A serious question. Don't laugh.

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moonerdizzle

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Jun 28, 2009
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Does any one know what alloy these china motors are? I work at an anodizing factory and have been thinking bout anodizing or hard coating some engine parts. The line ops need to know the alloy though so they know how much juice to run threw the parts with out burning (melting) the parts.
 

azbill

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May 18, 2008
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some kind of mix between low-grade aluminum and the scrap metal they sweep off the foundry floor would be my guess

I have seen a crack get tigged with aluminum rod tho
 

CTripps

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Aug 22, 2011
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Does the factory have a testing lab? If so, find out how small a piece they would need to be able to test it. Many of us have junk parts left on the bench from various mishaps and breakdowns. (For instance, I have a jug that's cylinder has been gouged too deeply to rebore by a broken ring, no longer useful as anything but a pencil holder ...some pics here). Could be that all someone might need would be a small piece of a fin from somewhere low down on the jug to do what they do. If that's all they need, a few minutes with a hacksaw and a mailing address and I could have samples heading your way.

A problem that could come up though is consistency. I mean when they make a batch of parts, is the material going to be the same as a batch made 6 months before or 6 months after? For all we know the foundry may not have much quality control in that regard either. The QC certainly varies greatly in the rest of the motor and kit.
 

DaveC

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Jul 14, 2010
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It's whatever scrap aluminum they could buy on the open Chinese market, most likely bumpers from '77 Vega's and old beer can pull tabs. Your problem with them is the bores are hard chromed, I don't know about any other plating you could do without messing that up, at least with the jugs.
 

moonerdizzle

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Jun 28, 2009
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It's whatever scrap aluminum they could buy on the open Chinese market, most likely bumpers from '77 Vega's and old beer can pull tabs. Your problem with them is the bores are hard chromed, I don't know about any other plating you could do without messing that up, at least with the jugs.
i plan on getting the bore and piston Nickasil coated at work. So Im not too worried about the chrome lining. Well I think I might send a mag or clutch cover threw and see what happens.
 

steampunk

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Mar 10, 2011
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thats prob the best idea mooner....i know that one of my motors has at least 3 diff grades of alum in it...the jug and case are diff...and the covers are diff again entirely...granted this motor is a hodgepodge of old stuff...but the fact still remains...i think you are on the right track of trying a couple pcs out...just do them in their own containment ...wouldnt want something important to get f-ed for sake of testing
 

DaveC

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Jul 14, 2010
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I'd just DFL the piston skirts and let it go at that. Can you put NickaSil over hard chrome? Plating both the piston and cylinder you will run into interference from not enough clearance between the cylinder wall and the piston. I'd bet it seizes up when it gets hot.
 

moonerdizzle

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Jun 28, 2009
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I'd just DFL the piston skirts and let it go at that. Can you put NickaSil over hard chrome? Plating both the piston and cylinder you will run into interference from not enough clearance between the cylinder wall and the piston. I'd bet it seizes up when it gets hot.
I'm acid dipping the cylinder and honing out all the chrome and then coating it. After that im going to hone out the cylinder again till shes back into specs.
 

GearNut

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Aug 19, 2009
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i plan on getting the bore and piston Nickasil coated at work. So Im not too worried about the chrome lining. Well I think I might send a mag or clutch cover threw and see what happens.
I recommend staying away from Nickasil coating the piston.
If you want to coat it with something that will greatly benefit it Moly coat or teflon coat the piston skirts and ceramic coat the piston crown.
Double check all clearances before final assembly.

Of course up grade the wrist pin bearing too, or it could lay to waste all your hard work.
 

GearNut

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Aug 19, 2009
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I cannot comment on the coating from Pioneer Metal Finishing without asking them what the temperature specs are as well as the proven successful applications that they have done.
As for the temps getting too hot for teflon, I cannot dispute other folk's experiences, only share my own.

My experience:
All I can say is I have installed pistons in air cooled 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines with teflon coated skirts as well as ones with Moly coated skirts and never had problems with either. Teflon buttons are still used in place of wrist pin clips in some applications and hold up very well, although I must say that they are not installed in a high friction area of the piston.

Experience and speculation:
My teflon coated frying pan also sees very high temperatures as well and I have never has a problem with it, but then again I do not vigorously rub it with a piece of metal at 9000 cycles per minute either.
 

moonerdizzle

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Jun 28, 2009
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Tomorrow when I go to work I'll ask about the temp specs on their coating. Maybe I can get other peoples done for little cost on week ends if there is any interest in coated pistons.