Wiseco Piston Unleashed

Congress Passes Lead Law Exemption for ATV's & Bikes

2011-08-02T16:39:00.005-04:00

After years of hard work by Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and so many others in our industry, Congress has finally passed the lead law exemption for kid-sized ATV's and dirt bikes! The bill now goes up to President Obama to approve. This is a huge win!

Thank you everyone for your work in getting this bill passed through Congress!

Visit Wiseco at the 30th Annual Loretta Lynn's Amateur National!

2011-07-28T16:49:00.003-04:00

The peak of amateur racing is coming next week at the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Championships in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. The event runs August 1-6 at country-star Loretta Lynn's ranch. Stop by the Wiseco booth in the vendor area. We will have our full-line of products on display. We will also have a selection of product and apparel for sale throughout the week.

This iconic race has been going strong for 30 years. Wiseco has proudly been involved with the event since the beginning and continues for the 2011 season. This race has brought up some of the most successful professional riders in the industry. It's always an exciting week! Congratulations to every rider who has won a spot in one of its 33 classes during regional qualifiers! Best of luck during the week!

Kids Just Want to Ride Act

2011-02-11T15:14:00.000-05:00

CPSIA ban update! The Consumer Products Saftey Improvement Act will ban off-highway vehicles for kids at the end of 2011. It looks like there may be some momentum gaining on the issue! Let's hope we can get this lifted so kids can ride safely on motorcycles and ATVs. Visit the AMA's website to send a note to your congressman/woman. Check out the latest news at the link below.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Kids-Just-Want-to-Ride-Act-gaining-momentum.html?soid=1101360655061&aid=zHgAM4bNRcA

70 Years- A Legacy of Performance

2010-11-10T08:46:00.010-05:00

2011 marks Wiseco's 70th anniversary! In 1941, Clyde Wiseman started making pistons in his garage for some friends and fellow boat racers just outside Cleveland, Ohio. Today, we still make pistons for inboard and outboard marine engines, but Wiseco has so much more to offer today. Wiseco is the leading aftermarket manufacturer of powersports, automotive, and marine pistons. We've also introduced gasket kits, clutch components, valve train components, crankshafts, and connecting rods to compliment our full line of pistons. Champions choose Wiseco.

Wiseco attended the 2010 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, where we rolled out the first signs of our 70th anniversary. It's amazing how far Wiseco has come in the last 70 years to become one of the most technologically advanced companies in the industry. SEMA Show started on Tuesday, November 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The crowds were optimistic and interested in finding out abut our new products and what was going on with Wiseco. Even though we've come out with some great new products, including the Nissan SR20 stroker piston kit, 5.0L Mustang, and Pro Tru LS piston kits, everyone still asks about the past. There's no way to count the number of inquiries we had about pistons for the 327, 396, early Hemi's, and early flat heads! The answer? We offer the 327 and 396 as shelf stock product in our Pro Tru sportsman line and have completed many custom pistons for the early Hemi and flat heads as custom product.

Wiseco still has what you need after 70 years. We want to serve you with the latest advancements, as well as provide you with the product to complete your nostalgia rebuild. We have you covered.

P.S. We clicked a few photos of some of the cars at the show. Enjoy!!

Go Pink at the Ironman GNCC Next Weekend! You won't want to miss the last race of the year!

2010-10-14T11:59:00.002-04:00

October is breast cancer awareness month. I'm sure you know someone- mother, grandmother, aunt, family friend- who has been affected with this disease. The folks who put on the GNCC series have deemed the last race of the season as a "Pink Race." Everything will be pink- number wrist bands, t-shirts, etc. So everyone attending, get out your pink shirts, coats, hair, face paints, riding gear -- everything to come support this cause! The FAITH Alliance, a breast cancer resource in Montgomery County, IN will be onsite. Check out the link below to find out more about the event.

http://www.gnccracing.com/articles/2574_ironman-gncc-goes-pink

Check out this LS Build!!

2010-10-13T14:15:00.003-04:00

Check out this build! It's a 407 cubic inch Chevy LS engine build from the August 2010 issue of Popular Hot Rodding. Nice upgrade for a 2002 C5 Z06 Convertible. Enjoy!

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tech/1008phr_407ci_ls_chevy_engine/index.html

More Wiseco Snow Pistons are Getting the ArmorGlide Treatment!!

2010-09-30T14:19:00.002-04:00

October is here and snow is coming! Maybe you've been drag racing on asphalt or grass during the warm months, but who isn't itching to get back on the white stuff? Make sure your engine is ready by refreshing it with a Wiseco piston! We've recently skirt coated 24 additional models with ArmorGlide, including the Arctic Cat ZR800, Polaris 600, Ski Doo MXZ800, and Yamaha Phazer.

You might be asking yourself, what's so great about ArmorGlide? Wiseco developed ArmorGlide skirt coating through development, and benchmarking through its rigorous in-house dyno program. It's not only a high tech lubricant, but also allows the piston to be fitted tighter within the bore than a non-coated piston, reducing piston-to-wall clearance for better ring seal and reduced noise from piston rock. It also lowers friction. What does that mean? Lower friction increases piston efficiency, therefore contributing to increased horsepower. ArmorGlide also stays bonded to the piston for its typical life. It is more than just a break-in coating.

Wiseco went high tech with this skirt coating as well. Unlike spray on coatings, ArmorGlide is applied only where needed. A computer controlled application process applies the coating so there is no inconsistent thickness or overspray. Right down to the tightly controlled process times, ArmorGlide will not compromise the base materials, so you know you are getting a high performance Wiseco piston.

Check out Wiseco's newest project bike- the 2010 CRF250R!

2010-09-13T16:47:00.003-04:00

Dirt Bike Magazine did a great article on our newest project bike, a 2010 CRF250R, that included our new R-series piston, complete clutch set up with forged clutch basket, inner hub, and pressure plate, and fuel management controller. Check out the article's link below to find out what they thought!

http://www.wiseco.com/PDFs/MediaSpotlights/Wiseco-CRF250R-Dirt-Bike-Magazine-Review.pdf

More Wiseco Powered Winners!

2010-09-10T15:51:00.004-04:00

Wiseco has powered the Big Foot monster truck team for many, many years. Now, our sister company, K1 Technologies, is also giving them power with its connecting rods! The team's newest truck, Major League Baseball, was unveiled during the All-Star Game festivities in Anaheim, CA July 9-13. Be sure to keep an eye out for these monsters during the year!

The guys from MA Performance put some serious power in an EvoM recently. They've reclaimed the highest horsepower stock ECU record! The guys used a set of custom Heavy Duty Wiseco pistons. Great job, guys!

The weekend of July 23-25 was great for Team Hondaworks this year. On Friday the team battled a Porsche 968 all day, sharing the top spot in the class, but came up 0.3 short in the end during the Grassroots Motorsports Ulitmate Track Car Challenge. The team also debuted their second Hondaworks Acura, which was good right out of the box! Don't miss them this weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio for the next SCCA World Challenge August 6-8.

A quick congratulations to everyone on our racer support program who has been keeping us updated with results throughout the year. We hope everyone has had a great season!

Check out our updated R&D area!

2010-08-04T12:03:00.002-04:00

Here at Wiseco, we are dedicated to staying at the forefront of technology for the industries we serve. Recently we upgraded our R&D facilities to continue improving the way we develop our products.

Wiseco's R&D department has always had two dyno rooms to develop products. During the upgrade, we improved air circulation, fuel/ water delivery systems, and purchased a new console. A third dyno room was added. This room is acoustic rated and includes a new rear wheel dynamometer. This new rear wheel dyno will assist us with developing our line of Fuel Management Controllers. Since the entire bike is on this dyno, our R&D engineers can easily adjust the three fuel zones to make the bike perform at its optimum levels.

Many other improvements were made to the entire R&D area. These include new office furniture, upgraded lighting, painting, and a new epoxy floor treatment. There is now a designated area to store and display our past and current project and R&D vehicles.

That Girl Racing is rocking the NHRA Lucas Oil Series!

2010-07-02T14:23:00.004-04:00

Wiseco is involved in many disciplines of racing, including snowmobile drag racing! We power That Girl Racing from Ontario, Canada, a mother and daughter team- Tiina and Kiersten Duncanson. These girls are awesome. They're currently running the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, which is at the Lebanon Valley Dragway in West Lebanon, New York, this weekend- as we speak! So far, they've won 2 Wally's!

I borrowed a photo of their new sled from their Facebook page below. They just got the hood painted and it looks amazing! Check out the That Girl Racing page on Facebook and cheer them on at the next NHRA event.

2010-07-01T14:07:00.008-04:00

Here at Wiseco, we work very closely with our sister company K1 Technologies, in Byron Center, Michigan. K1 makes connecting rod sets and crankshafts for the domestic and sport compact automotive and V-Twin markets. The staff at K1 is committed to providing race quality parts at an affordable cost while delivering world-class customer service. In 2008, Wiseco and K1 teamed up to offer rotating combinations for the automotive market.

