BBM Pistons for B1 heads work with conventional heads?

Posted By: johnnyd

BBM Pistons for B1 heads work with conventional heads? - 10/27/14 03:37 PM

Hi All,

Generally speaking, I know that pistons designed to work with conventional BBM heads like (Indy 440-1) need some valve pocket machining to work with B1 original heads. Can anyone tell me about the opposite? Will pistons designed to run on a BBM B1 original headed BBM work with a 440-1 head or do they also need machining? I'm thinking of cam lifts less than .700 .

Thanks!

Posted By: sr4440

Re: BBM Pistons for B1 heads work with conventional heads? - 10/27/14 05:01 PM

i would say no, unless you have a very low lift <.600 or the piston was way down in the hole.

Joe

Posted By: B1MAXX

Re: BBM Pistons for B1 heads work with conventional heads? - 10/27/14 07:13 PM

Quote:

i would say no, unless you have a very low lift <.600 or the piston was way down in the hole.

Joe

they are in two different locations. It can be cut though.

Posted By: Mopar-Al

Re: BBM Pistons for B1 heads work with conventional heads? - 10/27/14 08:28 PM

B1 exhaust valve is a 1.76

Posted By: johnnyd

Re: BBM Pistons for B1 heads work with conventional heads? - 11/10/14 08:08 PM

I emailed Indy and never heard back.

I also emailed Koffel and heard back from them. They said that the B1 piston will work with a conventional head- just need to account for the compression ratio being lower from the increased valve reliefs in the B1 piston over a conventional headed piston relief.

Posted By: gregsdart

Re: BBM Pistons for B1 heads work with conventional heads? - 11/10/14 11:07 PM

I have heard of this before. If the piston is B1 based, then there will be enough room for the rings and the valve reliefs, as the B1 is a tighter situation. If the piston is based on a standard wedge head, there might be problems.
I wouldn't buy anything though without having an engine builder measuring it for the cam and heads you want to run.

Posted By: dragnduster

Re: BBM Pistons for B1 heads work with conventional heads? - 11/11/14 12:19 AM

Quote:

I emailed Indy and never heard back.

I also emailed Koffel and heard back from them. They said that the B1 piston will work with a conventional head- just need to account for the compression ratio being lower from the increased valve reliefs in the B1 piston over a conventional headed piston relief.

Thanks for the update, I am going to put my Victor heads on a B-1 based 512" lowdeck short block and I was hoping not to have to change pistons.

I will definitely check p/v clearance to make sure though.