Quantify your "toys" How many pistons? Dave's rules, NOT mine

[RM1SepEx]

I can't emphasize how enjoyable meeting with Dave was, he was so open and engaging. When we went down to Factory 5 on Wednesday Dave mentioned an intriquing idea...

Quantify your toys by number of pistons! Mark and I attempted to do it while we drove back to Maine but we just couldn't keep track with each other adding up our piston count!

It's important that I waited until today as I just took delivery of my family's latest toy. My wife wanted a later model Miata (I have 2 others for my teens) and I found a 99 with 86,502 miles, one owner, no rust, bodywork or winters (somewhat rare in Maine) yup added 4 pistons today at noon! ;)

I sat down with a piece of paper and completed that monumental task today. Talking with Mark I had to revise the number 3 times as I kept forgetting something my final answer.

88 pistons and only 1 has 8 cylinders... plus I have a hand built electric reverse trike that is obviously a signifigant toy but has only an armature but no pistons.

So How many pistons does everyone have, and remember count em all from the Cobra to the weed wacker or RC plane

Remember these are Dave's rules... :cool:

So Dave, how many, we all want to know YOUR number....

[Benji]

17.

[rschoeni]

26 and 2 rotors.

/bs

[RM1SepEx]

My daughter (15 going on 25!) asked me to sit down when Karen and I discussed her new Miata. She threatened an intervention! Hell I do have 3 drivers!

[Xusia]

22, with only 1 v8.

All of my RC helis (7 in all) are electric, so I get no love on the cylinder count from those!

[RM1SepEx]

26 and 2 rotors.

/bs

I think were need a rotor equivalence formula... I'd suggest 3 pistons/rotor!

[Steve91T]

This is interesting. 25 for me. Weed eater, lawn mower, rc plane are all singles. Wife has a V6 and I have 2 V8's, one being a Powerstroke.

[RM1SepEx]

Just got off the phone with my friend Mark

his 22 year old son Jake has 29
Mark has: 113

[Flamshackle]

21... mostly boxters and a lawn mower! counting my engines that are laying around? 29

[Oppenheimer]

24 (1 being a V8)

[DrieStone]

Since I really don't consider the wife's car, my snowblower, lawnmower, etc "toys" I have to stick with my cars, which is a pitiful 14 (and a pitiful 8.2liters). I guess I'm the minority here.

[AJ Roadster NJ]

37. Four individual V8s, and single cylinders; 2 lawn mowers, snow blower, weed whacker, compressor. HAH, forgot your compressor, didn't ya? :p

AJ

[vozproto]

22.

6 - my wife's new car
6 - My car
6 - my wife's old car which we are still trying to sell
4 - my race motorcycle which I am selling to help fund the FFR. I'm hanging up the 2-wheel racing boots for now.

And all my yard tools and shop tools are electric so no cylinder help there.

[Xusia]

I counted all cylinders. If I stick to a strict toy definition, my number goes down to 6: 1 4-cyl motorcycle and 2 single cylinder ATVs!

My compressor is electric!

[vozproto]

I counted all cylinders. If I stick to a strict toy definition, my number goes down to 6: 1 4-cyl motorcycle and 2 single cylinder ATVs!

My compressor is electric!

Yeah. That would bring me down to 10.

[slopoke]

Holy Smoke! ... 65 ... the Suburban, the Caddy, and 49 Chevy (ls1 powered), account for 24 of them -2 single cylinder racing karts, 4 motorcycles, 2 Jags, a miata, a minivan, a 914, an R/C plane, a weed wacker, and a chainsaw ....whew ...no wonder my wife can't park in the garage ...LOL oops ... almost forgot the John Deere , the riding mower, and a push mower makes 69. D**n!!!

[RM1SepEx]

Holy Smoke! ... 65 ... the Suburban, the Caddy, and 49 Chevy (ls1 powered), account for 24 of them -2 single cylinder racing karts, 4 motorcycles, 2 Jags, a miata, a minivan, a 914, an R/C plane, a weed wacker, and a chainsaw ....whew ...no wonder my wife can't park in the garage ...LOL

Damn, 90 forgot the two chainsaws!

remember Dave's rules, your "stuff" and if your name is on the title, it counts!