One of K1 Technologies' newest connecting rod sets is for the LS stroker engine, designed for big cubic inch blower and nitrous applications. Even with standard cam location and base circle cams, engine builders can run up to 4.375” stroke without fear of clearance issues. As a side benefit, notching in the crankcase is minimized, increasing strength and ease of assembly. Need help with strokes larger than 4.375”? K1 can help the engine builder determine the proper base circle and lobe lift required to bolt your engine together.

As will all K1 connecting rods, these 4340 H beams have thick blades for increased strength and double bridged caps for less bore distortion. Along with the industry’s tightest gram weight, dimensional tolerances, and K1’s proprietary ARP 2000 material asymmetrical thread bolts for equal thread loading when stretched, K1 is the right choice. Contact K1's friendly sales associates at 616-583-9700 or visit them on the web at www.k1technologies.com.

Wiseco has quite the line-up of pistons for the LS motor. Most of our LS pistons are in our forged racing line, but we've just introduced a set of LS pistons in our sportsman line, Pro Tru®. Our PT124 series pistons are designed for use with the factory connecting rods, using .943" diameter pins. Our engineers have applied a small .090" dome to bump its compression up slightly from stock. Designed for nitrous use, the pistons feature a .280" top land and 2618 alloy. They are also designed with valve pockets to accommodate the LS1, LS2, LS3, LS6, and any cathedral port aftermarket cylinder heads. Pistons come with ArmorGlide® skirt coating and a skirt shape that has been developed after years of feedback, making these some of the best wearing, quietest forged pistons on the market. Our Pro Tru® piston kits come complete with rings, pins, and clips. The PT124 series pistons yield 10.7:1 to 11.2:1 compression. Find more information on the PT124 series from our sales team at 800-321-1364 or check out our website at www.wiseco.com.

2010-06-25T14:45:00.004-04:00

How well do you know "The Wiseco Story"? You might have seen it printed in one of our catalogs or on our website. Wiseco started out in Clyde Wiseman's garage in 1941 because he had a passion for racing boats. He started making his own pistons. His friends and family used the pistons and soon word started getting around about them. Clyde went from his garage to a shop. When he out grew his shop, he moved to Wiseco's current location in Mentor, Ohio.

Though Clyde is no longer with us, the team at Wiseco still feels the same passion. Most of us are former racers and enthusiasts. On any given day you’ll see a lineup of bikes or our favorite warm weather cars in the parking lot. We love the industry and want to see it continue to grow. That’s why we put so much passion into bringing you the best products on the market.

The Wiseco of today boasts over 150,000 square feet of state-of-the-art forging and CNC machining equipment. We are the only U.S. piston manufacturer with our own in-house forging facility. With fully stocked warehouses in Ontario, Canada and the Netherlands, we can service customers world-wide. Supplemented by our coast-to-coast domestic distribution system and international customers in Europe, South America, Africa, Australia, and Asia, you can get Wiseco products almost anywhere in the world!

Wiseco is dedicated to staying abreast of technology in the motorsports world. Our engineers use the latest 3D design and finite element analysis software to ensure every Wiseco design is developed to provide the greatest strength and lightest weight for each application. We’ve recently updated our in-house Dyno facility to continue to bringing you the top products on the market.

Wiseco started out nearly 70 years ago with only pistons. Fast forward to present time and you’ll find Wiseco offers electronics, clutch, valve train, and bottom end components to supplement our wide range of high performance, forged pistons for the Powersports, marine, and automotive markets. Check out our website for more information on each of our product lines. You can also see our products at the events we attend. If you aren’t doing anything this weekend, June 25-27, stop by our booth at the Snowshoe GNCC race in Snowshoe, West Virginia!

It's the first event at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend!!

2010-06-16T13:48:00.003-04:00

The first event of the season is at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. You going to be there for the action?

http://www.midohio.com/Home

They also conduct schools throughout the year!

Wiseco John Penton GNCC Race This Weekend!

2010-06-04T11:44:00.004-04:00

The Wiseco John Penton is this weekend in Millfield, Ohio at Sunday Creek Motocross. Why not grab the family and head out to see some great racing? You might be thinking, but it's always either raining or so dry the dust kicks up something fierce! Well, I've looked at the weather forecast and it doesn't look so bad, so maybe this year will be the year for great weather. With Wiseco's home in Ohio, we know how our weather can be. Regardless, the racers need us there to cheer them on!

Wiseco will have a display set up in vendor's row. You'll be able to see all our products for dirt bikes and ATV's. We've even included some samples of our V-Twin product for those of you who prefer cruising on your Harley®.

Come on out to Millfield for the Round 8 of the GNCC series- the Wiseco John Penton. Don't miss any of the action and stop by to say 'Hi' to us at the Wiseco booth on Saturday and Sunday.

You gonna be at Bike Days this weekend?

2010-05-28T11:55:00.004-04:00

No plans for the Memorial Day weekend? Check out Bike Days at the Stark County Fairgrounds in Canton, Ohio on Saturday and Sunday! You'll see some great half-mile flat track racing and be able to browse the swap meet. We're having some great weather here in Ohio, so it should be a great time!

http://www.bikedays.com/index.html

Drag Fever at Summit Motorsports Park

2010-05-24T14:34:00.007-04:00

We attended the 4th annual B'laster Cavalcade of Stars at Summit Motorsports Park the weekend of May 15th and would you believe the crowd!!!! This race brought one of the biggest crowds- 40,000 people- forcing officials to close the gates at 5pm on Saturday when they hit capacity! These 40,000 people came out to watch 557 cars battle it out for the top spots. The Wiseco team was there to support Summit and had a booth set up in the midway. We had 2 of our automotive sales team members answering questions and talking with racers. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to see us!

The results of the weekend? Matt Short won the Carribean cruise for the 2nd year in a row on his Wiseco powered Kawasaki in the Wiseco Cycletech Super Bike Top 16 run-off! Another Wiseco powered racer- Steve Schnmidt- won the Super Comp class with our new Quick 16 pistons. Check out all the results and find out more about Summit Motorsports Park at http://www.summitmotorsportspark.com/.

Are you interested in going for the win with Wiseco's Quick 16 pistons or possibly our newest Quick 8 series pistons? Give us a call to find out what we can offer you! Both series of pistons were designed with input from today's leading engine builders!

Wiseco's Quick 16 series pistons are loaded with features including antidetonation grooves, vertical gas ports, ArmorGlide® skirt coating, 'Pro Stock' pressure seal grooves, reinforced decks, and profiled domes for Nitrous use. We've put the most popular compression heights and ring packages for today's most popular combinations and power adders on the shelf, so you can get them without going custom!
http://www.wiseco.com/PDFs/Wiseco-BBChevyQuick16.pdf

The Quick 8 series pistons include 8 part numbers to cover 24 possible combinations! They come with "universal" solid domes and valve pockets, to be dome, dish, or flat top compatible. We even have 4 part numbers to fit 12-14 degree applications. These 'fits all' pistons are available from our shelves, relieving downtime from custom product. We've included heavy duty wrist pins, gas porting, ArmorGlide® skirt coating, and a strutted forging as standard features on these pistons.
http://www.wiseco.com/PDFs/Wiseco-Chevy-Quick-8-Piston-Kits.pdf

Wiseco even offers K1 Technologies crankshafts and connecting rod sets so you can make your own rotating combination! Contact us to find out what combinations we can offer you!

Join Wiseco on June 5-6 for the Wiseco John Penton GNCC Race!!

2010-05-12T11:11:00.004-04:00

If you’ve been following the GNCC series, you’ve seen the results from River Ranch, the General, Steele Creek, Big Buck, Loretta’s, and Yadkin Valley. These can be the toughest races around! Remember the mud at Steele Creek that halted lap 6 of the XC2 race? There are 3 more exciting races coming up before the summer break- Mountain Ridge, Snowshoe, and the Wiseco John Penton!

Join us in Millfield, Ohio on June 5 and 6 to see all the greats- Chris Borich, Paul Whibley, and Johnny Gallagher just to name a few. These guys battle it out for the top spots in the XC1 bike and quad classes each weekend. Wiseco will have a display in vendor’s row to answer your questions and, of course, see our sponsored racers!

What will you see at the Wiseco display in vendor’s row? Of course you’ll see our pistons. They’re strong enough for 9-time GNCC champ Bill Ballance, so you know they last! You can check out our new fuel management controllers for bikes and ATV’s. These controllers tune your EFI without a computer or dyno. Just take your bike or ATV for a lap around the track, stop, adjust, and you’re on your way. Who wouldn’t want on-the-fly tuning when it matters most?

