did the piston really need to be replaced? just because there some dings and nicks on the top, was there any other concern about failure if it was to be reused? was it because the ring lands were damaged too? i might have missed this, in this thread, so i apologise if i did.

the new one looks good, complete with drilled oil holes too!

 

There was some concern that the piston might have damage that would crop up later or the pits and valleys might be hot spots for pre ignition. It was a fairly easy and inexpensive swap. $40 for piston and $40 for shop to drill and balance it out to old piston weight. Plus new rod nuts for a few bucks and bearings for $40 (for one set but see my next post)

 

So here us my new question. Here is the photo of the bearing shell for the conn rod. It has a score that you can just feel with your fingernail. The crank has no score or groove. Could this have been there since new(I doubt it)?
Do I use it over or pay the porsche
price for a new bearing? I don't want to replace all 8, they are nice and tight. So is this one but it has a visible groove.
Thoughts?

Main reason I ask is because I really want to put the engine together and get this project done. I am about three days from a bearing if I get one.