WISUCKO cracked pistons - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Allanski · 03-29-2014, 09:02 PM

I had a brand new GM LSX 427 with wiseco pistons built spring of 2013 and after less than 100 miles could not tune or get the power.
Found the WISECO pistons cracking from the skirts upward!!
Our shop also found the same problem on a vette they just rebuilt with the same wiseco pistons.
In the end we wasted months (all year of good weather in Canada) of trying to tune and trouble shoot the problem. I lost a whole year of driving, racing and Cfest etc.
Pull and tear down the engine and rebuild. I am out of pocket a few thousand for time and tuning, the shop is our of pocket for hours+ of trouble shooting and the engine builder is out of pocket for time to rebuild.
Total loss approx $6k+

What did WISECO do? - gave us 8 new pistons. Wow...
Found a known problem in other forums with wiseco pistons.

I wrote a letter to the head wiseco man letting him know our situation.
I dont like to bash on forums and asked for him to help the engine builder and tuner. I didnt ask for a dime for me.

Todate - WISECO still sucks

Look for a big WISUCKO sticker being produced soon. I might sell stickers if I get enough interest to help with the rebuild.

FYI - I bought a Livernois LSX 427 kick ass engine with diamond pistons.
When you give someone a chance for 4 months to step up and make it right the time is over.

Now you know why this vert has been in the LSX hospital.

Bo White · 03-29-2014, 09:49 PM

I never really cared for Wiseco ATV pistons but Ive seen a lot of nitrous thrown at them on a few V8 engines without fail.

10aSSee D · 03-30-2014, 08:26 AM

That must have sucked!! Sorry to hear this.

united1 · 03-30-2014, 08:38 AM

Thanks for sharing this info , I will definitely stay away from wiseco .

Unreal · 03-30-2014, 10:02 AM

They make great pistons. If you search you can find stories like this from every single piston maker around. It happens. I had a set of JEs do the same thing. They told me to screw off. I would have been happy with just a new piston.

LS7 427 · 03-30-2014, 11:52 AM

Well thats shitty Allan. Glad you guys found the issue before it completely grenaded. Looking forward to seeing how the new combo performs. Good Luck with it.

Bryan

motorhead · 03-30-2014, 11:58 AM

That sucks for sure. I haven't built a motor for a long time. So forgive me for asking, but do they still make Ross pistons? I always had great luck with them.

Unreal · 03-30-2014, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorhead

That sucks for sure. I haven't built a motor for a long time. So forgive me for asking, but do they still make Ross pistons? I always had great luck with them.

I have Ross pistons in my motor. So yes. They are Livernois pistons built by Ross.

motorhead · 03-30-2014, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unreal

I have Ross pistons in my motor. So yes. They are Livernois pistons built by Ross.

That's good to hear. They are the only piston I've used since my first set installed in a 440 Dodge many years ago.

realcanuk · 03-30-2014, 04:10 PM

Thousands of High HP have uses wiseco pistons with no problems. Like unreal said, there are stories like this with any manufacturer. Just bad luck I guess.

ayousef · 03-30-2014, 04:11 PM

so what was their excuse for the pistons cracking, was it a bad design? Could this have anything to do with how the engine was built?

Slowhawk · 03-30-2014, 06:17 PM

Did all of them crack? That would point me towards some sort of other issue since 8 faulty pistons in 1 engine would be crazy.

I've seen failures from numerous piston suppliers. It does happen but if they aknowledge the issue they should help ya out.

FYI- I fun wiseco in my race car. No issue's with serious beatings.

Allanski · 03-30-2014, 07:12 PM

Not all pistons cracked but enough for them to agree to a replacement.
I really do not want to bash any mfg or supplier but this was a big disappointment of a whole year wasted trying to figure out why a brand new build would not make power.
I seriously wrote a nice letter to Wiseco asking for them to investigate and help the shop guys out with some of their labor costs, but no luck. I have no hate but just disappointed.