We’ll have our forged clutch components on display. Come find out why we are the only one who puts a Lifetime Warranty on our forged baskets, inner hubs, and pressure plates. You’ll also see our line of camshafts. Our cams give you additional power across the low end, mid range, and top end, depending on application. What’s better is that you get these gains on a cam that is designed as a drop-in OEM replacement! No engine or head mods are necessary when replacing with a Wiseco cam. Polished lobes reduce friction and wear. Though we’ve started with a limited number of models, you won’t be disappointed.

Drop by the Wiseco display during the Wiseco John Penton GNCC race on June 5 and 6 to check out our products and meet members of our technical sales team. Cheer on our Wiseco powered racers and check out what Wiseco can offer for your vehicle.

To see the full GNCC race schedule or to see current results, go to www.GNCCracing.com.

Are you getting the full potential out of your 2010 YZ450F or CRF250R?

2010-05-05T08:52:00.003-04:00

If you’re racing your 2010 Honda CRF250R or Yamaha YZ450F this race season, Wiseco has the products for you. We have recently released 2010 model year pistons for these two applications. You get all the features you expect from Wiseco, including each part being built on a dedicated forging. We’re giving you a light weight part with the superior strength you need to race the weekend. Both pistons come with our ArmorGlide™ skirt coating to reduce friction, getting the maximum horsepower from your bike. You can choose stock compression to match OEM compression or high compression to maximize the torque and throttle response to the bike.

Check out our clutch and valve train components, along with our fuel management controllers, to complete your build!

See more information on our new 2010 Honda CRF250R and Yamaha YZ450F pistons at www.Wiseco.com. Or give our sales team a call at 800-321-1364/ 440-951-6600.

Pricing (Retail)- Wiseco CRF250R $187.97 to $223.68; YZ450F $209.95 to $229.95.

Jesse Masterpool

2010-03-22T09:58:00.004-04:00

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Jesse Masterpool. Jesse died from a head injury on Saturday the 20th sustained at the Lake Whitney Amateur National. Everyone here at Wiseco knew Jesse as a member of the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team, a Wiseco sponsored team. At just 14 years old he was a top 85cc/ Supermini racer. He will be dearly missed.

We've provided the link for Jesse's website. There you will find the official statement from his family. R.I.P. Jesse and please send all your strength and prayers to his family during this difficult time.

http://www.jessemasterpool.com/

Look what Wiseco has been up to!

2010-01-21T14:10:00.003-05:00

Whether you are a powersports or auto person, Wiseco has it all for you. We have teamed up with our sister company, K1 Technologies, to offer rotating assembly combinations so we have what you need- only one stop. Check out the video link below to learn more about K1 Technologies and Wiseco.

http://video.streetlegaltv.com/video/11604

Now, for those of you who want to fine tune your street bike, V-Twin, ATV, or dirt bike, we have Fuel Management Controllers to help you out. Our testers have seen some great gains and improvements when they use the Wiseco controller and you can too. It's so easy to use and understand. Just plug it in and fine tune on the fly! Simply pull over and stop your vehicle and tune away! The guys at Motocross Action tested out our CRF450 project bike. Check out the link below to see what they thought. If you like what you read, give our sales team a call and order one up for yourself.

http://www.wiseco.com/PDFs/MediaSpotlights/Wiseco-CRF450-Motocross-Action-Review.pdf

Check it out! Wiseco's forged clutch components were named one of Dirt Bike Magazine's products of the year!

2009-11-24T16:38:00.003-05:00

http://www.dirtbikemagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=4059DE94F0FD412D980DCA6D9398931A

Wiseco's pistons continue to wow the crowds and our customers! Check out some achievements from our customers.

2009-11-13T10:54:00.003-05:00

With SEMA behind us and PRI coming up quickly, Wiseco's auto department has been busy! Many of our customers have also been busy racing with our pistons. Check out what some of them have done!

Jay Norris of Norris racing engines had this to say about his latest set of custom pistons on Wiseco’s Quick 16 forging. Jay’s 532ci Dart pro 1 headed test mule produced 984 hp and 747 torque with a small carb., .775 lift bracket cam, and 13.9:1 compression. The engine was just off the dyno and he wrote us a letter with the results: '“I was very impressed with the dimensional accuracy and consistency, along with better than excellent surface finish. The ring lands were so flat that we registered over 22in. vacuum on this wet sump system (we actually had to change pulleys in order to slow down the pump). MY COMPLIMENTS ON A JOB WELL DONE! It is refreshing to see a manufacturer actually listen and perform accordingly instead of the usual “we can’t do that because…”'

Two Brother’s Racing in Tempe Arizona are long time users Wiseco pistons in their Turbo Supra builds. They’re currently the 2nd fastest 6 speed Supra (with a relatively un-lightened car) running 8.20’s at 183! They’ve got a few things up their sleeve for the upcoming year, but their stroker 2jz currently produces in the neighborhood of 1700 wheel horsepower (283hp per cylinder!). They pull their engines down for inspection roughly every 100 runs and report “Wiseco pistons look really great and we just put them back in again!” No doubt their excellent tuning contributes to this, but the Supra crowd continues to amaze.

Long time customer Aaron Bunch at ATS racing of Denton Texas reports their latest 2311cc 3sgte build (1993cc’s standard) spooled a gt38 turbo at 3500rpm (about 1000 rpm sooner than normal!). He’s up to 480 at the wheels on pump gas which is 3 times the power of a stock engine! He also reports many of his crew has gotten into stand up jet ski’s lately. They’ve got Wiseco’s in those as well and they the prop off with roughly 175 horsepower!

Good job guys, keep pushing it!

See the successes of using Wiseco product and what we've been up to during the racing season.

2009-10-27T15:51:00.007-04:00

Wiseco Sponsors the Hoosier Outlaw Series

The Hoosier Outlaw Sprint Series had its final 2009 Points event in September at Baer Field Speedway. Tim Cox of Park City, Illinois won the race and the Championship. We appreciate Wiseco's support through out the past years.

The CRF250X Project -- Success!

Thanks to you and Wiseco for all the help with our Enduro Engineering Honda CRF250X project. Tom Webb of Dirt Bike Magazine came to the UP300 to cover the event and do the test. The bike was great the clutch problems that we experienced early in our testing with the stock clutch was completely fixed with your clutch components. We here at Enduro Engineering look forward to working with you and Wiseco in the future.

Wiseco sponsored pro, Kyle Martin, clinches the OMA National Pro Quad Championship!

I just wanted to say thanks for all the support this year! It has been an awesome season. With your help I have been able to win the OMA National Pro Quad Championship, the OXC Midwest Regional Pro Quad Championship, and I was a member of the Pro class winners at the annual Heartland Challenge 10 Hour Endurance Race.

See Kyle's shoutout on his podium speech - http://www.unitedoffroadracing.com/index1.php

SPOTTED! Hot Rod Magazine 2010 Camaro prowling around Wiseco

2009-10-20T13:44:00.004-04:00

A blood red 2010 Camaro with "Hot Rod Test Car" on its doors was seen prowling around Wiseco’s proving grounds this morning. Rumors persist this machine may be part of some secret Wiseco skunkworks project. In a statement, local man John Milner was quoted as saying: "The thing pulled in around 4 a.m. Monday morning. It was dark and all I could see at first was the halo headlights….followed by the unmistakable rumble of a cammed up LS3. There was rubber all over the back fenders…as if it had just driven itself up from the GM performance LSX shootout or somethin’." Normally the car rarely leaves its lair in Houston Texas- the School of Automotive Machinists compound. Elusive madman Ron Shearer of Shearer fabrications has also been seen on the grounds -leading to the speculation that some kind of demented transformation may be underway to turn it into a 440 cubic inch Twin Turbo Terror. We will continue to alert the general public as the story develops.

2009-09-24T15:43:00.002-04:00

Wiseco partnered with Enduro Engineering for a Honda CRF250X project. Tom Webb of Dirt Bike Magazine came out to cover Parts Unlimited's ride- the UP300- and tested out the bike. Early in testing, there were problems with the stock clutch. The guys at Enduro Engineering are happy to announce the problems were fixed when Wiseco forged clutch components were installed on the bike!

Watch for the article in Dirt Bike Magazine!

Nissan's 370Z is a thing of beauty and power. Wiseco has the piston to give it the power it deserves.

2009-09-04T10:41:00.009-04:00

Nissan's 370Z is an amazing package of style, handling, and power. The car is born to boost and Wiseco provides the pistons to do it! Massive .300" top lands, 2618 alloy forgings, and .200" wall pins are standard. The XX ring package is the ultimate in durability and seal. ArmorGlide™ skirt coating and a specially designed skirt taper work in harmony with offset pins, reducing noise and wear. When it comes to forged pistons for the 370Z, there's only the best- Wiseco.

This Wiseco piston kit retails for $1,048.92. It is available in 95.5mm and 96mm bore sizes with a 86mm stroke, 1.198" compression height, and 15.5cc dome- to give you 9:1 compression. Our kit includes rings, pins, clips, and pistons to make your build a breeze.

Check us out on the web at Wiseco.com!