Background info

9 cars, 9 motorcycles, 3 Four wheelers, 4 racing karts adds up fast!

[flyboy2160]

4 on land and 4 flying. so with the equivalence 1 flying cylinder = 200 landlubber cylinders, i have 804. :p

[ScottKoschwitz]

Strictly as a toy? None, sadly. The Miata in my avatar left with her new owner in October. There's no better toy than a race car.
The closest thing I have to a toy now is my wife's GTI, and she never wants to give up the keys.

[MuddyRoverRob]

8 Land Rover Discovery
8 RV
4 (turbo counts as extra?? ;-) Golf GTI
4 Subaru impreza wifes car
6 Malibu Son drives that one
4 Mower, chainsaw, compressor, trimmer

34!

[RM1SepEx]

37. Four individual V8s, and single cylinders; 2 lawn mowers, snow blower, weed whacker, compressor. HAH, forgot your compressor, didn't ya? :p

AJ

Missed this one... I didn't count my 4 compressors, figured that there was no combustion... I guess we need Dave to clarify the rules on that one!

[Gary in NJ]

46 Cylinders

Silverado - 8
Audi A4 - 4
Caravan - 6
Eclipse - 6
240Z - 6
Airplane - 4
Motorcycle - 2
Dirtbikes (4x1) - 4
Tractor - 2
Misc Equipment - 4

I need more

[crash]

94 pistons and 6 rotors not counting spare engines.

With spares 110 pistons and 13 rotors.

[ram_g]

59 here. 6 cars (3 V8s), 4 RC planes, and the usual assortment of lawn equipment. And yes, I did count my compressor...

[RM1SepEx]

94 pistons and 6 rotors not counting spare engines.

With spares 110 pistons and 13 rotors.

Nice, You must have a damn nice collection. I'm thinking we do need to do a rotor to piston factor and with their operation 3 seems fair... but even if we used a 1:1 factor! WOW!

Another Area for Dave to clarify for sure

[vozproto]

I almost feel like we should be adding our total HP/torque numbers in here too.
Someone with a chipped and dialed in diesel may only have 6 cylinders. But what a 6 cylinders those are. :p
For reference... That isnt me.

[Psay]

Jaguar XF 6
Porsche 911 6
Porsche Cayman 6
Mercedes SL AMG (wifes) 8
Cement Mixer 1
Compressor 1
Stihl Saw 1

Total 29

[Draco-REX]

I don't have any small pistons. :( So, only 16 for me. And that's counting the Tow vehicle and DD. However, that does include 3 snails at or above barometric pressure. So does that make it 28? ;)

[cordycord]

36, with two V8's and the rest inline 4's

[crash]

Nice, You must have a damn nice collection. I'm thinking we do need to do a rotor to piston factor and with their operation 3 seems fair... but even if we used a 1:1 factor! WOW!

Another Area for Dave to clarify for sure

Well, if a sanctioning bodies rules can be trusted, a rotary is generally counted as double the displacement for classification purposes. In other words a 13B, which is 1300cc usually runs with piston engined cars in the 2.5 liter range.

So 2:1 is probably appropriate.

Oops, forgot the single rotor R/C plane engine. That comes to 14 rotors now. :)

[BrandonDrums]

9, A flat 4, two 1 cylindar ATV's, leaf blower, trimmer and lawn mower. Only 6 of those pistons are really any fun lol.

But when talking drums, my toy number sounds more impressive.

2 drumsets total with a sum of
2 bassdrums
4 snare drums
9 toms
6 crash cymbals
3 china cymbals
3 splashes
2 ride cymbals
and all sorts of random percussion items.

Add up all the cylinder shaped things (actual drums) on the drum sets with my internal combustion cylinders and my final number comes to 20

Fun game!

[RM1SepEx]

I almost feel like we should be adding our total HP/torque numbers in here too.
Someone with a chipped and dialed in diesel may only have 6 cylinders. But what a 6 cylinders those are. :p
For reference... That isnt me.

