i dont know the spec of my bottom end, so how can i know for sure other than stripping the head off and sump off to check what pistons and rods i have?
want to know as i want more power and be told i need stronger rods and forged pistons to cope with the extra power, but dont want to purchase these to find out that my engine already has these.

 

get hold of a visual probe and stick it in the spark plug hole maybe- with an luck you could find out wot pistons you have.
not a clue how you'd find out which rods you have- have you no info on the engine???

 

no need for one of those it's just a gimmick tool, just do a compression test for the pistons & drop the sump pan for the rods (do the compression test first, because if it's standard your most likely have standard rods as well)

 

gimmick tool lol- bludy useful tool for something like this
there are plenty of piston/rod combinations that will have the same compression results
I do agree the only way you'll know for sure on the rods is to drop the sump though.

 

 

so you think it's not a gimmick tool... do you own 1, i'm betting you don't, because even if you had 1 bet you couldn't tell what make the pistons were in the motor, if they were different (i can do these checks with basic tools, don't need some Ł300 tool to check these 2 things)

as i said in my post earlier the best way to do this is to do a comp test, also different makes of piston even if they claim to be the same ratio can read different so... also rods don't have anything to do with compression

in your earlier post you say you have no idea how to check the rods, then in your next post you do somehow do

 

How on earth do you think you can determine what pistons are in an engine by simply doing a compression test?! Just because you know what compression they are that's not gonna tell you if they're forged or the make etc......there's only one way to find out what's in your motor mate, drop a rod and piston out and have a look!

 

A compression test will not tell you the commpression ratio of the engine or what the intended compression ratio of the pistons is.

You will need to remove the head and measure the compression ratio to find out what you want to know.

 

I do not own one but i buy them in and use them in work all the time and to look at more difficult things than wots written on the top of pistons straight back at you
some garages have them and good ones at that hence it was a suggestion without taking the head/sump off as that was the original question- read it some time why don't you

 

brilliant

 

Ok so its a case of finding out the compression and say if that was 120 psi for each piston then would that mean i have standard pistons? or would it mean standard compression ratio; which sounds about right.
but the onyl way is to ubdo the sump to find the rods! dam! thats going to cost abit of money and time!

 

visual probe from the bottom to tell the pistons and the rod
also the probe from inlet to see the top of the pistons

 

A compression test will tell you sweet FA about what pistons you have mate! lol
Lets says its stock pistons, fresh engine would be about 175psi but an engine thats done 200'000 miles would be about 90psi, so knowing your compression is pointless unless you know what it should be as a reference then at least you will learn what sort of condition your rings/bores are in from it.
Dropping the sump wil cost you about Ł10 for a sump gasket and maybe 2 hours of your time at the most.

 

Nope, ignore the guy above saying you can tell from that, you cant.

 

What about the airport x-ray machine method?

 

i dont think they would let you past the check in desk at the airport with a oily old cvh lol

 

there are some brainiacs in this forum how the hell can you tell what pistons are in an engine from doing a compression test a little knowledge makes some big bangs

 

ok thanks for the help, i think the sump will have to come off now!

 

And the head if you want to know the CR

 

how on earth can some one say that a compression test will tell if you have after market pistons or not?

 

He can say it because he doesnt know anything at all about engines, so believes he is being accurate when he does so.

 

fingers, toes, and legs crossed it's all uprated other wise will ahve to save a bit more!