2009-08-28T11:09:00.003-04:00

Toyota's Tacoma 2RZ and RZ engines are capable of great power! Wiseco's K642 series piston gives you net 8.8:1 compression in the 2RZ and 8.25:1 compression in the 3RZ. We've designed it specifically for high boost applications.

You know the run-down of Wiseco's standard features and benefits. Well, these pistons have them all! It's made from a dedicated forging made in our Ohio forge shop for light weight and superior strength. We've designed it to give you maximum ring seal, compression, and control with a pressure seal groove and dedicated rings. Our ArmorGlide™ skirt coating reduces friction and wear. Brush deburred on the dome and valve beliefs to prevent detonation, Wiseco's Toyota Tacoma piston is the best choice for you.

It is offered in 95mm, 95.5mm, and 96mm bore sizes with a -10cc dome volume. All kits come complete with 1mm x 1.2mm x 2.8mm XX rings (stainless steel, gas nitride top ring; cast iron Napier hook second ring; and flex-vent oil ring with gas nitride scraper rails). All clips and pins are included as well to complete your engine quickly. Wiseco's kit for the Toyota Tacoma retails at $702.60. Give us a call or check out our website for more information.

2009-08-26T17:09:00.002-04:00

Toyota’s Scion TC has proven itself in the racing ranks. Wiseco’s piston sets itself with extremely strong .300” ring lands and a specially designed dome/ reverse dome to compliment the combustion characteristics of the engine. Skirt coatings, offset pins, and oversize valve pockets make this the best forged piston available today. So many Wiseco features bring you BIG benefit!

Features & Benefits
Dedicated forgings -- Light weight, superior strength
Generous valve beliefs -- Allows more options for cam and valve choices
Dedicated rings -- Maximum compression and oil control
Brush de-burring -- Sharp edges removed from dome/ valve beliefs to help prevent detonation
Performance -- Pistons have wear and friction reducing skirt coating

Kit comes standard with 1mm x 1.2mm x 2.8mm XX rings. These rings have a stainless steel, gas nitrided top ring; cast iron Napier hook second ring; and flex-vent oil ring with gas nitride scraper rails. Retail price: $702.60

K641M885 (88.5mm bore)
K641M89 (89mm bore)
K641M895 (89.5mm bore)
K641M90 (90mm bore)

All sizes have a 96mm stroke, 1.309" compression height, -2.9 dome volume, and 9:1 comopression.

Looking to give your Fit some power? We've got the answer at Wiseco! Awesome looking piston!

2009-08-24T15:00:00.003-04:00

Wiseco stays ahead of the competition. We now offer a shelf part for the Honda Fit with a -11.5 converted dish for 9.8:1 compression. The pistons come with our ArmorGlide™ skirt coating to improved wear and friction reduction. Wiseco’s dedicated forging allows for a light weight, superior strength product. Along with a brushed dome and generous valve beliefs, Wiseco is your #1 choice! Each piston/ kit comes complete with 1mm x 1.2mm x 2.8mm XX rings, pins, and clips. Check out more details on our website Wiseco.com! Enter the part number in the shopping cart to see all the details and pricing.

K637M73-- 89.4mm stroke, 1.029” compression ht.

EVO 10-- Give it more power! From Wiseco's famous sport comopact line.

2009-08-19T12:09:00.003-04:00

The Mitsubishi EVO 10 is proving itself to be worthy to the name. The 4B11 is quickly being developed to reach power levels of its predecessor- the mighty 4G63. Wiseco has built the strongest piston available with features like .300” top land thickness and .335” of 2618 allow below the dish. .200” wall pins are standard and ArmorGlide™ skirt coating allows for tight piston to wall clearances for reduced noise. Along with our other standard features, like dedicated forgings from our in-house forging center and generous valve beliefs, Wiseco has the solution for you. Our sport compact pistons and kits are sold complete with 1mm x 1.2mm x 2.8mm XX rings, pins, and clips. Check out our piston online at Wiseco.com!

K636M86-- 86.00mm bore-- 9:1 compression
K636M865-- 86.50mm bore-- 9:1 compression
K636M87 --87.00mm bore-- 9:1 compression
K636M88-- 88.00mm bore-- 9:1 compression

Get more Hemi power from Wiseco! Check them out!

2009-08-18T10:19:00.003-04:00

Wiseco is the first in the industry to offer stroker pistons for the new 5.7 and 6.1 Hemi. These pistons have dedicated forgings, ArmorGlide™ skirt coatings, and nitrided rings. Our special skirt design and shape is perfect for street use or drag racing.

Wiseco’s new ArmorGlide™ brings you the ultimate in skirt coating toughness, lubrication, and bond technology working together to minimize friction, maximize horsepower, and provide improved wear resistance. It is a permanent skirt coating and allows the piston to be fitted tighter within the bore than non-coated pistons, bringing you better ring seal and reduced noise from piston rock. Check out our full line of 5.7 and 6.1 Hemi pistons to find what works best for you. Give us a call or contact us online at www.wiseco.com.

K465XS 3.917” bore -8cc dome volume 1.080” compression ht. 9:1 compression
K465X2 3.937” bore -8cc dome volume 1.080” compression ht. 9:1 compression

K468XS 3.917” bore +12cc dome volume 1.080” compression ht. 11:1 compression
K468X2 3.937” bore +12cc dome volume 1.080” compression ht. 11:1 compression

K466XS 3.917” bore +4cc dome volume 1.205” compression ht. 9:1 compression
K466X2 3.937” bore +4cc dome volume 1.205” compression ht. 9:1 compression

K467XS 3.917” bore +21cc dome volume 1.205” compression ht. 11:1 compression
K467X2 3.937” bore +21c dome volume 1.205” compression ht. 11:1 compression

Wiseco continues to add to its Chevy LS piston line! See how!

2009-08-17T08:42:00.003-04:00

Wiseco has again taken Chevy LS forged piston technology another step further! Wiseco’s multifit pockets are designed to accommodate OE and aftermarket versions of the LS1, LS2, LS3, LS6, LS92, and LS 7 heads. To increase horsepower over ordinary flat top pistons, Wiseco’s Flow-Dome technology increases flow around the valve at tdc. The pistons are designed around the 1.2mm, 1.2mm, 3mm Nitride steel top and Napier second ring to ensure quick break-in, long life, and low friction for increased horsepower. As always, the ultra strong 2618 alloy is used for these forgings. ArmorGlide™ skirt coating comes standard and reduces noise versus uncoated skirts. In addition, off-set wristpins reduce noise when compared to typical forged pistons. Check out our K464 series piston with 1.110” compression height and -3cc dome volume. It comes in a bore size that is right for your engine. This kit retails for $784.13. Call us for more information!

K464F3903-- 3.903” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464FS-- 4.000” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464F05-- 4.005” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464F3-- 4.030” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464F65-- 4.065” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464F7-- 4.070” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.

Where is the horsepower? We have it here at Wiseco if you need it.

2009-08-04T16:54:00.004-04:00

So, do you really know about horsepower? Luckily, the engineering team at Wiseco is well versed in horsepower. In fact, it's probably up toward the top of their lists of favorite things. We have a FAQ section on Wiseco.com in our customer service section. Here is a question regarding horsepower. It leans toward the automotive side, but has some good general info as well.

What are the other factors to consider when maximum horsepower is the goal?

Compression ratio and Dome/Dish volume determine combustion efficiency and resistance to detonation. Detonation can and will destroy any piston in short order. Lean conditions will melt any piston as any aluminum alloy melts within a few degrees of each other. Most of a piston's heat is dissipated through its contact with the cylinder wall and oil splash. Very short pistons and excessive clearance will melt a piston sooner. Static compression varies more than most people would believe. A piston running .020 down in the cylinder at tdc as opposed to "zero-deck" on a 64cc combustion chamber headed 350 Chevy changes the compression ratio from 10.25:1 TO 9.8:1.

People running compression ratios higher than 14:1 are not making more power if it means an increase in dome rise. More dome rise only hurts combustion efficiency which will loose more power than is gained by increasing compression. The current trend in Pro Stock, Winston cup, and others with big-budgets for engine development is to make the combustion chamber smaller and go to 12, 14, or 18 degree heads to make that happen. They are going for the shortest dome rise that gives them the compression they are looking for. The trend is to also use a bigger bore with a shorter stroke to put an engine at its best power potential for a given cubic-inch limit. One point to remember is a pro engine builder will never trade ring-seal for cubic inches from making a cylinder wall too thin.

Check out the success of Wiseco and K1 in the 360 AMC motor!

2009-07-28T15:26:00.002-04:00

Take a look at what one of our customers found when he used both Wiseco and K1 products in his 360ci AMC motor! There's some great pics too!

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Attila-the-Jav-New-Parts-Spotlight.html

6-Spring Forged Clutch Basket for the 2009 CRF450R- Available only through Wiseco!

