rocksalt27
Member
Seems like the cylinder fins are pretty soft and bend easy. What do all y'all think about hardening the cylinder? Maybe with a bake and quench?
Bent fins
- Thread starter rocksalt27
- Start date
No, no, no. Don't do that. You stand a chance of warping something. Also you don't want to damage the plating on the cylinder walls. Don't worry about the fins. If yours are bent they can be straightened with needle nose pliers and lots of care. Work slow and don't over do it.
Are you bending the fins or did the engine come with them that way? Bent fins from the factory/shipping isn't uncommon.
Tom
Are you bending the fins or did the engine come with them that way? Bent fins from the factory/shipping isn't uncommon.
Tom
Venice Motor Bikes
Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
YES... The fins break off very easy!
One trick is to heat the fins as hot as you can with a heat gun & then slowly bend them back with needle nose pliers as Tom mentioned above.
One trick is to heat the fins as hot as you can with a heat gun & then slowly bend them back with needle nose pliers as Tom mentioned above.
maniac57
Old, Fat, and still faster than you
While heat treating a chinagirl cylinder is theoretically possible, you would have to know the exact composition of the metal used in casting in order to gain any benefit, and it's not something you ca do with a used oven out back. It takes a long time at the proper temps and cooling cycles.
This assumes the Chinese factories even use alloy that CAN be heat treated.
You would also likely have to bore and replate the cylinder afterwards due to heat distortion.
This assumes the Chinese factories even use alloy that CAN be heat treated.
You would also likely have to bore and replate the cylinder afterwards due to heat distortion.
rocksalt27
Member
I had another thought. What about light water spraying once the engine is running hot?
Going2Hell
Member
Once again, NO NO NO... Aluminum is not something you want to cool abruptly and un-evenly.
The odds of the company in China knowing the composition of the metal are also pretty slim. Even if they did know, they probably wouldn't tell you; not a trade secret or anyting but they might not want the level of impurities known. You're pretty much boned if you just want to strengthen the fins, it's okay if they're bent. If you want to straighten them heat them individually with a torch and lightly bend them back with needle-nose. The best temp to bend Aluminum of unknown composition is 400-500 degrees F.
The odds of the company in China knowing the composition of the metal are also pretty slim. Even if they did know, they probably wouldn't tell you; not a trade secret or anyting but they might not want the level of impurities known. You're pretty much boned if you just want to strengthen the fins, it's okay if they're bent. If you want to straighten them heat them individually with a torch and lightly bend them back with needle-nose. The best temp to bend Aluminum of unknown composition is 400-500 degrees F.