his 454 with a set of cast pistons, square port heads, steel crank, 3/8 rods. It lasted 1 trip across Lewisville Lake and halfway back till it pulled a wristpin out of the #3 piston.
Good thing about the cast pistons. It make alot of nice parts available to me for cheap after he got disgusted and sold me the complete motor with RPM intake and 750DP for 350.00!

forged is always stronger and the best for any engine but i run a 383 up to 6200 all the time at the track with sterling cast pistons and no problems so for, now my 406 turns 6200 also with hypo pistons with no problems in over 3 years now its your motor and your bugget also more rpms dont also yeide better times at the track

Good stuff. The reason I ask is because I beat the **** out of this motor. It has cast pistons now, and several have scuff marks on the sides between the top of the piston and the top ring. Don't know what cause it, but made me think twice about the strenth of cast pistons.

I rebuilt my 396 with .060 over cast replacement pistons with small domes. I have put well over 150 1/4 mile passes on the engine shifting at 6,800 with no problems. I agree that forged pistons are preferred but when I built the motor I was dirat poor and $8 a piston was all I could afford. If you can afford it step up,if not I think they will hold up fairly well (cast) I beat the s*** out of the motor as well.

Any piston will hold up in the short term, but come back when the engine has 40k-50k on it and it may be a different story. Forged are also stronger, which is good, but not all forged are the same either. Forged pistons can be HEAVY (Speed Pros are guilty of this) and even a heavy forged can be harder on an engine at higher RPMs. Heavy pistons, and cast are usually somewhat heavy, will cause early bearing wear, can really test your rods, especially if they are stock cast rods, and can cause undo wear on the cylinders and pistons themselves.

If you want a relatively mild engine but have a specific RPM range in mind, I'd be more concerned about piston weight than piston construction. That is, if engine longevity is your greatest concern. If cost is not an overriding concern, the lightest street forged piston is good insurance. (Racing pistons are not always good for a street driven engine even though they are usually very lightweight.)

In the end, you get what you pay for in both performance and longevity. A little extra spent up front could save you $$$ later.

IMO where forged pistons are worth their keep is if a valve makes contact with a piston or a foreign object finds its way into the cyl, like through the carb. If a cast piston breaks as they can when hit by a valve, the rod goes into the cyl wall and takes the block out at the least. BTDT. Also if detonation will be a concern like with nitrous or blower, forged is a must. Also high RPM applications.