Anyway this is more of a heads up for guys that got pistons last year there seems to have been a bad batch of castings that got through quality control and don't meet specs and unfortunately fail. If at least you know this is possible and you have a leak test and find a low cylinder or two then you should investigate this potential problem.

I have moved on and we expect to fire up our new Livernois 1000+HP 427 with the 88mm single turbo, Jakes 4L80 and our unbreakable G-Gorce 373 rear end and axles!

We have 30 days of tuning until C5 fest in texas where we hope to be in shape to see this car perform the way it was designed.

2SS45th · 03-30-2014, 09:29 PM

Sooo if I'm hearing this right, they gave you new pistons and you're still upset? Sounds like they did everything they needed to do, I've never heard of a parts supplier compensating for down time or investigation costs, that's the just the name of the game.

03-29-2014, 09:02 PM	#1
Allanski Drives: Car Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Burlington Ontario Canada Posts: 750 View My Garage	WISUCKO cracked pistons I had a brand new GM LSX 427 with wiseco pistons built spring of 2013 and after less than 100 miles could not tune or get the power. Found the WISECO pistons cracking from the skirts upward!! Our shop also found the same problem on a vette they just rebuilt with the same wiseco pistons. In the end we wasted months (all year of good weather in Canada) of trying to tune and trouble shoot the problem. I lost a whole year of driving, racing and Cfest etc. Pull and tear down the engine and rebuild. I am out of pocket a few thousand for time and tuning, the shop is our of pocket for hours+ of trouble shooting and the engine builder is out of pocket for time to rebuild. Total loss approx $6k+ What did WISECO do? - gave us 8 new pistons. Wow... Found a known problem in other forums with wiseco pistons. I wrote a letter to the head wiseco man letting him know our situation. I dont like to bash on forums and asked for him to help the engine builder and tuner. I didnt ask for a dime for me. Todate - WISECO still sucks Look for a big WISUCKO sticker being produced soon. I might sell stickers if I get enough interest to help with the rebuild. FYI - I bought a Livernois LSX 427 kick ass engine with diamond pistons. When you give someone a chance for 4 months to step up and make it right the time is over. Now you know why this vert has been in the LSX hospital.

03-29-2014, 09:49 PM	#2
Bo White Drives: 2015 Summit White 2SS 1LE Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Vance Alabama Posts: 8,018	I never really cared for Wiseco ATV pistons but Ive seen a lot of nitrous thrown at them on a few V8 engines without fail. __________________ Retired wanna be cylinder head porter 2015 2SS 1LE Clutch reservoir, Vararam DRX, ported TB, TSP 2" headers, MGW shifter Totalled: 2010 1SS Wilkes Performance/Eagle 416 shortblock, TSP custom valvetrain, PRC 260 heads, Edelbrock Pro Flo 102, th400 swap, 8" PTC 5500 stall= 535/435 at the wheels tuned Gen 3 Performance and Dyno 10.97 @ 124 full weight in 3100 DA CamaroFest X

03-30-2014, 08:26 AM	#3
10aSSee D Drives: Silver 2010 SS Camaro Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: TN Posts: 2,562	That must have sucked!! Sorry to hear this. __________________ MODS: ADM built 417, 2.9L Whipple with 3.250 pulley, ADM ported and polished LSA heads,ADM stage3 cam,ADM LSA belt drive system,ADM CAI race scoop, ADM dual fuel pumps, ID 850's, BMR full suspension, Gforce 9 inch kit with 3.5 inch driveshaft, Street Slayer twin carbon clutch, Lingenfelter oil seperator. Tuned by built by ADM Performance, 763rwhp,705rwtq

03-30-2014, 08:38 AM	#4
united1 Drives: slpzl585vert. Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: ma. Posts: 925 View My Garage	Thanks for sharing this info , I will definitely stay away from wiseco . __________________

