honing a cylinder

So far I've yet to see a failure of a china girl nikasil cylinder. Nikasil has advantages over cast iron cylinders. Namely reduced weight, reduced friction, and superior heat transfer characteristics.

It's claimed that the bores will also last substantially longer than iron, or iron lined cylinders, because the nikasil coating is extremely hard and wear resistant.
 
The first bikes on the market with nikasil cylinders that I know of were Moto Guzzi's in the 70s.
 
Yes I agree with you on all points on the chrome, but on the other hand iron cylinders just have a rebuild factor that chrome has not, also depends on the thickness of the iron liners and the type of iron used.
For some reason china is coming out with iron liners, I can't think it is for cost factors. Possible to be able to have it's customers buy parts from them to rebuild or maybe they believe there engines will last longer!. I guess just have to what and see.
B & S small engines had chrome cylinder as well, and you could not rebuild, I even tried it, honing the cylinder and new rings, but no success, when they first came out with that feature. Just Disposable. :-||
 
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Donbia said:
Yes I agree with you on all points on the chrome, but on the other hand iron cylinders just have a rebuild factor that chrome has not, also depends on the thickness of the iron liners and the type of iron used.
For some reason china is coming out with iron liners, I can't think it is for cost factors. Possible to be able to have it's customers buy parts from them to rebuild, I guess just have to what and see.
B & S small engines had chrome cylinder as well, and you could not rebuild, I even tried it, honing the cylinder. and new rings, but to no success When they first came out. disposable. :-||
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But isn't the B & S cylinder an integral part of the block, while the cylinders on a china girl are cheap and easily replaceable?

That just seems like a better idea to me, than cast iron liners for this application.
 
biknut said:
The first bikes on the market with nikasil cylinders that I know of were Moto Guzzi's in the 70s.
Click to expand...

nikasil is some wild stuff, i want to get my spare cylinder nikasiled at work but they are running that line non stop so i cant get them to run my part.
 
Yes your right, it was part of the block. It just depends on what your after, myself, I would like to be able to rebuild when needed, other than buying new parts, further down the line when the parts are not available, when you don't have a option, you could use rings from other applications if they are not available. Knell the piston which rises the metal to make the fit after it's worn, Etc to get it going again.
For now just buy another part, there cheap. dance1
 
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