Back to my standard caveat: Dave's Rules, we only talked for an hr and a half so we didn't get into such details... It's meant to be a simple, eye opening "thing"

only count pistons, no matter how small... we didn't talk rotaries, forced induction etc... I'm a add performance with lightness, Colin Chapmin kind of guy so mine tend to be small, my only V8 is my wife's caddy Northstar... and it's a great highway cruiser, esp if I get my son to drive and my wife and I are in that big, comfortable rear seat area...

Now to run to NAPA for parts, I love my old RD350 two stroke, at every shift point the front end lifts a bit.... each vehicle has it's purpose!

[Vman7]

boy do I feel like an idiot......lol

4-'96 Ford Ranger stepside.

all my toys are woodworking tools and my snap-on tools.....

[Ray]

8 in the Roadster
8 in the F-150
6 in the Taurus
1 in the lawn mower

If my math is right that's 23

Ray

[Oppenheimer]

My compressor is electric!

Yeah, but it still uses a piston (or two?) in the pump that compresses the air, right? Still no official ruling on if it needs to be a combustion cylinder though.

[Vman7]

Yeah, but it still uses a piston (or two?) in the pump that compresses the air, right? Still no official ruling on if it needs to be a combustion cylinder though.

Well if that's the case, then I 5.......rofl oh and my pistons in some of my air tools.......lol

[gwader]

30 including R/Cs

[riptide motorsport]

strictly toys.....around 60

[el_jefe]

Hmmm,

6 in the turbo diesel truck
6 in the wife's truck
6 in the work truck
4 turbocharged in the toy car
2 each in 2 bikes (v-twins > *)
Not going to count air tools or lawn implements, those don't count as toys, but what about pistons in rifles?

[crackedcornish]

if we're talking everything owned now or previously..I loose count around 135

if we're just talking currently owned, I get 44

[el_jefe]

Gotta be currently owned, I can't count all the cars and bikes I've owned and sold.

[Flip Smiley]

Local radio show here in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota on KSTP AM 1500 called Garage Logic refers to this as your "Cylinder Index". Add up every cylinder you own and thats your Cylinder Index. Kind of like a batting average for a motor head. Mine is 22.
Phil

[crackedcornish]

Gotta be currently owned, I can't count all the cars and bikes I've owned and sold.

me either....that's why I lost count :D

[Steve91T]

Cummins? What year and what mods?


Hmmm,

6 in the turbo diesel truck
6 in the wife's truck
6 in the work truck
4 turbocharged in the toy car
2 each in 2 bikes (v-twins > *)
Not going to count air tools or lawn implements, those don't count as toys, but what about pistons in rifles?

[RM1SepEx]

I think its got to be internal combustion pistons... in your possion now

The conversation started when we were discussing Dave's 4 Rotax RM1 2 speed 125cc karts, they use them to blow off steam in their parking lot after work! Mark and I have one too... I bought the bare chassis 3-4 years ago and used it with a 100cc Yamaha and as a test mule with my 84 volt D&D SepEx electric motor (RM1SepEx) :-) that I autocrossed. When I pulled the electric drivetrain for my reverse trike, it left an empty chassis and we found a deal on a brand new Rotax DD2 for it. They are amazing 2 speeds, 125CC, 34 HP very fast, high G's yada yada yada

Dave mentioned the piston count as a measure of your life's accumulation of toys, a sort of gear head index

naturally we have taken that simple discussion and twisted it all over the place! LOL

[sheephearder]

10 Ford F350
8 Toyota PU
6 Jeep
8 Vette
8 '57 Chevy
8 FFR '33(arrived today)
12 two boats
3 Yamaha wave runner
2 Sea Doo
2 Rhino
2 two 4 wheelers

[Inthenameofweez]

36.

89 Prelude - 4
(3) 2.0L engines. All built for different purposes. - 12
2.5L STi engine in my DD - 4
77 Datsun 280Z - 6
75 Datsun 280Z with SBC V8 - 8
1 lawnmower. - 1
1 RC car (nitro) - 1

[sheephearder]

14 ranch and yard equip
5 model airplanes

88 Total

[StatGSR]

4 integra
4 civic
8 truck
6 subaru
1 snow blower
1 leaf blower
1 lawn mower

25

If you count spare motors i have another 10 so that would be 35

[NICK C]

70 that are running(5 V-8's), engines for future projects 48

[PhyrraM]

Interesting exercise.

