134 piston direction?

[Tony in Mass.]

OK, for those that don't check the MF forum too. Who's misleading me? Or does the direction of the piston matter anymore? Etching/stamping on top, magic marker dots on the inside, which lead should I follow? Does it matter?

 

[miner09]

If the piston has no marks or notch it doesn't matter. If wrist pins are off center mark goes toward radiator. Wrist pins in center it doesn't matter. If it has marks and you turn piston opposite it will clatter. Marks on rod goes toward distributor.
 

[Tony in Mass.]

Yeah Mikey, I got the rod numbers toward the cam, if the wrist pins are off center...that's sorta important eh? You think they coulda electric penciled an arrow while they did the other markings.
I will put all the top marks to the cam as well as the rod #'s tomorrow...just because of Murphy's law.... If I'm not shoveling snow again....
 

[miner09]

In picture I can't see any marks or notch.Sometime there will be a arrow pointing to edge of piston. This goes toward radiator. Looks like your OK. Good luck.
 

[Jason S.]

All the continental pistons I have saw didn't have marks either. I do believe the wrist pin is centered on those engines.
 

[Inno]

All the pistons on my TO35 have arrows on them. I don't want to say that it doesn't which way they go but #1 on my engine had the arrow pointing backwards, 2, 3 and 4 were all pointing forwards.......


Thought I had a better picture of it........this is #1.
 

[matt p]

hey Tony I had the same question. the best answer I got was to line up the dots on the bottom to the front of engine. the dot was to show balance of the piston.I tried to get in touch with parts maker but had no success. so I talked to a tractor restorer and thats what told me to do!!!!
 

[Tony in Mass.]

Matt? You see dots? On mine or just yours? The ones near the 'TP'? Inno... someone got into yours before- and those are old pistons, to have the arrows is before the generic stuff lately. Unless they splurged on NOS....and then put one in backwards???
 

[Dick New York]

I haven't had one of these apart .
Looks like you have them installed in two different directions . It may not mean anything , as far as the piston is concerned , but , I would check the rods on the crank end . I would imagine that the crank end of the rod would have a mark , probably the hole number , #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 . You should make sure that the rod caps are bolted to the rod correctly . I would imagine that they should all be in the same direction .
I would check a rebuild manual to make sure that the rods are installed correct . It can be a expensive mistake if they aren't .
Good luck .
 

[matt p]

Tony my dots were underneath, inside the piston on the wrist pin lug . my pistons were made by Balco not sure if yours are the same.matt
 

[2tractors]

It's so hard to remember all the little upsee daisys about these engines but the piston arrow is toward the front and with the piston correctly installed on the rod that would put the oil squirt hole on the rod pointing away from the cam. Or was it toward the cam. Anywho it is covered in the manual and with out an arrow then I wouldn't worry about the one being different----no worry-- no--worry--worry, wait whats that slap I hear.
 

[Tony in Mass.]

The marks were magic marker or etched Matt? That is what I went by, hand done dots on the inside of the piston.... others on these forums say just go by the top marks in a row on the cam side.... holy cow eh?
 

[PackardV8]

General engine buiding practice REGARDLESS of what kind, type or manufacture of the engine:

When no conspicuous marks are on the piston (or even when there is) the bible is to check for WRIST PIN OFFEST. The wrist pin must set closest to the THRUST side of the cylininder wall in ANY engine. The thrust side of the cylinder is the side of the cylinder that the ROD JOURNAL passes under FIRST when engine is turned in it's appropriate direction. IN this cae of the Cont engine for the Ferguson tractor it would be the rite side of the cylinder (nearest brake pedal, or exhaust/intake manifold).

SOme pistons may or may not have pin offset. If no offset then should make no difference except in the case of T-slotting or other characteristics usually spelled out by a service manual.


Most likely REPOP pistons WILL have pin offset because most likely such repop pistons are simply CLONES of some other more main stream current production piston.

CHECK FOR PIN OFFSET!!!! IF u find offset then u mite want to contact the supplier and let them know that the pistons have offset pins. Probably a 80% chance the supplier has no idea. I've gotten into this too damned many times.
 

[Tony in Mass.]

So, if the offset isn't obvious, then you'd have to balance one on an inspection table and dial indicators?? I know some pistons have a specific direction because of valves or oil slots, but - yep, generic repops is a good discription.. an arrow would be nice tho...
 

[matt p]

My marks were magic marker or paint stick. white dots I studied my pistons measured with digital calipers did'nt measure any offset,their was no marks on piston skirt. I had three etchings same direction one oddball!! so thats how I left it
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