Nikasil Cylinder Care - Slavens Racing

[@Imagerlenscraft]

Really awesome video. I’ve never rebuilt a top end as this is my first 2T. I feel if you own a 2T, you absolutely need to know how to rebuild a top end. You are my go-to for technical information on all things dirt bike Jeff. Your experience and expertise is invaluable and I thank you for sharing it and passing it along. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

[@slaverace1]

Hello You’re welcome.

[@gregpaszt4671]

Thanks for clarifying that lots of my co riders don't believe me when I say no hone on nicasil. Thanks Jeff bump into you on the trail.

[@slaverace1]

Glad to help.

[@robertdelinsky7247]

I have sent mine to powerseal for a hone only with a new d size piston

[@Duken4evr29]

Thanks for the video. I thought it was widely understood to never hone a modern plated cylinder. Always good to get a reminder out there! Also old enough to have owned old school air cooled two strokes with iron liners. As mentioned in the video, the iron liner never lines up with the port castings from the factory. The air going through the transfer ports is traveling at very high velocity and the "step" from the misalignment with the iron liner is a big deal. I had a 490 that ran like crap until it had it's ports "cleaned up". After the port work, squish band work on the head and some remedial jetting, it was a crispy critter running scary arm stretching monster. Don't get me wrong, not romanticizing the old 500s, I know exactly what those evil paint shaker open class air cool things are, I'll take modern bikes, thank you 😂

[@juliandevr1]

Jeff you should be a teacher, i learned so many things from you the last view years which i'm very grateful for

[@slaverace1]

Thank you.

[@dougjc2000]

Helpful video, thx. I did a beta 300 top end last year. Cylinder looked good after 250 hours (generally easier riding) but I could have cleaned off some of the darker spots like your indicated. Larger "B" piston from your site seems to have worked well.

[@slaverace1]

Nice work!

[@cbh148]

Just had the OEM plating on my YZ125 cylinder become worn at 48 hours, right above the exhaust port. I went through 3 OEM pistons, each at about 15 hours when changed. Maxima 927 30:1, always allowed to warm up sufficiently before putting in hard laps (only used for MX) to avoid cold seizure. Gonna run 1 more piston on it but the new OEM cylinder just arrived 2 hours ago. Hoping to get double the hours out of this one, and might try going to like 22:1 on the premix ratio.

[@cbh148]

And I never honed it during any piston change. Just wiped it clean, sprayed some brake/carb cleaner down it, then wiped a little premix inside during reassembly.

[@GO-FAST_Racing]

Depending on the wear and what you mean by cleaned out the cylinder between pistons( just a towel or muriatic acid to remove piston deposited on cylinder) theres a few possibility. Leaky exhaust flange can be a culprit. Next up is pipe is full of carbon and some keeps coming loose. Pictures would definately help

[@elkku2934]

dont put more oil in. Right jetting is way more important than oil. You could put 40 to 1 in there and if you had perfect jetting it would be better for the engine than 22 to 1 with shitty lean jetting

[@slaverace1]

Hello: A worn out cylinder at 48 hours indicates the engine is ingesting dirt and more premix oil won't fix that problem.

[@OtisFlint]

It's a small bore 2T, they do not live long in an MX application even if you do everything perfectly.

[@Eric_Rides]

Great talk Jeff. Good to know the replating process in basic terms. My 2020 TPI just hit 300 hrs. Even if I had accurate tools to measure the cylinder I’d have no idea how to judge it. These 2stroke cylinders are like Swiss 🧀cheese! I just sent it to Millennium for replating, 1 week turn around. Cylinder should be good to go for another 300+ hrs.

[@slaverace1]

Right on

[@Mkruzer]

Thanks jeff. Very concise, logical, practical advise.

[@slaverace1]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@cameronbell6916]

Great informative video, really enjoyed watching this, expert advice mate 👌

[@slaverace1]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@kjohns236]

Thank you for explaining this, it makes so much sense.

[@slaverace1]

You're very welcome!

[@grutzmac]

If using a brush hone to clean it up, do you use a lubricant on it? Thanks, great vid

[@slaverace1]

A little WD40 works.

[@mecanicodejetski]

Electroless is also used as the deposit become more uniform, boron is added to the nickel, tungsten carbide they mix the juice ( also a 50+ years of experience in motorcycles ans outboard engines )

[@Recedinghairline180]

finally someone talking sense about this. Que all the keyboard mechanics crying about how they know better.

[@slaverace1]

Thank you.

[@bobbywinn6548]

Thanks for your time and experience! Question, brand new 24’ 300 XC, the only run time was at the dealer and factory, when removing the cylinder head to swap with aftermarket I noticed some darker coloring streaks in the cylinder wall. .2 hours on the display, should I be concerned? Cannot feel anything with my fingernail, so I put it back together. Thanks in advance!

[@slaverace1]

Hello: Those streaks are common. Ride it.

[@אריקעזרא-ח1ד]

Thanks Jess saw all the video, you gave similar suggestions a cuple of year ago and I've changed several 250cc ktm top ends. My only debate is always to use a or b pistons

[@slaverace1]

Hello: My name is still Jeff, not Jess. B pistons should be fitted in cylinders with more than 50 hours.

[@dougbennett8003]

@@slaverace1 How about c pistons Jeff what hours to use them?

[@IndianaDoug]

If I get aluminum transfer on my cylinder wall from the piston and the cylinder is salvageable (chainsaw top end), I will try to revive it with oil and sandpaper, then perhaps a light ball honing. It works great for me.

[@leewaken5059]

Will the use of a magnet detect a Nikasil/aluminum cylinder verses a cast iron? Makes sense to me.