6 - Wife's '10 Mazda CX-9, family truckster.
6 - Wife's '01 Mazda Tribute, ex-family truckster
6 - '95 Mitsubishi Montero SR, Camping/exploring/BoyScout truckster
4 - '02 Subaru WRX, Sometimes daily driver - sometimes rallycrosser
4 - '93 Subaru Legacy turbo, Sometimes daily driver
4 - '98 Subaru Outback, Fix 'n flip for Cash car I liked too much to get rid of
4 - '93 Subaru Legacy turbo, One day stage rally car.
4 - '87 Dodge Raider 4x4 - Turbo/fuel injection conversion from a Mitsubishi Starion.
4 - '72 MG Midget - traded to brother 15 years ago, now back in to me and awaiting restoration
4 - Fully built Subaru 2.35 liter closed deck stroker motor awaiting install in one of the Legacies.
4 - Spare 2.2 liter closed deck Subaru motor
4 - Another spare 2.2 closed deck motor
4 - Running JDM 2.0 EJ20G motor from an early WRX
6 - Built 3.8 liter supercharged Ford V6 from a '95 Thunderbird SC intended for a Locost 7 or HotRod type of project
1 - Lawnmower that won't die, even though I tried.
1 - Weed eater

I think that is 66, NO V8s.

[livingston]

8-wife's mustang
8-cobra
8-f-150
8 chev trk
8-chev trk #2
8- sanger flat bottom
3-sail boat
4-misc lawn equip

total-55
no "6" cylinders

[BrandonDrums]

Interesting exercise.

6 - Wife's '10 Mazda CX-9, family truckster.
6 - Wife's '01 Mazda Tribute, ex-family truckster
6 - '95 Mitsubishi Montero SR, Camping/exploring/BoyScout truckster
4 - '02 Subaru WRX, Sometimes daily driver - sometimes rallycrosser
4 - '93 Subaru Legacy turbo, Sometimes daily driver
4 - '98 Subaru Outback, Fix 'n flip for Cash car I liked too much to get rid of
4 - '93 Subaru Legacy turbo, One day stage rally car.
4 - '87 Dodge Raider 4x4 - Turbo/fuel injection conversion from a Mitsubishi Starion.
4 - '72 MG Midget - traded to brother 15 years ago, now back in to me and awaiting restoration
4 - Fully built Subaru 2.35 liter closed deck stroker motor awaiting install in one of the Legacies.
4 - Spare 2.2 liter closed deck Subaru motor
4 - Another spare 2.2 closed deck motor
4 - Running JDM 2.0 EJ20G motor from an early WRX
6 - Built 3.8 liter supercharged Ford V6 from a '95 Thunderbird SC intended for a Locost 7 or HotRod type of project
1 - Lawnmower that won't die, even though I tried.
1 - Weed eater

I think that is 66, NO V8s.

Lol, I had checked back in this thread several times waiting for you to post. It would be cool if Flamshackle would itemize out his list....sounds like 20 of his 21 are probably pretty interesting as well lol.

[RM1SepEx]

I never detailed mine and thought of a few more after looking at the lists...

Pistons

8 Deville
6 Blazer
6 Silverado
4 93 Del Sol SI
4 99 Miata
4 90/94 Miata
4 91 Miata
4 1.6 spare Miata motor
4 1969 Sonett
6 1991 325IC
4 1985 vf1100
4 1998 VFR800
4 1996 CBR 600
8 (4) RD350 Yamahas
2 2002 250 Rebel
2 2004 250 Ninja
1 400 Yamaha Big Bear
1 100 Yamaha Champ
1 110 Roketa offroad kart
1 110 spare Chinese honda clone engine
5 (3) outboard motors
2 (2) chainsaws
1 5.5 HP Honda clone kart motor
3 KT100 kart motors
1 PRD 100 kart motor
2 16 HP spare generator motor (E-trike serial hybrid... :-)
1 16 hp generator
2 17 HP tractor
2 (2) 16 hp tractors
1 push mower

98

I'm working on a sweet 93 325IS too... must... exceed... 100.... :eek::rolleyes:

[AJ Roadster NJ]

I already posted 37, but I'm revising up to a conditional 45. I have the original 8 pistons from my 351W lined up on the shelf in my garage. They are pistons, after all, and the question was how many pistons. It didn't say they had to be inside of cylinders!! :rolleyes:

[Jeff Collins]

80, can I count the ones that aren't in any vehicle?

