mahles run into some serious $ when you get into the 3.2+ size. Anyone try the replated cylinders from ebs or others? Are they a long term reliable solution for a street car, or is it better to bite the bullet and sink 3.5k+ for the real deal? TIA

I am not sure of the cost, versus buying new...

But, replating if done correctly is the same thing as new.

They machine it first, then plate it...

Ask the guy who makes the nickies...
Or search for the nikasil plating companies...

Rich

Yes and no. It all depends on the history of the cylinders in question. If any have been overheated, the replated cylinder (or cylinders that were overheated) most definately will not hold up as well as new ones. There are some individuals who I have spoken to off of Pelican who have experienced this first hand. Truely the only way to know if a cylinder has been overheated is to rockwell the cylinder in a few critical locations and compare the figure to what the other cylinders are and also to a new one for a baseline if possible, although not totally necessary.

Charles can you tell me if you "cryro" a cylinder does it change the hardneess (Rockwell scale) of the metal at all?

Can a cylinder be retreated(heat treated) after it have been thermal cycled so may times- then replated?

TIA, Food for thought for those of us intrested in metalurgy in motors.

Kevin

Hey Kevin, did you want the plates?

Hey Eric, yes, I still need a set.

KP

We have made a number of 3.2 into 3.4 &3.5 by boring the cylinders and replating them. We dont do the actual boring work in house. We have US Chrome do this work for us.

Havent had any problems doing this

I can't actually say that I have the answer to whether or not cryoing changes the actual hardness, but I do think it's a good idea to cryo a used cylinder. The process does provide a more thermally stable casting and does relieve any stresses that have built up over the years. I actually used cryogenics for a batch of Nickies where Alcoa forgot to stress relieve the extrusion. Big difference in how it machined before and after dimensionally. Not so much so when it's already been stress relieved from the factory. Castings have been shown to have the biggest improvement from the process.