OK, time to dig deeper into this discussion. Chrome lined cylinders were very common during the era that Kawasaki was in the snowmobile biz. I think even the Rupp, liquid Xenoahs used them, as did many other OEMs. At some point in time,...early '90s?? my memory is far from perfect...the OEMs changed to "Nicasil". Nickel, chrome, silicon. Supposedly, even a harder, more durable surface.
I managed to blow up the PTO piston in my Invader way back in the mid 80s, due to a classic Homer Simpson...Doooh mistake.
Because I am somewhat anal, I still saved the installation guide from the replacement piston....along with the seized piston as a trophy.
This was a "Lemans Pro Piston"...an exact, standard replacement.
OK....we can assume nobody knows EXACTLY what they're talking about...at least I take a certain "skeptical" approach...maybe I'm Mr. Spocks relation...only cold, hard, Vulcan logic applies here.
This guide....and I quote, verbatim..."When replacing or reringing the piston in a standard bore STOCK (sorry, my emphasis) cylinder, de-glazing is recommended using a ball type hone, or a standard hone with #500 grit stones.
The guide goes on to to mention using emery
cloth or a round file to lightly "chamfer" the port openings.
OK, I get that....
I tend to believe that chrome lined cylinders, while they may appear to the naked eye to have a mirror finish, upon microscopic examination have an excellent characteristic to retain oil. There is absolutely no need to start tearing up this finish aggressively using a hone.
Tory... you brought up an excellent point...while I am lucky and have an excellent spare cylinder for my Invader, I don't for my 83 Yamaha Vmax, which also has chrome lined cylinders. If I suffer another Homer Simpson....Doooh moment, and need to have a cylinder re-plated, why shouldn't I ask for Nicasil rather than chrome? Have you had some Kawi cylinders re-plated with Nicasil? Would a replacement piston and ring set designed for a chrome cylinder work perfectly in a Nicasil cylinder? I have to think so. If I send a scuffed up cylinder to get re-plated, I can't believe that it costs Millenium or U S Chrome any more to use Nicasil vs. Chrome.
This sounds like a good topic for the TV show..."how it's made"....
Obviously, the cost for re-plating is significant enough that we should explore the possibility of finding a good, used cylinder.
We all "get" the fact that you have to pay attention to the piston rings that you use during a rebuild....if you use a stock, replacement piston for a chrome cylinder, it will have iron rings. If you put an iron sleeve in an original chrome cylinder, you better make sure you change to chrome rings.
But I digress....
Kawhead, I have only been on here for a year or so....long enough to know that you tend to know absolutely what you're talking about....where are you reading this? I completely agree ...pretty much any acid is useful for dissolving any aluminum deposits off of the cylinder walls...which you darned well better do... just "enquiring minds want to know"....
Oh...one more thing....I'm not buying any of this talk about "glazing" of the cylinder occurring in a chrome cylinder......BUT...I have been wrong before...at least once or twice...
Topic: Cylinder Honing (Read 10209 times)