1. Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

Piston clearance?

Discussion in 'Vintage/Left Kickers' started by Steve Ransom, Dec 15, 2014.

  1. Steve Ransom Husqvarna
    A Class

    Location:
    AZ
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    84 XC 250
    Other Motorcycles:
    yamFJR 1300, ktm XCFW 250, BMW F700
    What are your recommendations/opinions for clearance on a new 250cc bore with a forged Wossner piston?
    Do you follow the specs on the box of 0.6mm? A cylinder boring company wanted to know what the recommendation was by Husky for the original cast piston before setting it up. I don't know what that spec was or if this is relevant.
  2. Bigbill Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '83 250wr
    Other Motorcycles:
    0 right now
    The cast pistols require less clearance than the forged pistols.

    There is the clearance specs in the tech ref section. On the second page there is piston, honing and boring specs.
  3. Kartwheel68 Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Newnan, Georgia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    82 125XC, 250XC, 430XC, 430WR, 250CR
    Other Motorcycles:
    83 175WR , 76 250WR, 74 250 Mag
    The original Husky piston was not cast, the Mahle piston was forged just like the Wossner. Follow the Wossner specs.
  4. 84scrambler Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    mid Florida
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    87 xc 250, 85 wrx 250, 79 wr 250
    Yup, always go with the new piston manufacturer that you are using. Any machinist (engine builder) will know this, if he don't I would personally take it else where. They will bore your cylinder to your new piston with the clearance figured in to the new bore. So take your new piston when you drop off the cylinder . hope this helps.
  5. fran...k. Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    eastern ct
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    420ae 98wr125 2004wr250 others
    Other Motorcycles:
    electric freeride 1993 yam gts
    It depends of if you intend on going ice racing those guys use more clearance. I think the mahle is cast even if it is forged boring the wiseco ones that look very similar to the woosner ones leads to smearing of the piston on the cylinder wall bored to the mahle spec. If you purchace the piston from the boring shop perhaps then the clearance should be on them in my opinion. Is it an air or water cooled cylinder?
  6. Steve Ransom Husqvarna
    A Class

    Location:
    AZ
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    84 XC 250
    Other Motorcycles:
    yamFJR 1300, ktm XCFW 250, BMW F700
  7. Kartwheel68 Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Newnan, Georgia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    82 125XC, 250XC, 430XC, 430WR, 250CR
    Other Motorcycles:
    83 175WR , 76 250WR, 74 250 Mag
    Mahle pistons are not cast, they are forged just like Wiseco and Wossner. Japanese OEM pistons and Pro-X/Namura/Vertex/Athena are cast.
  8. adam6402 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Tulsa, OK
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    None
    Ran a Wiseco at .0025 on my 1982 250XC with no problem. Would do the same with a Wossner. Given you live in AZ, don't imagine you will be doing any ice racing.
  9. fran...k. Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    eastern ct
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    420ae 98wr125 2004wr250 others
    Other Motorcycles:
    electric freeride 1993 yam gts
    Intesting, clearly there is more mass in a front to back manner on the sides of the other two. The origional sure has less machining inside. Intresting website, seems motorcycles are small engines to them. Looks like a diesel engine piston is cast.
    http://www.mahle.com/mahle/en/produ...ial-vehicles/piston-systems/aluminum-pistons/
    The 430 one I had done came back with .004 written on the box I guess the husky shop sent it out to a machinist with that spec it was a mahle. I couldn't find what BigBill was referencing on page 2

    Attached Files:

  10. Bigbill Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '83 250wr
    Other Motorcycles:
    0 right now
    In the second page of the tech specs there is a listing on pistons, boring, specs.
    The English page won't open. Sorry.

    Now the cast piston clearance is tighter than the forged piston clearances.
    Are the clearances different again because of the air cooled and water cooled?
    The air cooled runs a tad hotter thus more piston expansion.

    When measuring a piston diameter I was taught to measure the piston 90 degrees from the wrist pin hole. On the skirt that's the largest size of the piston. It actually tapers towards the ring grooves leaving room for expansion.
  11. jimspac Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Connecticut
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    82 250WR, 82 430WR, 84 250WR, 85 400
    Other Motorcycles:
    86 400WR, 82 Montesa Cota 349
    Because the molecules are compressed within a forged structure, there are more molecules to expand in thermal expansion as the engine comes up to and maintains operating temperature.

    My father had to find that out the hard way when he was using Wiseco pistons in his 1972 Puch 175. The original piston was likely cast as he bored for the Wiseco at the factory value stated for the OEM piston. He seized about 3 or 4 pistons until he found out from our local Husqvarna dealer what he was doing wrong. I do not think that Wiseco was putting the clearance values in the box with the pistons in 1974
  12. Bigbill Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '83 250wr
    Other Motorcycles:
    0 right now
    Close, in a forging all the molecules are in the same direction like inline so they expand more. Casting has the molecules going in every direction.

    I had an auto machine shop bore my 350Chevy. He clearances my forged trw pistols as cast pistons. I had a piston crack when I was in Vermont. The skirt cracked in a vee wedge shape it was captured, rattling but ran I made it home. I couldn't figure it out with 90lbs oil pressure. I took out seven pistons scratching my head. Number 8 came out in two pieces. I worked in a auto machine shop when I was younger. I trust no one now I bore my own engines so I know wherein deep in the woods it's right.
    Big Timmy likes this.
  13. jo360 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    perth australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1983 exc framed wr430 engine
    Other Motorcycles:
    ktm 520exc
    just looking at the wiseco recommendations and they state .004"-.005" clearance for every inch of bore diameter on 2 stroke engines, this relates to ring gap only.
  14. Bigbill Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '83 250wr
    Other Motorcycles:
    0 right now
    I was just going to ask if there was a rule of thumb for clearance on forged pistols.

    The air cooled and water cooled could be different.

    .004"-.005" per 1" for ring gap?

    I bored a 390cr once to .0045" piston clearance and she was tight. I ran the gear driven adjustable hone and left it at .005+". Open it up too much and we get excessive fin ring/rattle.