[sheephearder]

anyone got a piston on a key chain?

[bromikl]

Just a paltry 23 here. :P
And they all run - though some of them, not well.

[RM1SepEx]

I already posted 37, but I'm revising up to a conditional 45. I have the original 8 pistons from my 351W lined up on the shelf in my garage. They are pistons, after all, and the question was how many pistons. It didn't say they had to be inside of cylinders!! :rolleyes:

I'd like defer to Dave on that one... but it seems to me that you guys are really stretching...

I was given a piston & con rod this fall by my son, his girlfriend crews on an unlimited hydroplane, talk about a piston! from a supercharged V12, they went to the turbine this year because they were limited to 1800 HP or something with the V12!

[Dave Smith]

I think the rules apply to engines running or not, rather than parts, but as I'm unaware of any official agency that will verify this (give them time they may still find a way for new taxes)... still I have a 302 piston that Jesper gave to me as a gift (cool clock stuck in it) from an FFR car that no longer needed it's fine service and I counted that in my PC as I feel any little Piston-Pete from any 1800 hp anything should probably apply.

[vnmsss]

141.....All currently in the barn.......K
1956 Corvette (8)
1959 Corvette (8)
1968 Corvette (8)
1995 Corvette (8)
1969 AMX (8)
1966 Mustang Convertible (8)
FFR Challenge Series Roadster #28 Black (8)
FFR Challenge Series Roadster #28 Red/White (8)
FFR Challenge Series Roadster #28 Orange/White (8)
FFR Type-65 Coupe #28 Blue/White (8)
FFR Type-65 Coupe #28 Red (8) (motor not installed, but on hand)
1988 Chevy Silverado 3500 Truck (8)
2009 Chevy Silverado HD 2500 Diesel Truck (8)
2007 GMC Denali (8)
2004 Mustang Cobra (8)
2004 SeaDoo (2)
2004 SeaDoo (2)
1986 Sea Swirl 20' boat (6)
2001 Yamaha Kodiak Quad (1)
2001 Yamaha Kodiak Quad (1)
1953 Massey Ferguson Tractor (4)
HD Generator (1)
1974 Honda 125 Elsinore motorcycle (1)
2002 Scott riding lawn mower (1)
edger (1)
leaf blower (1)

Not counted...4 engine blocks and 56 pistons without a home....Also didn't count the 1970 SS 396 in the yard, as that one belongs to my little girl....';)....Within the last year, I've sold a diesel pusher motorhome, a 2003 Z06 Corvette, a Type 65 Coupe, a 2004 Suburban, and a 1974 Corvette roadster...all running ...I'm whittling down.....

[unclebigbad]

Yeah. That would bring me down to 10.

But the compressor does have a piston, even the electric ones.

[LynnB]

Twelve. Okay, thirteen if you count the piston in the electric air compressor. No? Okay, then twelve.

But my OTHER hobby is high power rocketry. For a quick taste, go to www.flyrockets.com and noodle around there. I won't even begin to list things like nozzles or Newton-seconds. Or altimeters. Or parachutes. Or even rocket motors.

There are toys, and then there are toys... :)


Lynn B.

[Kalstar]

Camaro 8
Spare nitrous engine 8
Jeep 6
Vette 8
Honda 4
GTM 8
Buell 2
FZR, SHO 4
Seadoo GTI 3
Ultra150 3
Waveraider 2
Twin Evinrude outboard 12
Family Quads 7
Lawn stuff, power washers, air compressors, chain saws 11

86

[bobzdar]

76. Only 67 running...

Trans am 8
Spare engine 8
Firebird 8
Bmw 8
Ferrari 8
Ford truck 8
Chevy truck 8
Porsche 4
Mini 4
Vmax 4
Mower 2,1
Generator 1
Wood chipper 1
Chainsaw 1 (not running)
Weed eater 1,1

[SkiRideDrive]

Some impressive collections...

