TheSamba.com :: View topic - Moresa, AA brand, Mahle cyl/pistons. Where are they made??

Mon Sep 02, 2013 10:18 pm

I'm going to put new jugs and pistons on my 72 squareback engine. I've got the case guts all sorted out, but now going to do the jugs and pistons.

This is for a farm car, mostly low power I use it to putter around the land, and it spends a fair amount of time just idling. No freeway, no racing, no hi perf. I'm wondering which vendor has the best product cause I don't want to go in there again in 2 years.

AA is cheapest, then Moresa, then Mahle. I would spend more for the Mahle if I knew I was getting a better product. I try to avoid Chinese car parts when I can.

Also, what about the 87mm jugs? I've heard they get hot spots. I just want it to run smooth for a while.

Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:00 am

Moresa P&Cs are outstanding. They are (or were) an OEM supplier to VW, they are made in Mexico. I consider them as good or better than Mahle.

Mahle's have been coming with AA cylinders for a couple years now, FWIW.

AAs we refused to sell for 8 years because we thought they were poor. We started carrying them a couple years ago, because the quality got to be as good (or better) than Mahle. Every year AA has improved their stuff.

You'll have more balancing headaches with Mahle than the other 2 brands mentioned, FWIW.

Tue Sep 03, 2013 12:39 pm

I went with the Moresa. made in Mex, and had Hastings rings inside. The retail place doesn't carry AA, and they can get Mahle, but suggested Moresa.

Tue Sep 03, 2013 2:45 pm

Regardless of brand be sure and check the balance. I have used Mahle/Cima's and in the last set the weight match was way beyond stock tolerances. Took quite a bit of work the get them balanced.

Fri Sep 13, 2013 11:40 pm

The Moresa sound interesting, are they the P&C used by engine re-builders in Mexico for all the VW driving around there? Or are VW OEM P&C still available down there?

I have some VW Mexico Deep dish P&C and the cylinders and they are very hard (aka fins brittle) I suppose it could be different barrel composition for “hard low octane gas they have” ?

Sat Sep 26, 2020 6:35 pm

The Moresa pistons I just bought are pre-balanced in the box.

Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:00 am

Jeff Geisen wrote: The Moresa pistons I just bought are pre-balanced in the box.

In 2016-2017 when I rebuilt my 1600cc engine, I used new Moresa pistons/cylinder kit from Mexico, purchased from CB; they arrived with made-in-USA Grant rings. And the pistons were extremely tight in weight/balance.

Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:56 pm

VW 1600 / 1600i piston sleeves made by Moresa, an OEM supplier to VW. I have been selling the Moresa/VW rebuild engine kits since 1989, top quality.