Chromed Cylinder ????

[acecarlos]

Comments & Questions:

Originally saw this done by BDTM (Bad Dog Toys Motorsports) on a few Banshee & 250R's Drag Quads back on the East Coast 2-3 years ago...

Had my engine rebuilt by BDT Motorsports in early 2009 (Bad Dog Toys Motorsports). My cylinder was on its last leg, grooved, little or no compression. BDT bored, honed and Hard Chromed the cylinder, matched a Wiseco Piston and BDTM custom made plated rings (BDTM has full machine shop)...motor runs stronger than ever, awesome compression. Had lots of 250R's, this one is at the top of the power output list for a 250cc displacement.

Question: is anyone else running Hard Chromed Cylinders? I have been told by the owner of BDTM they will outlast anything else, any comments based on experience or knowledge? Looking at my piston and rings shows NO wear, lines or grove…
Saving my 250R cylinder, honed, chromed, custom rings came to +$650...not inexpensive, however; worth every penny to date for performance and longevity.

Carlos.

[glamy]

When you say hard chrome is that the inside walls chrome or out? How much time are you getting out of a topend?

[acecarlos]

The cylinder was at 67.5mm, BDTM bored, honed and Hard Chrome plated the inside diameter of the cylinder and honed again after the Hard Chrome plating.

The piston is a Wiseco 68mm, with custom made rings (special material and plating) by BDTM. This is the same set up I was privileged to seeing back east during a few drag events including banshee’s and TRX250R’s 2-3 years ago. The inside cylinder walls look like art work, nothing like a stock cylinder; just awesome. As far as time on the build goes; it is about a year old, a dozen trips to the sand, mostly hill racing and dunning. I did take the head off 3-4 weeks ago and the cylinder walls look like a mirror, NO surface scratches, and looks very different than a stock cylinder.

BDTM told me the cylinder will almost last forever unless a major catastrophe occurs to the top end. The expected life of the piston & rings is 2-3 times normal even in harsh situations like drag racing. I was told I would be replacing rings and possibly a piston only, and that the cylinder was go to go for a long time…
It seems to me, while initially expensive, it is well worth the cost if it works. Also, when your cylinder is on its second to last or last bore, getting it to last a few more years seems like a win-win…

My question is has anyone else run Hard Chromed cylinders with matched piston and rings? I am curious how common or uncommon this procedure might be. I know in alcohol fuel drags, it is used by some of the top teams…

Carlos.

[SandPsycho]

Never heard of hard chrome plating, got pics? Is it as hard as Nikkasil?

[Mrs. Senator]

Originally Posted by SandPsycho

Never heard of hard chrome plating, got pics? Is it as hard as Nikkasil?

According to the Rockwell C hardness scale, Nikasil has a hardness rating of 58. On the same scale, a dense chromium coating marketed as Armoloy® (which I think may be what Ace has in his 250R?) measures 78.

[dunedog]

Dam! a chick that knows about plating and cylinders , I like it .

[Senator]

Yeah. I have engineering in my background and after years of engaging my wife in conversations that she was, I am sure, initially reluctant to be involved in, I suppose that's the result. Her intellect and resourcefulness continue to shine in even the smartest of crowds.