yeah thanks..... I will look into

 

Like I said, the problems with JE arent with the warrior. Raptor 660 yeah, yfz possibly, but not the warrior. I would have no hesitation to put a JE piston in a warrior I owned. JE usually offers more options than wiseco as far as compression and displacement combos.

Sparks runs custom JE pistons on the raptor because the normal JE's fail.

 

I live here in the same town as Curtis Sparks and his JE pistons arent all that great either. And to be honest with you he hasent been engine builder of the year for a couple of years now and there is a reason for that. I have talked to and known several people who have had motor work done by him and are having problems. Also to the comment that pro riders are using JE pistons, well they also have the money to rebuild as needed where some average person doesnt have that kind of money and wants something reliable.Like I said in my opinion I would go with one of the few like, Ross, Wiseco, or CP. But thats just me and I dont like to take risks that could cost me more $$$

 

Curtis Sparks was engine builder of the year this year and he builds John Natilies engines who was the 2005 Motocross champ and Keith LIttles motors who was TT champ so he must do something right.If money was no object, then why would a pro put in a junk piston.

 

While I certainly have respect for Sparks and Natilie, the pros will run whatever they are sponsored to run. And it only has to last one race.

JE has a bad rap, and while some of their products are deserving of it it appears as though the whole line is taking a hit. Much like Ford and Bridgestone Corps with the explorer fiasco.

 

I don't think the sponsors would want them to put junk parts in there engines and take a chance of losing,even if they did tear down every race.

 

Does anyone know why the JEs break in the Raptor?

I have heard from a reputable builder that every Raptor he has done with a JE broke. Bad forge or what?

 

Ok guys new subject. Today i had to crack my lower enging open to change the gaskets because of bad oil leak. On the tranny side there was no gasket? should there be a gasket on the tranny side? It was just bear metal to metal. Is this normal? Or do i need to put a gasket on that side?

 

A few reasons, one is the wristpin area, another is thin tops that crack or get a hole in them and others. JE has reportedly changed/improved the design a couple times. Sparks sells JE's with some improvements. But it's a severe over-generalization to say that every JE raptor build has busted, there are far more people running them without problems than those who've broken one.

 

I've had my 12:1 JE in my raptor since march of 04 and raced all season on it this year and it has been great, last time I looked at it early this year, it only had a light coating of carbon and seemed perfect in all other aspects. And my rod hasent blown up yet either, but I may just be lucky. I plan on going to a JE 11:1 and a Carrillo rod just to add more reliability and a little less arm jerk. I think alot of it has to do with who built the motor and did they check every thing correctly during assembly(which is easy). Also breakin has alot to do with it, you got to break it in fast and hard so the rings seat properly. It is compression PSI that seats the rings, so all this take it easy and heat cycle crap is just crap, it takes about 20 min to have a fully broken in motor. Keep the RPM's high to maintain good oil flow for the cam and to keep the rings seated good. Dont be all over red line but ride it like your gonna ride it!!