03-30-2014, 10:02 AM	#5
Unreal Drives: 2006 Z06 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 5,712	They make great pistons. If you search you can find stories like this from every single piston maker around. It happens. I had a set of JEs do the same thing. They told me to screw off. I would have been happy with just a new piston. __________________ Nick Corvette Z06 -1200ish rwhp

03-30-2014, 11:52 AM	#6
LS7 427 10.11 @ 136.32 Drives: Black & Yellow 2SS/RS LPE LS7 427 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Redcliff, Alberta Posts: 957 View My Garage	Well thats shitty Allan. Glad you guys found the issue before it completely grenaded. Looking forward to seeing how the new combo performs. Good Luck with it. Bryan __________________ My Build Journal Built, Tuned and Maintained By........

03-30-2014, 11:58 AM	#7
motorhead Drives: Love the one you're with Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Downtown Charlie Brown Posts: 11,850	That sucks for sure. I haven't built a motor for a long time. So forgive me for asking, but do they still make Ross pistons? I always had great luck with them. Last edited by motorhead; 03-30-2014 at 12:32 PM.

03-30-2014, 04:10 PM	#10
realcanuk Drives: 2007 Corvette C6 983 RWHP Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 690	Thousands of High HP have uses wiseco pistons with no problems. Like unreal said, there are stories like this with any manufacturer. Just bad luck I guess. __________________ 2007 C6 vert, auto, F55, LT3 LME LS402 , WCCH 245 Heads, Pat G. Custom cam YSI / 3.0 pulley, ARH 1 7/8 headers, NPP Dewitts / dual spals, A&A dual pump fuel system. 3.42 polished gears, hardened shafts, Alky control meth, Cartech line lock, ECS axle loops, Trans brace, 6L80 built by me. ID 1000 injectors, comp rockers, Morel lifters, BT springs, Trend 3/8 pushrods, ATI 10% OD Damper Circle D Triple Disc stall 1009 RWHP @ 7000, 817 RWTQ @ 6000,

03-30-2014, 04:11 PM	#11
ayousef Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dubai Posts: 757	so what was their excuse for the pistons cracking, was it a bad design? Could this have anything to do with how the engine was built? __________________ 1150bhp Whipple 4.0 Supercharged 427ci Camaro ZL1

03-30-2014, 06:17 PM	#12
Slowhawk Drives: 1999 Trans Am Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bridgewater,Ma Posts: 2,017	Did all of them crack? That would point me towards some sort of other issue since 8 faulty pistons in 1 engine would be crazy. I've seen failures from numerous piston suppliers. It does happen but if they aknowledge the issue they should help ya out. FYI- I fun wiseco in my race car. No issue's with serious beatings.

03-30-2014, 07:12 PM	#13
Allanski Drives: Car Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Burlington Ontario Canada Posts: 750 View My Garage	Not all pistons cracked but enough for them to agree to a replacement. I really do not want to bash any mfg or supplier but this was a big disappointment of a whole year wasted trying to figure out why a brand new build would not make power. I seriously wrote a nice letter to Wiseco asking for them to investigate and help the shop guys out with some of their labor costs, but no luck. I have no hate but just disappointed. Anyway this is more of a heads up for guys that got pistons last year there seems to have been a bad batch of castings that got through quality control and don't meet specs and unfortunately fail. If at least you know this is possible and you have a leak test and find a low cylinder or two then you should investigate this potential problem. I have moved on and we expect to fire up our new Livernois 1000+HP 427 with the 88mm single turbo, Jakes 4L80 and our unbreakable G-Gorce 373 rear end and axles! We have 30 days of tuning until C5 fest in texas where we hope to be in shape to see this car perform the way it was designed.

03-30-2014, 09:29 PM	#14
2SS45th Drives: 11 Seconds or Faster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Arvada, Colorado Posts: 2,797 View My Garage	Sooo if I'm hearing this right, they gave you new pistons and you're still upset? Sounds like they did everything they needed to do, I've never heard of a parts supplier compensating for down time or investigation costs, that's the just the name of the game. __________________ I Ain't About That Stock Life.