2009-07-28T11:44:00.002-04:00

Now available from Wiseco is our forged clutch basket for the 2009 Honda CRF450! This basket is forged from light weight, high strength, certified, aerospace grade aluminum alloy. Since it is precision forged by Wiseco, it has greater strength due to “feature aligned grain flow”. When compared to castings or products machined from billet, our forged clutch products are lighter and higher strength. The clutch basket for the 2009 CRF450 comes complete with a gear retainer plate, rubber cushions, new fasteners, and hex sockets. Wiseco’s forged clutch basket retails for $259.75.

2-Stroke Pistons Keep Coming Out at Wiseco! Now- the KTM 144SX/ 150SX with ArmorGlide™ Skirt Coating

2009-07-27T09:59:00.004-04:00

Wiseco’s full line of 2-stroke motorcycle pistons now includes the new KTM 144SX and 150SX model. What’s so different about this model you ask? This piston is not only electra coated to give you superior wear resistance in the pin bore and ring grooves, but it also comes with our ArmorGlide™ skirt coating. Wiseco’s ArmorGlide™ skirt coating is a result of testing, development, and benchmarking through our rigorous in-house dyno program. The outcome is the ultimate in skirt coating toughness, lubrication, and bond technology working together to minimize friction, maximize horsepower, and provide improved wear resistance. Matched with its dedicated forging and dome design, this piston is light weight and gives you improved flame travel to maximize air/ fuel burn efficiency. Wiseco’s KTM 144SX 2007-08 and 150SX 2009 (869M05600) retails at $137.87. Each piston comes complete with the rings, pin, and circlips.

2009-07-24T09:40:00.001-04:00

Wiseco’s roots are in marine pistons. The newest addition to our forged marine piston line is for the Evinrude 40HP, 50HP, 60HP, 75HP, and 90HP engines. Made from dedicated forgings, these pistons have superior strength to withstand the harsh marine environment. We’ve made this piston light weight to give you improved throttle response and less vibration. Electra coating decreases pin and ring scuffing for longer life and added performance. Wiseco’s pistons for the 40HP, 50HP, 60HP, 75HP and 90HP Evinrude E-Tec engine are available in standard bore and 3 oversizes to fit your needs. These pistons retail at $100.00-- 3211PS, 3211P2, 3211P3, 3211P4.

Wiseco On Video and Radio- Check us out!

2009-07-23T13:01:00.003-04:00

Most of the things you hear about Wiseco products come from our website or a new product feature in a magazine. Where do you get to hear about all our products at once? Periodically throughout the year, our sales team gets opportunities to talk about our products on video or radio shows. The links below are from the Tuesday, May 12 Pit Pass Radio show and a video from the International Dealer Expo in February. Check out the links and let us know what you think!

Tuesday, May 12 Pit Pass Radio
http://www.pitpassradio.com/?p=978

Dealer Expo Video- February 2009
Featuring our Off-Road/ ATV Market Segment Manager Chris Bollinger
http://www.mxpreview.com/editorials/templates/VideoView.aspx?articleid=140&zoneid=5

Racing with Wiseco at Ohio International Raceway!

2009-07-23T11:27:00.002-04:00

Wiseco is right in the back yard of Ohio International Raceway in Ravenna, Ohio. Check out some of the racing from the most recent Pro Day on July 12! Racer X featured the results online. Click on the links below for the feature from Racer X and check out Ohio International Raceway's site.

Racer X
http://www.racerxonline.com/article/ohio-international-raceway-pro-day-results.aspx

Ohio International Raceway Website
http://www.handracing.com/

Exactly what you've been waiting for! 360 and 401 AMC Pistons.

2009-07-22T12:05:00.001-04:00

Wiseco Performance Products and K1 Technologies have teamed up to release a new Sportsman series type piston and rod combination for the 360 and 401 AMC engine. Wiseco and K1 have designed pistons and rods that are well suited for anything from rock crawling to race to restoration.

Wiseco has added this exciting new lineup to the Pro Tru series of Sportsman type pistons, maintaining a pocket friendly price with high end durability and design. Using input from today’s leading AMC engine builders, Wiseco has released both a flat top and reverse dome piston for both the 360 and 401 engines in popular oversizes. With thicker decks and optimized ring lands, these pistons will easily handle a 250 HP nitrous system with proper tuning. These pistons kits come complete with Hastings plasma-moly rings and anti-friction skirt coatings, as well as HD pins and clips. Symmetrical valve pockets can accommodate today’s larger valve sizes and specialized cams. With dish and flat top offerings available, enthusiasts can tweak compression rations from 9.5:1 up to 13.5:1 with selected components.

AMC engines have always been potent performers. With today’s cylinder head and camshaft offerings, it has become obvious there is a need for stronger bottom end components. K1 Technologies has taken a long look at the AM OE rods and worked together with AMC racers to design a dedicated rod that corrects OE geometry issues, while dramatically improving the bottom end strength of today’s AMC engine builds. Using 4340 H-beam forgings paired with K1’s own proprietary asymmetrical thread design, ARP 2000 bolts, K1 has designed an extremely durable and lightweight rod able to handle horsepower levels these engines are capable of today.

Wiseco’s AMC piston kits come complete with rings, pins, and circlips needed for your engine. The kits retail at $767.85. K1 Technologies connecting rod kits retail at $538.63.

Power and Performance for your 2009 Kawasaki KX450F-- Only from Wiseco!

2009-07-21T14:17:00.003-04:00

With race season in full swing, Wiseco has brought out its high compression complete top end rebuild kit for the 2009 Kawasaki KX450F. The piston comes packed full of features you expect from Wiseco. The piston is built on a dedicated forging, made right here in our Ohio plant to give you maximum torque and throttle response. Our ArmorGlide™ skirt coating gives improved scuff resistance, reduced friction, and provides quieter operation. Match our high compression piston with our unique 6-spring forged extreme clutch kit and your bike will be ready to race! The 6-spring design improves clutch grip and better distributes the spring load. Wiseco’s extreme clutch kit comes complete with a forged clutch basket, inner hub, and pressure plate, friction plates, steel drive plates, and clutch springs. Wiseco’s ‘One Name. One Solution.®’ is now available to you with the 2009 Kawasaki KX450F. Check out everything we offer for your KX450F on our website at http://www.wiseco.com/. Our complete top end rebuild kit retails for $275.93 (PK1840), while our extreme clutch kit retails at $837.55 (ECK011).

Get your Quick 16 On!

2009-07-20T14:18:00.001-04:00

Designed with input from today’s leading engine builders and Pro Stock technology, Wiseco introduces its Quick 16 pistons for drag racing applications. These pistons meet the demands of today’s big valve, big cubic inch Sportsman series engines. Loaded with features, the piston includes anti-detonation grooves, 15° ‘Pro Stock’ pressure seal grooves, ArmorGlide™ skirt coating, reinforced decks, and profiled domes for Nitrous use.

Wiseco built these pistons on a ‘new generations’ dedicated forging designed to perform and last round after round- from weekly brackets to Super 16 shootouts. And since Wiseco produces all their forgings in-house, these pistons are light weight with extreme durability. The dome configuration is designed to maintain proper flame travel and desired compression rations needed for today’s extreme horsepower engines and exotic fuels. It’s designed to fit conventional heads from today’s leading manufacturers. Our new Quick 16 pistons have all the features expected for modern day race engines. These pistons are available in compression heights and ring packages for today’s most popular combinations and power adders. Check out more information at www.Wiseco.com or give our sales team at call at 800-321-1364. Our Quick 16 series pistons retail for $1,050.50 per kit.

Ready To Go! GM 2.0 LSJ/ LFN Piston Kits

2009-07-20T10:28:00.002-04:00

Highly boosted, direct injection engines, such as GM’s LNF 2.0, require strict adherence to the original dome and bowl design to maintain proper combustion characteristics. Wiseco’s new K635 series piston is the only forged piston utilizing special form tooling for the correct shape dome and bowl design. Coupled with our brush dome deburring, Nitride steel XX rings, ArmorGlide® skirt coating, and extra stout 5mm wall thickness pins, this is the only forged piston with the technology needed to properly compliment D.I. Find out more about this piston and our complete sport compact line at Wiseco.com or call our sales team at 800-321-1364. Wiseco’s GM 2.0 LSJ/ LFN piston kits (K635M86/ K635M865/ K635M88) retail at $721.56 and include rings, clips, and pins for your rebuild.

10.5:1 High Compression for the Honda XR650C and 650L Now Available!

2009-07-17T15:08:00.004-04:00

Wiseco has brought back the Honda XR650C and 650L with a 10.5:1 compression ratio. These pistons are skirt coated with our ArmorGlide™ skirt coating giving your motorcycle reduced friction, quieter operation, and improved scuff resistance. This high compression piston gives you maximum torque and throttle response to compliment our dedicated forging, giving you a light weight, superior strength, and optimal designed piston. Wiseco includes dedicated rings to these piston kits, optimized for the application, to provide better oil control and give you high performance. The piston kit also includes pin and circlips. Wiseco’s Honda XR650C 1993-99 and 650L 1996-08 piston retails from $201.51 and comes in 3 different bore sizes. Check us out online at http://www.wiseco.com/ to find the latest information on new Wiseco products!

