Nickel Silicon Carbide plating a Blockzilla-1

Freezeman

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I have a new BZ1 block that I haven't installed a cast iron sleeve in yet. It's still standard bore size and my thoughts are that I could fit a larger piston to it if I just had the bore Plated instead. Anyone with experience in doing this? I also wonder how big of a bore I could go with when plating, ( head bolt hole to cylinder minimum thickness?) It seems that I could at least bore to the OD of the sleeve I had planned on using.
 
^ Yep, you sure can. US Chrome is our go-to source for Nikaseal, etc. coating as well. I think .200" would be safe, but you should use long studs in the block (after coating.) FWIW, you can have a sleeve coated as well.


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Thank you Brains, I think I will go for a few thousands less than my sleeve OD so I could use my sleeve if the coating ever gets damaged.

Humm, They clearance and finish the coating to the piston size after it's coated, shouldn't I have the studs and torque plate installed when I send it to them?
 
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Allow .00275" - .003" for the plating from what I remember.
Align bore and hone the finish that you want, then let them plate it. It'll never need honed again.
 
Thank you Brains, I think I will go for a few thousands less than my sleeve OD so I could use my sleeve if the coating ever gets damaged.

Humm, They clearance and finish the coating to the piston size after it's coated, shouldn't I have the studs and torque plate installed when I send it to them?


I think that's right. Honestly I don't remember, it's been a while since I've had anything done. I told them the cylinder clearance that I wanted, and they told me what size to hone to allow for the thickness of their plating.
 
Freezeman, Do yourself a favor and send your block and a piston to either US Chrome or Millenium and have them do the boring and fitting. They will tell you if you need a sleeve or not. I have been doing business with both of them for about 25 years and have never been disappointed with either. They are both very reputable and knowledgeable companies and put out a very good product. If it were me, I would have them coat the aluminum block and forget about the steel sleeve, but that's just my opinion.
 
Question . Would this be adaptable to a piston . As no chrome piston are avalible for aluminum cylinders?
Cost or cylinder wear may be detrimental .
 
They are still out there just tougher to find. I use them on my cast bores as well. You could have the piston chrome coated as well as ceramic coated or any other slippy anti wear coating you would like. Cost gets nuts. When we powder coated we used to ceramic piston tops. It works well.
 
Question . Would this be adaptable to a piston . As no chrome piston are avalible for aluminum cylinders?
Cost or cylinder wear may be detrimental .

Yes, you can run the unchromed/uncoated pistons in the nikasil coated cyinders. Nearly every snow mobile has been done this way for years.

If you want to coat your piston, Polydyn and Swaintech have been around a while. We've used both in our big car engines many years ago. I talk to the guys at Tech Line at PRI occasionally, and I know they do private label for some big piston mfg'ers.
 
I ran SKUSA sprint stock honda shifter rules where the 99 or 2001 stock nikasil cylinders where the rule. They are aluminum coated cylinders ran with stock none coated factory honda pistons. No cast iron or sleeves involved which gives very good wear, you only had to replace the piston to keep them fresh while keeping the spec stock bore size. I think aluminum Porsche cylinders are this way as well as many bikes and snowmobiles.
I shelved my blockzilla project for now, yet I also was thinking that if I had it coated I would see if they would also coat the aluminum lifter guides instead of installing guides.
 
The old chromed pistons years ago would always scuff the cylinder. A friend told me to get a buffer pad and some chrome polish. I buffed them out and no more scuffing.
 
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