Aftermarket Cylinder Kits

[drinner-okc]

Does anyone have any experience with the aftermarket cylinder kits available on E-Bay?
I lost a Spiralock keeper and ruined my rear cylinder. I am using EL cylinders with plates
on a 74 lower end, so 74 cylinders would be an improvement anyway.
I checked the KB, and saw a post where Cotten said some were off-center.
What aftermarket cylinders are quality?
drinner-okc

[FlatHeadSix]

It is nearly impossible to identify the source of the new production cylinder castings. Some of the clones are coming out of molds that were made from OEM parts and will all have the same (old) date code. They even have the Motor Casting Company (MCC) hallmark cast into them (is that legal?). I'm pretty sure that most of them are coming out of India (Eastern).

The problem that Cotten mentioned is that some of them may have experienced "core shift" during production. What this produces is a casting that does not have uniform concentric thickness. The initial cylinder will machine to spec and is perfectly acceptable for use. Subsequent re-bores may, however, cause dangerously thin wall thickness at some point on the circumference, and essentially junk the jug.

I don't have any personal experience with pan cylinders but I did put a set on the wife's servicar. She drives it, hard, and we are not far from you (central Arkansas) so you know what the temperature conditions are in the summer months. They are on the 3rd season and going strong, no complaints.

jmho

mike

[FlatHeadSix]

I just wanted to add that the installation was nearly a bolt-on, no modifiaction or re-work required, operation right out of the box. Cotten's core-shift observation is correct, I mic'ed it before installation and there is a little eccentricity, and the seam line down the external face of the fins does not line up perfectly, but the everything else is absolutely useable and seems to be holding up well.

mike

[joe]

I just went through this myself and, like you, could find no objection from anyone so I bought a set from Triumphwizard on ebay. He advertises that he has been selling this setup for 40 years and he prefits the pistons (does the final honing) so everything is ready to go. Cost is $300 and about $25 for shipping.

He shipped really fast, Everything was packaged perfectly. Everything looks great (I can post photos if you like). The pistons and rings sure look the part...time will tell. I called triumphwizard to ask a question about which piston went where. He was great to talk to and mentioned that he uses a Sunnen hone to fit the cylinders.

All I did was paint them silver.

Joe

[joe]

Let's try some pics

[joe]

Wow those pictures were a little BIG. I will try one last one.

[Cotten]

Mike!

Eastern is not the importer of the India products (Eversure Auto Agency of Delhi), Dixie is.

Of course, Dixie and Eastern are now closely aligned.

The tendency with imported products is that the initial productions are flawed, but soon improve after the first batch has been sold out.

These days, that also applies to some USA manufacturers as well.

....Cotten
PS: Joe!
Hasting Rings has suggested a 60 degree crosshatch for years (with a plateau finish.) Is it just the lighting in the pics?

[Guest]

Cotten!

The crosshatch is there. The flash kinda washed it out in the pics.

BTW I think Truimphwizrad's shop is R&R cycle

Joe

[Cotten]

Joe!

Got a protractor?

It's not a life or death issue of course.
If the crosshatch was nearly flat, or the very hard to achieve opposite, it could be harmful.

Most pro shops pay a lot of attention to the angle of crosshatch, even auto shops.
The distribution of oil from below depends upon it.

State of the art Sunnen machines have it programmed into them, but nearly all vintage honing instruments depend upon the operator.

....Cotten

[john HD]

cotten,

i don't know how good your monitor is. but, before the photos were resized by staff the crosshatch looked pretty good.

i can still see it pretty clearly in his first three photos even after the resize.

john

[awander]

I think Cotten is referring to the ANGLE of the crosshatch that is visible, not whether or not it is there at all.

[Guest]

Joe!

Got a protractor?

It's not a life or death issue of course.
If the crosshatch was nearly flat, or the very hard to achieve opposite, it could be harmful.

Most pro shops pay a lot of attention to the angle of crosshatch, even auto shops.
The distribution of oil from below depends upon it.

State of the art Sunnen machines have it programmed into them, but nearly all vintage honing instruments depend upon the operator.

....Cotten

My vintage honing operation is a berry hone hooked to a 1/2" drill. Like Cotten says, the final finish depends on the operator. The guys that schooled me, most of them now gone, taught me the same way. To achieve a 60 degree cross-hatch your stroke should be relatively fast and uniform. Its a lost art. But I agree, the photos show a nearly horizontal hatch pattern which, according to my mentors, is too tight, and will not provide the desired oil distibution or ring seating effect.

mike

[Cotten]

Mike!

"Flex-Hone" berry-bushes are great for rust removal, and perhaps for the deepest cut before a plateau finish is achieved with a positive-stone hone like a Sunnen, Delapena, Peterson, etc.

But don't tell Hastings that you use one.
They will tell you they are for "stirring paint". And probably void your warranty on their rings as well.

Its all about micro finishes. Ball hones tear instead of cut.

Don't forget that modern rings do not need to be 'seated' or broken in' like they did sixty years ago. Today, if the cylinder is rough enough to wear the thin coating from the edge of the ring, the ring is shot.

You should be able to wipe the bore with a cotton ball and not pull strands from it.

Please remember, the crosshatch is only there to hold and control distribution of oil. Ideally, there will three or four different depths of cut, with the last as fine as Scotchbrite.

....Cotten

[john HD]

hey guys, the reason i asked about cotten's monitor is because i believe i can see quite a distinct cross hatch pattern in the photos posted.

i just highlighted the most obvious ones here. looks pretty close to 60 degrees to my untrained eye.

john

[Cotten]

John!

Please imagine a six-pointed star (like the Star of David, no implications intended) superimposed over your last attachment, and compare the differences
( I haven't the software handy to do so.)

If it seems arbitrary, I agree.

As I posted before: It's not a life or death issue of course.

But that's the industry standard, and for some silly reason, I felt it appropriate to point it out.
It must be the full moon.


....Cotten