[Branyers]

My 124SE has just turned 3500 street miles. I would like to rebuild her this winter and stuff a high compression piston in there.



My question is, has anyone honed one of these nikasil cylinders before? I just want to deglaze it and remove as little material as possible. I've heard you can use a scotch brite pad, but that seems like cutting corners. I've also heard that nikasil doesn't wear, and that honing isn't necessary...just install new rings and go.



Any experts here on what I should do?

 

[JohnnyB]

I could be wrong ?? But ..., can you even hone nickasil cyls ??

 

[fiddy4ever]

Ive always used scotch bright on my cylinders and never had a problem

 

[Branyers]

I tore it down, and to my amazement, the cylinder still had all the crosshatching. I didn't see any need to hone it, so I just ran some red scotch brite over it to remove the little bit of glazing I did see. Installed the new rings and all of the compression is still there. Hope the new rings seat correctly.



The nikasil lining on these cylinders is a little over 1mm thick. I've heard you need to run a diamond hone through it to completely restore the original pattern. But I think it would remove a little too much material. A ball hone or scotch brite seems to be enough to get rid of glazing.

 

[mutinytattoo]

I tore it down, and to my amazement, the cylinder still had all the crosshatching. I didn't see any need to hone it, so I just ran some red scotch brite over it to remove the little bit of glazing I did see. Installed the new rings and all of the compression is still there. Hope the new rings seat correctly.



The nikasil lining on these cylinders is a little over 1mm thick. I've heard you need to run a diamond hone through it to completely restore the original pattern. But I think it would remove a little too much material. A ball hone or scotch brite seems to be enough to get rid of glazing.

high compression piston is the only piston they sell for a se124

 

[knucklehead459]

dont hone it ...only scotch brite..

 

[Branyers]

high compression piston is the only piston they sell for a se124

CHP was selling a special, even higher compression piston for the 124SE for awhile. They've removed it from their website though. Wonder why.

 

[Branyers]

Here it is...

 

[dood]

Nikasil is a propiertary name from Honda. The hard surface plating of other manufactures is close in design ( Honda puts patents on everything they do including even their logo).

Plated cylinders don't wear out, but the pistons do. I've balled honed tons of plated cylinders ( with plenty of lube ) just to deglaze and remove any unwanted carbon build up at the top of the bore.

Every engine builder has their own ways of doing things but in my 20 plus years of building engines. I have never had an issue with doing this.

 

[tntkeeth]

hello everyone. my son races a honda atv we have the ultra 124se head with 54 bore and stroke. the intake valve after approx 6 to 8 hours of racing is worn bad. it is sucking up into the port. is this normal? i am new to this site, and the post above about 3500 miles blows my mind. if we can only get 6 hours what is the deal?

 

[dood]

hello everyone. my son races a honda atv we have the ultra 124se head with 54 bore and stroke. the intake valve after approx 6 to 8 hours of racing is worn bad. it is sucking up into the port. is this normal? i am new to this site, and the post above about 3500 miles blows my mind. if we can only get 6 hours what is the deal?

You may have bad valve springs. If the spring isn't controlling the valve it will bounce creating premature wear on the valve.

Also over revving your engine constantly will do the same thing.

 

[tntkeeth]

springs were new as was everything else. i have a helmet camera on him when he is racing he is not over reving the engine, infact he dogs it if anything.

 

[JohnnyB]

Unleaded fuels ??

 

[tntkeeth]

vp 4.4 fuel

 

[dood]

I've seen from just about all the manufactures where their valves last almost forever and some that get a few weekends out of them.

Whether you spend the dollars on top shelf items or go with budget, sometimes you never know what you get.

Even multi million dollar F1 engines blow up.

Or $200K drag race engines don't last forever.