8 - 1998 Ford Explorer 5.0
4 - 2006 Honda 599 (Motorcycle)
1 - 1998 Yamaha Warrior (ATV)
1 - Ofna MBX 1/8th Scale Buggy (RC Car)

So that would give me 14.

[blueoval_bowtie_guy]

I've got a bunch (76), but I'm definitely NOT the winner:

8 - FF 'Cobra' 408W
8 - '06 GMC Sierra diesel
8 - '06 GMC Denali
6 - '98 Jeep Cherokee
4 - '02 Miata
4 - '04 Mazdaspeed Miata
2 - Polaris ATV
1 - Honda ATV
1 - Yamaha ATV
1 - Honda 250 dirt bike
1 - Honda 80 dirt bike
2 - Honda Rebel 250 street bike (my wife's!)
1 - Gas powered water/trash pump
1 - Camper generator
1 - Yamaha EF2400is generator
1 - Yamaha EF300eisb generator
2 - 80 gal dual stage air compressor
2 - John Deere L&G tractor
1 - log splitter
1 - brush grinder/chipper
1 - Lawn boy lawn mower
1 - leaf blower
1 - chain saw
1 - weed whacker
8 - 351W on engine stand
8 - '95 Lincoln Mark VIII 4.6 DOHC engine

[RM1SepEx]

I think the rules apply to engines running or not, rather than parts, but as I'm unaware of any official agency that will verify this (give them time they may still find a way for new taxes)... still I have a 302 piston that Jesper gave to me as a gift (cool clock stuck in it) from an FFR car that no longer needed it's fine service and I counted that in my PC as I feel any little Piston-Pete from any 1800 hp anything should probably apply.

I don't think we have seen a number for you Dave...

It's not about winning, it's about participation. There are some enviable collections here mine are just quantity, not quality... :(

I'd rather have a Cobra, Type 65, GTM or Ferrari on my list... An 818 in 2012 will put me over 100, not using extra pistons, compressors etc... My quality will show improvement with an 818!:cool:

[Silvertop]

Very clever, Dave. Get us talking about anything but body shapes...............

One motorhome, (8), two cars (10), a couple of motorcycles (3), one UTV (2), for a paltry 23. I'm so ashamed.

[el_jefe]

Cummins? What year and what mods?


99, and nothing major. I'm exercising restraint so it will remain a good tow vehicle.

[projectrally]

Dan, this is great! I've been thinking about the conversation we had at the diner about counting pistons right after you got back from FFR. I don't think I've owned 98 pistons in my whole life!

Just did the count...74 in twelve years of car ownership. Only 16 now. Most at any given time was 24.

[Movieman]

Man I feel "piston challenged" after reading thru this, just 8 here..Car, compressor and generator..
BUT I could probably get most of you on computer cores: 70, soon to be 86..:D

[RM1SepEx]

Dan, this is great! I've been thinking about the conversation we had at the diner about counting pistons right after you got back from FFR. I don't think I've owned 98 pistons in my whole life!

Just did the count...74 in twelve years of car ownership. Only 16 now. Most at any given time was 24.

I see your problem, 12 years of car ownership and you live in an apartment!

I've been driving for 35 years and I live on a rural lot with plenty of space, I have 1600 sq feet of garage space (inc 2 shelter logic portables), a basement about that same size, and attics in the garage and the house. "stuff" tends to grow to fill the space ... and with a 2.5 acre lot you can't live without a tractor, tiller, weed wacker, brush trimmer, hand mower etc...

I also feel strongly about avoiding new vehicles and having one (ortwo or three) for each application. This philosophy makes vehicles multiply like rabbits!

with age, addl pistons will come

I couldn't remember all of them over my life, I've either lost or deliberately destroyed too many brain cells for that.

This thread has been a fun distraction and helps to give some insight ito the others on this forum...

[2KWIK4U]

neat Idea,

8- Duramax silverado
6- wife's truck
2- lawn tractor
2- 2 atv's
4- 2 snowmobiles
8- 69 Camaro
and when spring comes around
8- 2 new motorcycles to replace the ones we sold in fall.

total should be 38