I was just watching a Youtube about a 2005 DB9 engine rebuild that showed the pistons being something that would come out of a ford mustang or truck!
(crummy rods and pistons) do we share the same pistons and rods from the original DB9? the youtube video went on to show how they are refitting the engine with the racer-good-stuff. JE style pistons with corillo rods, etc. (better oiling, lighter weight, stronger, etc)

I'm curious as to the reliability of the V8 motor of the Aston and where it's design came from.

 

V12 = V6 SHO pistons+rods
V8 = Aston design of Jag Piston+rod..Jag OEM parts are not interchangeable for piston and rods

There is a large amount of info on this forum which answers everything u asked and even more in depth..just need to search ;-)

 

ugggg V12 in a $200,000 car uses cheapo pistons?? That doesn't seem right!
I wonder if the GT3 engine is a race prepped engine and not a modified version of the stock engine. I think the GT4 engine is the stock engine (4.8 liter V8).

 

^^^^ Recent Aston engines are extremely reliable, so what difference does it make if they use "cheapo" pistons if the net result is a bulletproof engine?

 

Of its time, there was nothing cheap about Ford's SHO V6 engine..pistons are still no weak link in the V12..only internal of a V12 I've seen in my time fail is a bent rod but was due to being hydro locked..

 

Thats a valid point. i guess the utube video of the grenaded V12 spooked a lot of AM owners. bottomline, if you starve an engine of oil, it will grenade,and make quite a mess. a V12 is not an easy rebuilt. so, it was the bearing that siezed, so that would have broken a corillo rod too.
They did mention better oiling exits on the new rod at the crank that could help with a problem of oiling, if there is a problem.

I also wonder if the ford pistons are used in the race car version of the vantage V12 or DB9, or are they custom build engines and are they dry sumped? (i.e the GT3 vantage V12 racer)

You would think though, that even though the ford pistons are adiquate, wouldnt they used some H beam rods and lighter fancy pistons, because of the ticket price of the car being in the $150 to 200K plus?