Wiseco Yamaha R6 Project Bike

2009-07-07T15:47:00.003-04:00

The latest Wiseco project bike to get some ink was our 2007 Yamaha R6 project bike. We built the bike for the 2008 Dealer Expo in Indianapolis and contacted 2Wheel Tuner to show everyone the bike. From day-to-day street riding to a track-day bike, the Wiseco R6 has it all. Read the full article below.

WISECO’S Big-Bore R6-- Torque Ain't Cheap
JULY 2009 WWW.SPORTBIKECLUB.COM
Story by Arlo Redwine // Photos courtesy of Wiseco

Wiseco makes a large selection of piston kits for sportbikes. To trumpet this fact, in 2007 the company had a Yamaha YFZ-R6 customized using one of its overbore piston kits and a host of other trick parts (see spec box). The following February, Wiseco displayed the bike at its booth at the Dealer Expo trade show, where motorcycle dealers got the message loud and clear. Mission accomplished, right? Not quite. Because regular folks weren’t allowed to attend the show, nobody else knew about the bike. So Wiseco contacted 2Wheel Tuner, and we were thrilled to oblige in letting you in on this badass big-bore R6. Why did Wiseco choose the 2007 R6 instead of one of the literbikes, for which it also makes kits? “We wanted to be different,” Wiseco’s Sean McLaughlin explains, noting that 1,000cc bikes already dominate the magazines. We built it as an everyday bike that can be ridden back and forth from work, but that can also — with little modification — be a fairly capable track-day weapon.”

Wiseco went balls out with the engine. Millennium Technologies bored out and replated the cylinders. The piston kit expands the bore from 67mm to 69mm, bringing the displacement to 636cc. KWS Motorsports and Wiseco developed a blueprint of the race engine, and the former ported and polished the cylinder head, performed a five-angle valve job, and changed out the
connecting rods, head gasket, bearings, etc. It adapted the OEM camshaft to the new setup by installing APE billet adjustable cam sprockets. According to Wiseco, the result is 128 rear-wheel
horsepower on race fuel, and 121 rwhp on premium pump gas. Just as important is the added torque brought about by the addition of sixth-tenths of a compression point. “The bike really comes alive around 11,500,” Wiseco’s Jeff Clarkin says. “You feel more torque down low through the rev range, but when you start getting that engine closer to its peak revs, the power doesn’t
fall off like the stock bike would. So you can really tell the torque difference in the seat of your pants.”

Wiseco had a local race shop place the bike in a GMD Computrack machine, which determines the bike’s optimal geometry. The shop optimized the rake, trail and suspension for superfast turn-ins. What does Wiseco plan to do with the bike now? Actually the company sold it last year. But luckily a Wiseco employee is the new owner, so the bike’s still in the family. Says Clarkin, “We got about 1,500 street miles on it now by just riding it around, enjoying it, having fun. It’s a great bike.”

Tested! Wiseco’s new Fuel Management Controllers

2009-06-26T09:06:00.003-04:00

A few lucky Wiseco employees got to have our new fuel management controllers installed on their bikes. Both bikes were Harley Davidson’s and both saw some nice performance improvements. Along with the dyno testing we do, we test in the field so we know you are getting the best products available.

Chris Hawthorne
Manufacturing

2007 Harley Davidson V-Rod.
I did the install myself and it only took about an hour. It was very easy to install. I also found on the V-Rod you can’t really mount it under the seat, so I put it behind the air box. It is still easy to get to and is out of sight from rain and such. And as far as the performance end of it, WOW what a difference I felt! Before installing the Wiseco fuel controller, the exhaust pipes would glow cherry red. Now the bike runs cooler and has lots more acceleration in the mid range.

Ron Gryzmala
Customer Service

2003 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic
The fuel management controller was installed on my bike here at Wiseco. The controller smoothed out the operation of my bike. Before the controller, my bike was at the stock settings. I now have no popping or backfiring during deceleration off the freeway. It has also increased the roll on power for acceleration onto the highway. I really like it. “It has definitely increased the performance of my baby.”

Forged Clutch Products Review

2009-06-24T08:12:00.003-04:00

Have you ever wondered what people have to say about Wiseco products? Wiseco currently sponsors the DNA Energy Drink/BTO Sports.com/BBMX Team and they are currently using our forged clutch products with the lifetime warranty against notching and breakage. A few weeks ago they did a review of their experience with our clutch products on their website. Check it out!

http://butlerbrothersmx.loopd.com/Members/TeamButlerBrothers/Blog.aspx?resourceId=b273a856-fb55-4b81-a586-8cb364b38ea0

Figuring Compression Ratio

2009-05-14T13:55:00.003-04:00

Compression ratio is the volume of the cylinder when the piston is at the bottom of the cylinder compared to where it is when the piston is at TDC. A 100 cubic inch cylinder would have its volume squeezed into 10 cubic inches with a 10:1 ratio. The easiest way to keep track of it is to think of every thing as volumes that are stacked on top of one another. The factors that stack up are the displacement of the cylinder (bore and stroke), the volume of the deck clearance (getting back to the zero-deck issue from before), the volume of the gasket (which is basically a short-round cylinder), and the volume of the combustion chamber. The net combustion chamber volume means you must subtract dome volume add the dish volume. Use the formula (bore x bore x stroke x .7854 x 16.4) to get the volume for a cylinder in cc's. Stack up the cylinder + the deck volume + the gasket volume + the net chamber volume---take this number and call it A…Stack up the deck, the gasket, and the net chamber volume and call it B….. Take the big number A and divide it by the small number B and it will give you the compression ratio.

2009-05-07T10:09:00.007-04:00

If you’ve been keeping up with the issues concerning the Powersports industry, you are most likely familiar with the 2 largest issues- the lead law from the Consumer Products Safety Act and the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that could potentially make 24 million acres of public lands inaccessible to off-highway vehicles. Companies and organizations across the Powersports industry have been rallying everyone to write their congressmen and respective committees in an attempt to thwart these rulings. The American Motorcycle Association (AMA) and Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) have been instrumental in giving the industry a voice.

Consumer Products Safety Act Lead Law
On Friday, May 1, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a stay of enforcement on youth motorized recreational vehicles until May 1, 2011. The companies who brought the petition to the committee included American Suzuki, Polaris, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and Yamaha USA. The stay applies to only battery terminals with up to 100% lead and components made with metal alloys- steel up to 0.35% lead content, aluminum up to 0.4% lead content, and copper up to 4.0% lean content. By November 1, 2009, the CPSC committee requires each manufacturer to have a plan in place to reduce the lead exposure from the components contained in the stay.

This decision was based on many factors presented to the CPSC. There was a fear that more youth riders would be on adult sized vehicles, increasing the risk of injury or death. Argued by the petitioners, by substituting lead in steel, aluminum, and copper alloys, the function, durability, and corrosion resistance could be compromised. This can cause increased injury due to components breaking prematurely.

Though this was a break-through for the industry, it is still technically not legal to sell youth motorcycles and ATV’s. Due to the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), state Attorney Generals can still prosecute violators, despite no fines or penalties from the CPSC. You can check out more about the ruling by going to the AMA website. The AMA has been doing an excellent job keeping everyone up-to-date on the latest developments. You can also voice you opinion from Wiseco.com. On our home page, we have a link to the MIC to send a message to your congressman to have your voice heard.

Public Land
Another huge issue for the Powersports industry is the bill currently in the U.S. House of Representatives that could potentially make 24 million acres of public land in the western United States inaccessible to off-highway vehicles. The bill was originally proposed by a representative from New York City and currently has no support in the potentially affected states. The AMA Vice President for Government Relations, Ed Moreland has submitted comments on the bill to the House of Representatives. Mr. Moreland argued all public lands are for enjoyment of all Americans. The people who enjoy these lands are not only the nimble and fit, but those with small children, the elderly, and the handicapped. Some of these individuals need the assistance and freedom of an off-highway vehicle or ATV. With no support from the potentially affected areas, should these people not have a say in the matter?

The AMA has also been doing a great job keeping everyone up to date on the developments on the public land issue. Thank you to the AMA for all their hard work!

2009-05-01T09:18:00.006-04:00

Tech questions come up in every rebuild whether you are an experienced engine builder or completing your first rebuild. When you purchase a Wiseco product, we provide technical support on our products to assist with the questions that may come up. Our technical team- Ron, Tom, Adam, Dwayne, Vic, Brian, Chris, John, Jeff, Al, Sue, and Sean- are ready to help you out. We’ve asked our team to put together a few questions they answer on the phone frequently.

What kind of piston-to-wall clearance can I run?

