440 LTD cylinders bored to 550??

[Interceptor398]

What do you think?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-1981-1982-Kawasaki-440-LTD-Cylinders-/251201428303?pt=Snowmobile_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a7cc59b4f

[Joel]

Sleeper? My question is do you need a 550 head gasket with these or a modified 440 gasket? Awesome

[gixxer6]

A 550 head wouldn't bolt on because the 440's have 6 bolts/cylinder and 550's have 8.  So a 440 head would need to be modified to match.  Unless your a machinist (I know, I know, you ARE.  But I am not...) this would be an obstacle. 

It would be a neat big bore kit for an LTD, but I doubt it would perform as well as Interceptor cylinders because of the smaller 440 ports. 

[Interceptor398]

A 550 head wouldn't bolt on because the 440's have 6 bolts/cylinder and 550's have 8.  So a 440 head would need to be modified to match.  Unless your a machinist (I know, I know, you ARE.  But I am not...) this would be an obstacle. 

It would be a neat big bore kit for an LTD, but I doubt it would perform as well as Interceptor cylinders because of the smaller 440 ports.

I was wondering about the ports also.

[gixxer6]

I have heard of big bore kits on other makes actually performing worse than stock bore because the porting (or the lack of porting). 

[JDmatt]

Is there even enough metal available on a 440 wall to open it up that much? 

[ChaChi]

I don't think there is enough material, but someone that has owned both would know better then I... I have only seen an 550 cylinder once in person for a few minutes, I remember the hole looking huge compared to my 440...

[gixxer6]

I don't understand the question if there is enough material...  It has been done, doesn't that mean that there is enough???

[Checkmarks]

I think the enough material is with respect to the transferring ports.  If somebody had a 550 cylinder and compared the sizing of the ports specifically the dimensions of the tube like transferring port.  Additionally how thin are the sleeves, will a piston rock hard enough to break the bore.

It does look like somebody tried this as a solution to a big bore 530 but then that person is not running those cylinders.

[Tory944]

 In talking to Bob Kloiber @ Image Enterprises he told me that he accidently pulled a set of 81/2 LTD cylinders off the shelf and had them sent out with a 530 piston for plating.  Ooops... obviously the plating co. didn't ask questions and bored the 440 cyl's out to 530 specs.  So, it has been done.  Bob offered them to me "cheap" ... I declined.   They would make a good mantle piece though!