Hi All, I need to find a single piston to replace a damaged piston. The piston set was purchased nearly 38 years ago, so its an older style. The currently available replacement piston has a shorter side skirt, affecting the weight, and won't match the other seven. Plan "A" is find a matching piston. A Google search shows the new part number as L2482F30 made by Speed-Pro, but this is the piston with shorter side skirt. I have attached an image showing the both styles. I am looking for the piston in the upper part of the image. The piston currently available is in the lower part of the image. Many retailers show the older style in the adds, but ship the new style. Does any one have a single or set they are willing to sell? Plan "B" will be to replace all eight pistons.
Thank you
Cory
This sounds like a perfect post for Randy Gillis to help with (RIP).
Check out where Randy used to work, RaceTec Pistons. A cool shot of him racing his GT350 on the home page!
https://www.racetecpistons.com/ (https://www.racetecpistons.com/)
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/44-130226002754.jpeg)
Miss him RIP. Best of luck with your search.
Inquire with RaceTec. I am quite sure that they can make one matching replacement piston for you.
Could the skirts on the 7 existing pistons be machined down to match the current model available?
Just a thought.
Joe
I have one TRW 2303 .030 this piston was purchased 30 years ago.
The idea of one new piston being made to match, or re-machining the old to match a new, really isn't a player; and then as far as for just coming up with another "old" example could prove frustrating as the old pistons were "batch-made", this so the they would be closer in the way of a match in sets. :(
Honestly, just buy a "new" set of pistons; the technology has advanced significantly over the decades and it just doesn't make sense trying to hold on to the "old". ;)
Scott.
Hi all
Thank you for your input. I'm still considering all my options. I understand going all new pistons could be the preferred way to go. Just for grins, I ordered a single piston to see how close it matched the original pistons. What's funny is that I only paid for a single and they sent me a full set of eight. I called the company again and told them that I don't need a full set of eight and just a single, so send me a single. I got another full set of eight pistons. So I have two full sets (16 Pistons) for the price of one piston. Lol.
Cory
I have singles of both styles, what I call early and later of L-2218.+030. Post a picture of the bottom of the piston. I will trade you for one of those new sets you got for one piston, LOL!
Hi Kram350,
Is this what you saying?
Cory
Cory,
Inside the bottom of your old pistons there is a forging die number. That is what he is requesting a picture of. That way he can see which one you need.
John
Quote from: pbf777 on February 13, 2026, 02:33:25 PM. . . . . .just coming up with another "old" example could prove frustrating as the old pistons were "batch-made", this so the they would be closer in the way of a match in sets. :(
Scott.
Not with the intention of "flogging a dead horse" but allow me, if only to aid, to explain better.
"in the old days" of TRW pistons, and others of the period, the problem was that the manufacturing tolerances were somewhat greater than that which is generally considered acceptable today. I don't know what their "acceptable" tolerances were, but based on my observations I suspect as produced they could vary in weight, say . . . . +/- 3- 4 gr. easily, and skirt measurements of, say . . . . at least +/- .0015" or more, the "more" being prevalent in far removed production runs. :o
Yes, attempting to match-up forging die numbering, approximate periods of product production will tend to aid in coming up with something that "might" just "fit-in" with the rest of what you might have, but just don't bet on it! :-\
As for example, "back then", one would order a "set" of pistons from a reliable source and you would receive a manufactures' packaged set in a single box; these having been batched by the manufacturer with the intention of reducing the variations and as such the pistons within the set would be within a reasonable range of size and weights (but it always seemed there be one that was farther off than the rest making for more work! >:( ).
But if you ordered that same part number from say Summit, you'd often get eight individual pistons, in individual packaging, as these were the leftovers in the batching process and which deviated excessively from the norm, making them "not" candidates for being sold as in a "matched set". And Summit probably received this inventory at a discount from the manufacturer, whom didn't want to 'toss' the product, but as it qualified for what might be defined as "seconds" also didn't want to deal with it either. We had customers bring this stuff into us all the time, as they could purchase it for less than what we'd be selling a good "set" for; but then finally we'd warn them and then started charging more for us to have to deal with it. ::)
Scott.
Do you need casting prefix 155 which is the L-2218 long skirt (left) or the 255 which is a 2482 (center) with shorter skirt? All flat tops 4 valve reliefs, no skirt coating.
There is a third design, forging prefix 175 L2249, domed unit, higher compression, same skirt length as the 2482. These came with a more rounded forging with skirt ribs (right). Some of these 2249 had TRW and no forging number on the bottom side. I have never seen this shaped forging in a flat top L-2218 type.
As to different dimensions always bored the cylinders to match each piston. Replacing just one you might need to sleeve. PM your bore size and piston weight, maybe I can get close on both.
Just noticed your initial post, top piston looks cast ?
Quote from: kram350 on February 28, 2026, 10:19:32 PMJust noticed your initial post, top piston looks cast ?
It is, but I think this is just a case of barrowing a picture that might also have had the caveat of: "photo may not represent the actual product". :)
Scott.