The factors that affect piston-to-wall clearance are cylinder wall thickness, whether the block is filled, the overall compression height of the piston, piston material and thickness, and whether a marine engine is to see fresh-water cooling. Most small blocks get .004 piston-to-wall clearance and most big blocks get .005 due to the use of our 2618 high-strength alloy. For heavy blower and nitrous applications, Wiseco recommends adding .001 to the standard clearance. Special note: Clearance numbers are obtained from measuring the largest diameter of the piston, typically at the bottom of the skirt. All measurements should be taken 90 degrees from the pin centerline.

Motorcycle/ ATV/ PWC piston clearances are printed on the label on the front of the piston box.

When I install my Wiseco piston, which way should the arrow on top of the piston face?

On most Wiseco Powersports pistons, the arrow will point toward the exhaust. If you are installing pistons in a v-twin or automotive application, this will differ depending on the application. Checking the installation directions included with your Wiseco product will verify the direction. But, if you still need assistance, our technical sales team will be happy to help.

I have a 4-stroke ring package that I received with my piston. I have the top oil rings, but am unsure of which rings are the Top and 2nd. How can I tell?

Some Wiseco 4-stroke ring packages are interchangeable between Powersports and automotive applications. Therefore, you may have additional rings that are not required for your application. In general, the silver/ gold/ shiny ring is the Top ring, while the black ring is the 2nd. This can be verified in the ring installation instructions included with your ring pack.

Is there a technical question that you would like to see posted on our blog? Leave us a comment! We will try to answer as many questions as possible.

We have also just added a technical section to our bi-monthly newsletter. Sign up on our website http://www.wiseco.com to check it out. You can also see our past newsletters.

Wiseco Continues to Invest in its Business

2009-04-21T10:01:00.007-04:00

Wiseco annually invests many thousands of dollars in technology and maintanence. Even with the downturn of the economy, Wiseco is continuning its investment into new technology. So far for 2009, we have received a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). This machine will take the place of calipers during the inspection process. Calipers are an outdated technology that does not permit the level of quality our customer's demand and expectation in today's environment.

The CMM machine will eliminate the cost of outsourcing proper quality inspection and the delays associated with outsourcing the process. This will allow Wiseco to become a "Qualified Supplier" to our customers. This will improve delivery and reduce lead times for new applications or re-made tooling and help expedite tooling required for forgings in 2009. In addition, the CMM machine will enhance the robustness of the process to ensure we are sending quality parts to the next operation. This is critical to our replenishment system, inventory reduction, and Continuous Improvement initiatives. Many other investments are planned for Wiseco in 2009, including the continued investment of our manufacturing facility.

Wiseco invested $900,000 in its manufacturing facility for 2008. In order to better serve our powersports customers and to improve delivery to our customers, Wiseco invested in new CNC milling centers and CNC turning machines. Our capability in 4-stroke custom powersports manufacturing cells have improved to reduce lead time to our customers. In addition to many other smaller pieces of equipment to complement the new CNC machines, these investments will improve the quality of Wiseco's finished products, permit more efficient operation, and improve customer delivery time.

Wiseco is #1 for Tech

2009-04-14T15:53:00.003-04:00

So, you've already ordered all your parts for your engine rebuild. You've torn the engine apart so now it's laying all over the garage floor. You start putting in the new parts and you suddenly have a question on piston clearance. Luckily, you bought Wiseco pistons from your dealer.

Wiseco strives to provide the best customer service in the industry. Whether we sell you a powesports, marine, or automotive piston, we want to give you the best service. Our technical sales team has experience on many levels and comes from diverse backgrounds. Most of them have experience racing dirt bikes, ATVs, or cars. Others are have been mechanics at multi-line dealerships. Still others have worked their way up from the Wiseco production lines, actually making the products. Wiseco is dedicated to its customers.

We also just rolled out a new website! If you haven't seen it, check it out at Wiseco.com. We have made our website a resource for you! You can check out our latest project bike, get info on our full line of products, and so much more. We have a new Customer Service page. This page has installation and technical information. You can find engine calculators to prepare for your next rebuild and installation manuals. We hope to expand on our technical information during the coming year. We would like to hear your thoughts on our new website, as well as our customer service. And, as always, if we can provide you with any technical assistance, please give us a call.

Mid Ohio Sports Car Course-- Come See Wiseco!

2009-04-14T08:11:00.002-04:00

Wiseco is a sponsor of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. We sponsor all events, with our main sponsorship at the Honda Supercycle Weekend July 17-19, 2009. Here, you get to see all the greats in AMA Pro Racing. During the weekend, the 1000cc bikes are featured in 2 Wiseco 100 races. Check out www.midohio.com for more details on directions, to buy tickets, or to check out their other events for 2009.

2009-04-08T16:55:00.004-04:00

Finally! The last clutch you’ll ever buy! The latest in Wiseco forged innovation now has a lifetime guarantee against breakage and notching! Our lifetime guarantee is for our forged clutch baskets, inner hubs, and pressure plates for purchases starting in 2009. The only stipulations? Proof of purchase and offer is valid to original purchaser only. It’s that easy!

Wiseco Forged Clutch Baskets, Inner Hubs, and Pressure Plates
• Wiseco precision forged clutch components have greater strength due to “feature aligned grain flow.” Compared to castings or products machined from billet, Wiseco forged clutch components can be lighter and still have increased mechanical properties resulting in higher strength, ductility, and resistance to impact and fatigue.
• Specifically designed to capitalize on detailed features that can only be produced by the precision forging process.
• Hard anodized and Teflon coated for a long life of smooth clutch operation through the elimination of wear on contact surfaces.
• Rotational mass is minimized for reduced assembly weight and maximum engine acceleration.
• Forged from lightweight, high-strength, certified, aerospace grade, aluminum alloy.
• Wiseco’s CNC machining process produces each clutch component dimensionally the same as the next.

Racing Continues for Kids!

2009-04-03T13:28:00.002-04:00

Finally! We can all race kids ATV's and motorcycles! Though it's only a one year stay, it's a breakthrough for the industry.

Chairman Nord's statement follows.

STATEMENT OF ACTING CHAIRMAN NANCY NORD
ON THE REQUEST FOR EXCLUSIONS FROM THE LEAD CONTENT LIMITS OF THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008
April 3, 2009

In considering exclusions, consumer safety must direct the outcome of our deliberations. Therefore, it is with extreme reluctance that I am voting today to deny the petition, filed by companies and associations representing the ATV and motorized bike industries, for an exclusion from the lead content limits found in Section 101 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvements Act (CPSIA). I do this because the clear language of the law requires this result, not because it advances consumer safety. To the contrary, application of the lead content mandates of the CPSIA to the products made by the petitioners may have the perverse effect of actually endangering children by forcing youth-sized vehicles off the market and resulting in children riding the far more dangerous adult-sized ATV's.

For this reason, in my capacity as chairman, I am directing compliance staff to stay enforcement of Section 101 and related provisions of the CPSIA to this category of products for twelve months and hope my colleague, Commissioner Moore, will join me in making this a unanimous decision by the Commission. During this time-out, it is my hope that Congress will consider how the law needs to be fine-tuned to address this serious child safety dilemma. This enforcement hiatus will also give industry the opportunity to examine what reasonable changes can be made in their products to bring them closer to the requirements Congress set out in the CPSIA. Staff will meet with industry to do more testing to determine how their products can meet the 300 ppm threshold Congress set and determine what is possible. I will expect periodic status reports on progress to this plan.

It is clear that the law does not give the Commission the flexibility to grant an exclusion for petitioners' products. Congress wrote Section 101(b) in such a way as to leave little discretionary power with the agency to grant common sense exclusions. This lack of flexibility was brought to the attention of Congressional staff working on the legislation during the conference process and it was confirmed this is what was intended. As our career staff has discussed on many occasions and as we now have been formally advised by staff, we do not have the statutory authority to grant the exclusion requested in this case.

Even though the career staff of the agency has concluded that we cannot grant the exclusion, they have NOT concluded that petitioners products present a health risk to children because of exposure to lead. To the contrary, staff states "a bigger safety concern than lead exposure is that the elimination of youth ATV sales will most likely increase the number of adult ATV's purchased to be used by younger children; therefore increasing their risk of injury and death."

The issues presented to us in the petition are much more complex than just ordering petitioners to "get the lead out" of their products by a certain date. Petitioners have presented persuasive evidence that lead serves a purpose in the structural integrity of the metals used in the products and that suitable substitutes are not available. They point out the impracticality of using virgin materials for these products, including issues dealing with the recycling of metals. They point out that the approach in the CPSIA is contrary to the approach taken in the rest of the world, e.g. the European Union which has looked at these issues rather extensively and made allowances. These are all issues that the Commission should have the authority to consider but under the rigid language of the CPSIA, we cannot.

