I'd like to start doing things to my engine, starting by buying an aeroforce interceptor for it, but I want to be absolutely sure the pistons are OK before I start spending any money. I believe a compression check won't see small chips, so I really want to physically look at the pistons. So, anybody know how to look in there?

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Black 2000 GTP. Still stock, only had it 2 weeks or so. Straightening everything out first.

If you have a chip in your piston, chances are something that made the chip also nicked a valve of the cylinder wall, or the piston would have just grenaded itself in the first place due to detonation. Thus, a compression test and even a leak down test would be more beneficial than looking inside since there are still a lot of components which you can't see with a scope. You can't physically see piston rings even with a bore scope, or even get a good look at how the valves are sealing, so it's pretty much a waste to spend the money on a scope to look inside the engine and look at the piston crowns if you aren't going to do other more beneficial checks. Besides, these are 3800's, if you managed to chip a piston, you'd know about it without looking at anything . And it's not like you could have smacked a valve since I'm assuming you haven't touched the timing chain or cam ever.

But to answer you question, yes they make such a thing to let you look inside the motor, it's called a borescope which goes through the spark plug hole. They are anyway from 100-300+(ones with LCD screens)-x000+for really nice ones.

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Dubs:00 VW GTI VR6, Low and Slow 91 VW GTI 8v, Shave the Bay!! 91 VW Cabriolet 8v, bitch Basket
GP's:04 GP GT, Past now G-Ma's Girlfriend's 97 GP GT, "Project Pink Power"

I thought about a borescope, and found one at harbour freight, but the head doesn't fit through the spark plug hole. I couldn't find any others for less that about $300. Do you have any links to ones for between $100 and $200?

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Black 2000 GTP. Still stock, only had it 2 weeks or so. Straightening everything out first.

I don't have any link actually, but again, you'd be wasting your time and money anyway IMHO. If your engine stock?

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Dubs:00 VW GTI VR6, Low and Slow 91 VW GTI 8v, Shave the Bay!! 91 VW Cabriolet 8v, bitch Basket
GP's:04 GP GT, Past now G-Ma's Girlfriend's 97 GP GT, "Project Pink Power"

Yeah, it's still stock. I don't have any real reason to believe it's damaged. Maybe it's just a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. I read as much on these forums as I can, figuring that the more I know, the less likely I'll be to make a possibly expensive mistake. So, of course I end up reading about chipped pistons and how it may not be noticed. So then I start thinking that if this has happened to my car (I've only had it a couple of weeks and the previous owners fed it 87 octane. I know the computer compensates, but still....) and I mod it, I can easily grenade it. I'd rather keep it stock and enjoy it as is than blow it up. So that's where this whole thing got started.

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Black 2000 GTP. Still stock, only had it 2 weeks or so. Straightening everything out first.

If you ran 87 (even 93 for that matter), a smaller pulley, and no supporting mods whatsoever, yes you could chip a piston, but with stock tuning, stock pulley, even with 87, the chances of doing that are extremely slim to none existent, so honestly, don't worry about it. If the car runs fine and isn't missing on one particular cylinder, you're good to go to mod to your hearts content as long as you remember to have the appropriate supporting mods for each pulley drop.

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Dubs:00 VW GTI VR6, Low and Slow 91 VW GTI 8v, Shave the Bay!! 91 VW Cabriolet 8v, bitch Basket
GP's:04 GP GT, Past now G-Ma's Girlfriend's 97 GP GT, "Project Pink Power"

Just scan for KR when you mod it and everything will be ok.

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Bright Red 2008 G8 GT

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That's how I figured it when I bought the car. I just figured if there was some fairly inexpensive way to take a look in there before adding any more stress, then it might be a good idea. My first "mod", if you could call it that, will be the aeroforce interceptor. Even before I add the cone from the dead Durango. I figure I'll need it at some point anyhow, so I may as well start with it and make everything else safer. I believe I can check injector duty cycles with it, which should let me know if my injectors are up to any mods I may plan. I'd really hate to lean out one cylinder after modding it, especially if it's due to something I can easily prevent.
I'll skip the borescoping, just do the compression test and get the aeroforce.
Thanks, all, Gas.

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Black 2000 GTP. Still stock, only had it 2 weeks or so. Straightening everything out first.

An aeroforce is the most important mod, and should be the first mod. You're on the right path to modding your car safetly.

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x10000

If you're scared of leaning out your AFR, a wideband would also be a wise investment and would be essential if you intended on doing any tuning.

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Dubs:00 VW GTI VR6, Low and Slow 91 VW GTI 8v, Shave the Bay!! 91 VW Cabriolet 8v, bitch Basket
GP's:04 GP GT, Past now G-Ma's Girlfriend's 97 GP GT, "Project Pink Power"

we have have a scope at work but you would need a way to light up the cylinder. it also cost $800

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92 LeBaron Convert: Turbo 3L 97 Grand Prix GT 4dr "Frankenstein": L67 4t65 swap
97 Grand Marquis: Summer DD 99 Grand Prix GTP: Top Swap Beater

scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan scan


i think you get the point..

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2001 white gt coupe with enough crap to make it run mid 13's with 3 bad pistons
2002 40th GTP sedan mostly stock

Uuuuhhhhh, something to do with scanning?????? You're right, though. I think that's how I'll go about it.

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Black 2000 GTP. Still stock, only had it 2 weeks or so. Straightening everything out first.