Engine Build time for my 05. Which style piston should I go with?
 

Well, after 264k on stock injectors and fuel filter setup, I finally had an injector decide to go down. But not without doing so in a blaze of glory. Melted #5 piston, dropped a valve seat, valve met piston, broke the face off and danced around in the cylinder. Bent 2 other valves and cracked the head. Yay.

Anyway, picked up a new head, block is at the machine shop, getting ready to order .020" over pistons, and of course new injectors.
Now is the time to decide what style to go with...
Local performance diesel shop recommends going back to the 03/04 style piston and the corresponding narrow angle injector nozzles. This site along with CF has mixed reviews on which is "better"
I'm ditching the programmer I have (since it's like 10 years old) and going with a hp tuners tune, 2nd gen swap and most likely a 62/71 turbo. Arp studs, balanced crank, rods and pistons.

Here's the low down:
I don't race the truck, I don't sled pull it. But I beat the guts out of it and haul anything I can make a dollar with. I want a tune that's just hot enough to not need any cp3 upgrades. Something to make it not a sluggish turd like stock but not make the EGT's go nuclear when I'm leaning on it real hard while loaded down.

Anyway, for what I'm doing, what's the better option as far as piston/injector design goes?

What is your HP goal?

450-500 maybe?

I'm all for living on the ragged edge in most cases. But I want this to try and live for a couple hundred thousand miles if possible

Re-entrant style imo. There’s a reason Cummins went back to that style of bowl, yields a better burn. If you look at almost any other oem diesel piston it’s a re-entrant style bowl.

Any idea if I'll run in to any issues with the 05 pcm and the 3rd event injection bullcrap (which I'd like to eliminate)
That's one thing I don't understand, this programmer I have is said to work with 03-05, yet 03/04 tune would have to be different than 05, if not for the 3rd event, but injector timing would need to be different, given the spray angle.
Idk. Maybe that's why so many people burn down these motors to begin with..

Doesn't matter what piston you choose, an injector failure will melt them.
I'd stick to the original equipment at with your power goal. Sounds like you'll keep the truck for awhile, but if you ever trade or sell it, the next guy won't have to deal with a hybrid.

I completely agree with you there, on injector failure causing a meltdown regardless of piston design LOL. I guess the only reason I questioned the Piston design on rebuild was because I have the ability to start over fresh with whatever I choose. Parts are the same price from what I gather. Just wasn't really sure if one design would put up with extended abuse with the fueling to add 200 extra horsepower compared to another, specifically while Towing.