Mahle Pistons has updated its catalog to offer a number of new piston part numbers to satisfy Sprint and Modified class racers looking for improvements.

The 305 cubic-inch engine has become more popular in both classes as a more affordable engine selection. Mahle’s Trey McFarland explains, “These guys are fighting for compression, and these pistons will maximize compression along with improving ring seal and increasing durability.”

They are cut from 4032 aluminum, which offers the advantage of tight piston-to-wall clearances and excellent wear properties. The pistons are available in the PowerPak and PowerPak Plus piston lines, with a 3cc dish in the PowerPak line and a 1cc dish in the PowerPak Plus line.

Gas porting is also standard on the PowerPak Plus line of pistons to help give racers that extra edge.

Standard ring package is .043-inch/.043-inch/3.0mm, and there will also be a 1mm/1mm/2mm ring package available for these pistons.

These pistons are available to fit bore sizes from 3.766-inch to 3.796-inch in .010-inch increments. The PowerPak line includes a performance ring set, while the PowerPak Plus line includes the ring set and light-weight 92-gram piston pins.

McFarland also noted that the company has 4032 alloy pistons available for the 604 Chevrolet crate engine (350-355 cubes), also popular in a lot of classes. Replacement cast pistons for these engines can cost up to $800 per set, and Mahle has a new forged piston with a super-thick crown design that’s available for around $600 per set.

“There’s no performance gain, but they offer better durability and can run longer at maximum power levels. They’re currently approved as replacement pistons in six sanctioning bodies, and we’re working on more,” he explains.

They use the same ring package as stock (2mm/1.5mm/4mm) and come in .005/.020/.030-over dimensions. Compression ratios will vary from 11.3:1 to 9.9:1 depending upon choice of cylinder head. Weight on all three designs match the OE cast pistons.