[@Ridefastorgetpassed]

Have you guys seen any issues with the Kymco cylinders ? I have heard mixed reviews and always respected your opinions.

[@slaverace1]

No. Go ride.

[@SosopChabot]

The only reason you want a hone anyway is for oil retention on the cylinder walls, great video!

[@slaverace1]

Thank you.

[@stefanosambadi8165]

Thanks for the in depth explanation, I will be ordering a set of rings (dlc coated) from a reputable firm that has detailed explanations on a very fine grit Flex hone , 320 grit or more explaining that it is only for light touching of the visible cross hatch. 4stroke cylinder in quesion, so it is basically doing the function of the brush hone, is that something you would consider useful? Thank you

[@slaverace1]

Hello: DLC coated rings are a waste of money and using a flex hone of any type or grit is a BAD idea. Whoever is selling that Koolaide needs shut down.

[@stefanosambadi8165]

@@slaverace1 Ok thank you for the info, keep speaking the truth its refreshing

[@dylancrow7919]

Can anyone explain? I pulled the piston out of my rmz250 it is a vertex 76.96mm and they called it a B sized piston. When I look at any other manufacturer, 76.96 is the A size. Should I stick with 76.96 across the board or stick with B size across the board? Most other manufacturers B size is 76.97. No damage or scouring to cylinder, so I was wanting to drop a piston in without sending it off.

[@slaverace1]

Hello: What year is your RMZ?

[@dylancrow7919]

@ 2008

[@Doc-Cole_Trickle-of-Chainsaws]

👍🆙SR, If there is an option of Nikasil and hard chrome, roughly same price. Which is better? In a normal work enviroment for a chainsaw. Come across this option when getting a extra cylinder for a 92cc saw project, I chose the Nikasil but would like 2 know for future projects. I will be doing some porting on these but nothing radical.

[@slaverace1]

Nikasil is preferred because it is porous and retains oil.

[@Doc-Cole_Trickle-of-Chainsaws]

@@slaverace1 👍🆙SR

[@leewaken5059]

What about honing a two stroke "iron" bore? Same issues with the ports.

[@slaverace1]

Hello: No issue with ports on a cast iron lined cylinder.

[@jdsstegman]

I deal with these on a daily basis. And what im seeing is "standard" size pistons that these companies are offering are either to big or too small for the correct clearence specs. By +/- .001 to .002. And people wonder why they have a failure shortly after a rebuild. They dont measure anything and put it together. I have boxes of pistons that are unusable that the seller or seller will not take back because they are opened. So i try to deal with only a select few sellers that will take them back. If i end up with clearence issues that are too tight i send them out to a company that does the plating and have them re hone it with their Dimond hone to get to correct clearence. All these plating companies hit that 1 number of bore spec when they plate and thats that. I have yet to see a plated cylinder be the wrong bore size. Its always spot on. Pistons, thats a whole nother story. I do about 200 topends a years. Not sure how many other shops do, but i do a good amount of topends and this is what i know. Great video!!

[@slaverace1]

Hello: We are the largest Vertex dealer in the USA and we've have not had any complaints about piston sizes but most people don't have equipment to correctly measure them. If you are a legit shop or repair service, we can offer you dealer pricing and we accept returns if the product is not damaged and the box is in good shape. Apply here >>> slavensracing.com/dealer/

[@ChrisKAloha]

I used powersealusa to plate. Cheaper than millennium. Brush hone works well.

[@andrescheuer4400]

I have a 2007 kx 250 cylinder with a crack running through the inlet ports partway i am not from the US what are my options? Thanks in advance

[@slaverace1]

Hello: Sorry, I have no idea where you live or what's available in your country. In the USA I would send it to a replating company where they would weld the crack and replate the bore.

[@andrescheuer4400]

@@slaverace1 thank you i thought i would have to get another one these things are not easy to find in south africa

[@skrzatRG]

Hello what if the honing pattern on nicasil is no longer visible? can this happen?

[@slaverace1]

Hello: Missing cross-hatch indicates the plating is worn and needs replated.

[@_jdgeorge_]

I never realized there was a group of folks who hone a coated cylinder. That's insane!

[@taneumjct5156]

Its good or its not I scotch brite sometimes most times not. Good cleaning new piston rings and send it

[@stephenormsby3662]

Excellent, thanks!

[@slaverace1]

You're welcome!

[@andrescheuer4400]

That thing is going straight in thedishwasher she is hopefully shopping😂

[@harescrambled]

A "glazed" cylinder is one where the crosshatch has been worn off. It'll be shiny, hence the term "glazed"

[@slaverace1]

Hello Sir: Your definition is just one of many that guys use for the term "glazed".

[@frankdepalma4409]

I will never use us chrome again, they messed up my cylinder and claimed that they didn't do it. The cylinder had less than 1000 miles on it when the ringing came apart and destroyed the liner. They poked a hole in the water space above the exhaust valve, and leaked coolant, couldn't have happened when the ring broke.

[@slaverace1]

Sorry to hear that. We've used them for 30+ years with no issues.

[@Dieselserviceman]

Very good information Thank you

[@slaverace1]

You're welcome.

[@denelvo]

A true craftsman doesn't think twice about putting a cilinder in a soft jaw vise like that.

[@waynehamilton4264]

one of the electrode is the cylinder

[@donaldtrumpenstein9722]

If nikisil is so good than you should never need to replate it right

[@slaverace1]

Hello: Nikasil is an excellent lightweight product that offer excellent heat transfer and excellent wear qualities. However, guys sometimes don't service the air filter correctly or seize the top end and that requires replating.