Nippons are ok for all motor..not for turbo though..
I have YCP PCT Type R pistons for sale at ebay too. Theyre made of a much stronger cast than nippons and are coated as well. These pistons are made of the same strength as the YCP vitara pistons used on D16 engines for boost and they have produced over 450whp(Vitaras).
eBay Motors: JDM Civic CTR Pistons, Type R B16B, PCT with Rings (item 250143676292 end time Jul-19-07 10:24:52 PDT)
I find it kind of funny that the main guy who knocks Nippon pistons on this and other forums is the same guy that sells Nippon's competitor...granted I've seen other people say 'YCP is better, nippons won't handle as much power!', but most of them (if not all of them) haven't had hands-on experience with both (or either) piston...
maybe you could further explain what makes the YCP's better than the nippons? I noticed on the ebay auctions (specifically for the Vitaras) advertise an extra oil hole in the wristpin boss to provide 'superior oiling' over the nippons. I believe it also says (or I might have read this on one of the other forums) that the ring lands on the YCP's are thicker.
Now, I have 2 sets of Vitaras; a set of Nippons, and a set of YCP's. Both of them have the 'extra' oiling hole in the wristpin boss, and both of them have ring lands of equal thickness. They also both came from Puerto Rico.
And they also both came in very similar boxes, with very similar wristpin circlips, and both of them came with - get this - Nippon piston rings.
The only thing that I can find that YCP advertises that they have and the nippons don't, that Nippon doesn't advertise, is the teflon (or whatever it is) coating...
either way, I'm going to use the YCP's simply because the people making the big power on these are using the YCP versions, and I haven't found anyone making over 400 on the nippons (although I haven't read any actual first-hand horror stories from the nippons). I just find it kind of funny the main person knocking them is the person who has something to lose if people buy the nippons instead of his brand.