The effect of denying the petition is to make Section 101(e) of the CPSIA, which limits the Commission's authority to stay enforcement during rulemaking, no longer applicable. Therefore, during the pendency of a stay of enforcement, ATV's and motorized bikes appropriately sized for children twelve and younger can again be available and the Commission will not seek penalties for violation of Section 101 and related provisions of the CPSIA against those who sell them. I hope that the state attorneys general will follow the lead of the agency on this matter.

All stakeholders-industry, users, Congress, and the Commission-need to come together to fix the statutory problems that have become so apparent, in a common sense approach that does not unnecessarily burden those regulated, yet provides safety for American families

Wiseco Sponsored Events

2009-04-02T13:54:00.004-04:00

Wiseco sponsors a whole bunch of races and series throughout the year. AMA Arenacross, AMA Supercross, AMA Motocross, and AMA Dragbike are just a few we sponsor on the pro level. You'll also see us on the local level. We sponsor the Action Sports Arenacross Championships, the Fantasy Moto group's races, the Arkansas State Series, the Washington State and Gold Star series, OMA Nationals, WNYOA, and Bike Days in Massillon, Ohio. These are just a few local events we sponsor each year. We've sponsored our first event in Hawaii this year- the North Shore Motorcycle Racing Club's family day on April 26. Who wouldn't want to ride in Hawaii?

Wiseco Powered Racers

2009-03-31T09:10:00.006-04:00

Wiseco powered racers are tearing up the tracks this year! Here are just a few highlights.

Chris Borich of Makita Suzuki won the 2nd round of the GNCC series in Washington, Georgia. It was a tight race, but Borich pulled the win!

Snocross team Scheuring Speed Sports put on some great performances throughout the winter season. Round 7 of the AMSOIL/ ISOCC SnoCross Championships put Shaun Crapo on the podium in the Pro Stock class. Teammate D.J. Eckstrom gave a great battle, but had some bad luck getting injured after being ejected from his sled and pinned under another racers sled. He was thankfully lucky to walk away from the incident and planned on being back for Round 8. Shaun had an excellent qualifying round in the Pro Open, but had mechanical problems in the main event. Also, teammate Ryan Carey had a nice performance in the Semi Pro class.

The Scheuring team put on a great performance at Round 8 of the AMSOIL/ ISOCC SnoCross Championships. Both Shaun and D.J. made the main event in the Pro Stock and Pro Open classes. Unfortunately D.J. and Shaun both had crashes to end their weekend. But, there was a bright side. The points were totaled for the season and Shaun finished 5th overall and D.J. finished 8th- even missing 3 races due to injury. Testing has already started for next year, so watch for another exciting year from the Scheuring team.

Are you a Wiseco powered racer and want to be featured on our blog? Send your race report and photos to racersupport@wiseco.com. Or, leave us a comment!

Wiseco’s new Quick 16 piston kits

2009-03-27T11:08:00.004-04:00

Wiseco has just released a new series of pistons designed to fill the needs of today's big cubic inch Sportsman series engines. Designed with input from leading engine builders and racers, Wiseco has created a line of pistons typically reserved to custom orders only- Wiseco's new Big Block Chevy Drag Race Quick 16 pistons.

Being on the cutting edge of forged piston technology allows Wiseco to produce dedicated forgings in-house and to manufacture pistons with the extreme, light weight durability that is expected from today's modern day engines. Available off the shelf, these pistons will keep you running and in the race in both single pistons and kits.

The new design of these pistons are manufactured and designed with fortified pin bosses, maximized ring lands, reinforced decks, extra deep valve pockets, and dedicated skirt shapes- all ready to handle the shock loads of modern day power adders and horsepower levels. Dome profiles are designed to accommodate conventional heads from the leading manufacturers in the industry. Profiles and valve pockets will accept most "rolled" cylinder head mods that are so popular today. These profiles are also designed to maintain proper flame travel and quench while achieving the compression ratio's needed for today's exotic fuels. The piston also features anti-detonation grooves, 15 degree "Pro Stock" pressure seal grooves, vertical gas ports, ArmorGlide™ skirt coatings, and a newly designed "clean sheet of paper" forging. Our new ArmorGlide™ skirt coating does not wear off during the typical life of the piston and reduces friction to increase efficiency and contributes to increased horsepower.

With in-stock availability, Wiseco can supply you not only with pistons, but also K1 Technologies rods and crankshaft assemblies. It is now possible to get the complete package from one source,
One Name. One Solution.™ Wiseco gets you on the track faster!

2009 Honda CRF450R Project Bike

2009-03-25T16:13:00.014-04:00

For the first project bike of the year, Wiseco has chosen the 2009 CRF450R. This fresh new racer is packed with loads of high performance goodies, including the latest and most advanced technology available.

We started with our bread and butter and upgraded the heart of the engine with our brand new 13:1 high compression piston. This piston is loaded with features and is built on a dedicated forging, so the strength-to-weight ratio is perfectly optimized for this application. In addition, the skirts are frosted Wiseco’s new ArmorGlide skirt coating for reduced friction, quiet operation, and extra insurance against cold scuffing.

To compliment the new heart of the engine, and to help it breath, we upgraded the lungs with an ultra-light full titanium Yoshimura RS-4 exhaust system. In this case the bark is as nasty as the bite, as the handsomely tuned system drew improved power delivery from the engine, giving it a very ride-able power band with nice increases over stock.

The most exciting part on the CRF450R is our new Fuel Management EFI Controller. Just like with a carbureted bike, to fully benefit from the changes we made to the piston and exhaust system, the fuel delivery needed adjusted. Obviously it is not easy to adjust the fuel delivery on a fuel-injected bike as easily as you can by swapping jets on a carbureted bike. . . until now! Wiseco’s new Generation 3.5 Fuel Management Controller allows the user to dial in the injector duration with the touch of a button. With simple plug-and-play installation, the user is able to select one of three tuning zones, that are synonymous with the pilot jet circuit, needle jet circuit, and main jet circuit on a carburetor. There is no laptop or external power supply needed! Once installed, the Fuel Management Controller can be used to select the necessary tuning zone, and then simply add or subtract fuel to maximize the power delivery, or optimize ride-ability. If that isn’t cool enough, we took the Fuel Controller one step further by coupling it with an external oxygen sensor mounted in the head pipe of the exhaust. This allowed us to run in full CLOSED loop mode, which maintains a specified air/fuel ratio at any given point in the RPM range, altitude, or temperature. Once the perfect air/fuel ratio is identified, our Fuel Management Controller will monitor the exhaust through the oxygen sensor, and hold the fuel delivery exactly at the programmed ratio.

To finish off the project bike, we installed our brand new 6-spring clutch, which includes a fully forged clutch basket, inner hub, and pressure plate, and Wiseco frictions, drive plates, and springs. The stock 4-spring CRF450R clutch has a heavy pull, and uneven spring clamping. The Wiseco design improves on that by offering a retrofit to the better 6-spring design, which evens the clamping load and lightens the pull at the lever.

We went with the CV4 radiator hose kit to eliminate the tee in the lines, and improve the quality and appearance of the stock hoses. Pro-Action took care of the suspension to ensure the bike handled as well as it ran. Renthal is handled the drive department with a R3 Gold O-Ring chain, Ultralite rear sprocket, and grooved front sprocket. Braking USA ensured the stopping power is up to par with a 270mm oversized front wave rotor and rear wave rotor. We used the Cycra M2 pivoting hand guard system for roost protection. Johnny Signs finished off the bike with a beautiful custom graphics kit highlighting the Wiseco-powered bike and supporting sponsors.

Wiseco has products for all the CRF450's, including high performance pistons; forged clutch components; clutch plates, springs, and covers; valve train components; and bottom end rebuild kits. Check out http://www.wiseco.com/ProductSearch.aspx to find what we offer for you.

2009 Honda CRF450, Ready for Battle

2009-03-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

Get your 2009 Honda CRF450 ready for battle with Wiseco’s new high compression 13:1 piston. You can be sure you are getting the toughest piston with the best features for the race season. All Wiseco pistons are made on a dedicated forging made in our in-house forging department, giving you a light weight piston with superior strength and optimal design. High compression pistons offer noticeable improvement in torque gains, giving you real “seat of the pants” increases. With Wiseco’s high-compression piston, you will be ready to grab another gear with instant throttle response when you need it the most. Wiseco’s dome design offers improved flame travel maximizing air/ fuel burn efficiency. Other features that come standard include chrome plated piston pins, horizontal slot pin oiling, pressure seal groove, and dedicated rings.

Wiseco’s new 2009 Honda CRF450 also comes standard with our new ArmorGlide® skirt coating. This coating is the result of testing, development, and benchmarking through our rigorous in-house dyno program. The result is the ultimate in skirt coating toughness, lubrication, and bond technology. ArmorGlide® remains on the piston for the typical life and lowers friction for increased piston efficiency, a contributor to increased horsepower.

To win with Wiseco, visit our website Wiseco.com or call our sales team at 800-321-1364. The Wiseco 2009 Honda CRF450 piston retails at $226.55.