Bruce is correct. Someone chose to do just that on my previous engine- bored pin bushings to 23mm & used Carrera pistons. What happens is the pin location in the Carrera piston is further up in the piston. So it effectively shortens your rod & piston combo when using SC rods. It worked w/out any sort of catastrophe but certainly was not optimum by any means with way too much deck height.
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Originally Posted by motiv8ed
So for a quick upgrade the cylinders can be used but with a different piston combination? Perhaps a JE selection.
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Yep you could put a set of JE 9.5 pistons in there no problem. Just have to make sure the Carrera cyls you are getting are Nikasil/Mahle. JE won't work with KS alusil cylinders unless you have them Nikasil plated.
Also you have to ensure your piston-cyl clearance is right. So that means either, a) have your JE pistons made to the desired dia. to match the meas'd bore of your cyls, or b) use "off the shelf" JE pistons and have your cyls honed to fit the pistons.
So bottom line is, the '88 3.2 bits don't get you a 3.2. 3.0L SC and 3.2 Carrera have the same diameter pistons and cylinders (95mm). The 3.0L is created by it's 70.4mm stroke crank, 127.8mm c-c rod length and 34mm pin height/compression distance in the piston. The 3.2L Carrera is created by its 74.4mm stroke crank, 127mm c-c rod length and 32.8mm pin height.
My opinion is the JE 9.5 pistons will suit you well because they will be shaped to accommodate the carbs compared to the swirl-dome shape of the CIS pistons. Plus the JE have valve reliefs in them which afford you the opportunity to use more aggressive cams- more overlap and duration. S or Mod S cams are a nice cam for a 3.0L street engine.