Probe pistons?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
Originally Posted by V's Vette
Saw a 383 rotating assembly available online that included forged Probe pistons? How good is their quality? Are there others you would recommend?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
Originally Posted by TIMSPEED
How about the TRW/Speed Pro forged?
Scat stuff is OK, I consider them about the same as Eagle. If you can afford it go with their forged stuff. If I remember right the Scat 9000 series is still cast. For a little more you can get a 4340 crank from either Scat or Eagle. Also bear in mind that Lunati is now offering their Sledgehammer series cranks, these are totally made in the USA from forging to final machining. They are about $700 or even less depending on how or where you buy them. The only differences between these cranks and their standard High Zoot cranks is that the final tolerances are held to OE specs rather than their standard extremely tight specs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 2
From: The Black Hole LA
I've been doing alot of research on this as I am in the process of collecting parts to do a 383 build. You can do a search on my username for the last 2 months and see several posts, one of which asked this same question. What I have come up with is you have to ask yourself what you are going to be doing with the motor. Mainly street or mainly strip? How many RPMs you will be revving to? From all the reading and talking to machine shops/engine builders, I have decide the Scat 9000 cast crank is what I'll be going with and Scat forged rods (which you can buy off ebay for $179 a set), Eagle stuff seems to be of lesser quality from what I can tell. I don't plan on revving past 6200 RPM though, and don't plan on doing that to often. Think about it, the GM crank/pistons/rods are all cast and are heavy, and they last well over 100K miles in a motor most of the time and the redline in most motors is around 5500 - 6000 RPMs. That should tell you something, that unless you are going to be racing and turning some good RPMs and high RPM horsepower/torque, you really don't need all that fancy stuff.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
Originally Posted by hz900
I have decide the Scat 9000 cast crank is what I'll be going with and Scat forged rods (which you can buy off ebay for $179 a set), Eagle stuff seems to be of lesser quality from what I can tell. I don't plan on revving past 6200 RPM though, and don't plan on doing that to often.
I wouldn't think that the Eagle stuff is of lesser quality. Both companies source their parts from a couple factories in China. In the case of both companies low end stuff, its all made in China, and only the final measurements are done here. In the case of their better stuff the final polishing and is done here, and in the case of Eagles 4340 stuff the final machining and polishing is done here. Scat does it in similar ways, they also have some stuff that is all made in the USA. There isn't anything wrong with with comes out of China, they have the ability to make things as good as we can here. It is the labor that is a tenth of what it costs here. But I have seen some of both companies cast cranks, while I am sure they won't break under street applications, they sure are not what I would call appealing to the eyes as far as finish goes, I have seen some cast Scat cranks that looks like they are fresh out of the molds with just polished journals.
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 22,209
Likes: 12
From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Originally Posted by TIMSPEED
How about the TRW/Speed Pro forged?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 2
From: The Black Hole LA
Originally Posted by V's Vette
So . . . given all that has been said, I'll change the original question a little -- how does Probe's overall quality compare to Scat's?
I could be mistaken but I don't think Scat makes pistons, so you can't really compare that.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 2
From: The Black Hole LA
Originally Posted by V's Vette
Agreed, I'm just trying to get a read on Probe's stuff in general.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 2
From: The Black Hole LA
Ok funny this topic is here, I just got a call from the machine shop that will be doing my block work. He was getting me some prices on internal parts to see if he could beat what I found on the net, he could not, but he did say he had a newer company that he was starting to buy pistons from. I said who and he said it was Probe. He has ordered several sets from them in the last few weeks and just got the first set in about a week ago. It was their forged piston for around $380 a set. The point of this is that he said they came in and he weighed them and examined them, and they seem to be a really good quality piston, especially for the money. He said that from what he could initially tell they were along the same line as the SRP pistons, these were the forged ones though. This guy has been doing it for a very long time. He builds motors for alot of the local dirt track racers and also some of the drag racers in the area (he had a $10,000 motor on the stand when I first went to talk to him). What this all means I don't know, but I thought I'd pass the info along.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,183
Likes: 3
From: Santa Maria, CA
I purchased a longblock from a shop in West Covina, CA. S-O-M
and had specified SRP forged pistons. However later down the line when I did a tear down(whole 'nother story), I found the pistons were probe. They have 3 different kinds. Mine are the performance PRS ones. Full floating forged.
Upon close inspection, I found them to be very good quality and tolerances. Lightweight too.
But I don't have lots and lots of motor building experience. Just 4 or 5.
www.probeindustries.com
??????????????
and had specified SRP forged pistons. However later down the line when I did a tear down(whole 'nother story), I found the pistons were probe. They have 3 different kinds. Mine are the performance PRS ones. Full floating forged.
Upon close inspection, I found them to be very good quality and tolerances. Lightweight too.
But I don't have lots and lots of motor building experience. Just 4 or 5.
www.probeindustries.com
??????????????
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: Cotati CA
This does get interesting. I met with a very highly recommended machine shop owner yesterday, and he strongly advised that I get probe pistons, and their rods too. He says their quality is very, very good and has had exc. luck with their products.
Maybe this company is pretty good, considering the price. (?)
Maybe this company is pretty good, considering the price. (?)
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19
I have no first hand experience with Probe. My buddy owns a race shop and installed a set in a 347 stroker (Ford). He was not pleased with the quality of that set of 8. He is a JE/ SRP fan and prefers them over most.
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by Pete K
I have no first hand experience with Probe. My buddy owns a race shop and installed a set in a 347 stroker (Ford). He was not pleased with the quality of that set of 8. He is a JE/ SRP fan and prefers them over most.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 1
From: Tomahawk WI
I put probe pistons in my 383 on the recommendation of the shop that did my block work. I fired it up for the 20 minute first start just tonight though so for first had experience that's it. Someone mentioned that the Probes are econo pistons.... the machine shop here strongly disagrees.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: Cotati CA
"Probe is definitely an econo type piston. OK if you have to have a forged and dont have more $ to spend, but most machinists will tell you to look for another brand."
This pretty much sums up my situation. What would the major negatives be if I went with Probe?
This pretty much sums up my situation. What would the major negatives be if I went with Probe?