Steel-Sleeved Bore

[Kawasakifreak]

Hi,

I'm thinking about buying a KX500 which the owner states has been re-bored and a steel sleeve/liner pressed in a few years ago - it's running on it's 2nd standard piston & rings.

Is the seller hiding more serious damage to the engine which prevented him re-boring using Nikosil ?

Also, does a steel liner remove heat from the bore area as efficiently as Nikosil ?  Could steel liners increase the potential for piston seizures ?

Any advice greatfully received.

Cheers.

[Polar-Bus]

Hi,

I'm thinking about buying a KX500 which the owner states has been re-bored and a steel sleeve/liner pressed in a few years ago - it's running on it's 2nd standard piston & rings.

Is the seller hiding more serious damage to the engine which prevented him re-boring using Nikosil ?

Also, does a steel liner remove heat from the bore area as efficiently as Nikosil ?  Could steel liners increase the potential for piston seizures ?

Any advice greatfully received.

Cheers.

This is new to me... a "steel" liner ? To my knowledge all "pressed in" replacement liners are fabricated from Cast Iron ?

[BDI]

The biggest diff is the warm up time. If your bike has a sleeve in it you have to let it warm up good before you ride it do to the diff expansion rates of the sleeve and piston or the bike will cold seize.

[Hillclimb#42]

Most people generally put a sleeve in because its cheaper. Most cylinders can be repaired and re-nikosil plated, but costs more. Nikosil lasts longer and disipates heat better. Using nikosil also has the advantage of using stock piston and rebuild kits. Hondas use sleeves and can be bored to correct imperfections, but have the over bore piston sizes readily available. Not sure how you get over bore Kawi pistons. I'm sure its being done, and would be what you need, if its already on the second set of piston and rings in that sleeve. The sleeve vs nikosil has been discussed at length on here in the past. ( Search function) From what I remember, the nikosil cylinders let you have a tighter tolerance between piston and cylinder, where the sleeved cylinders need a little more room for expansion/contraction, which should be fine as far as seizures, as long as the shop goes by the proper clearances.

[BDI]

You have to let a sleeved bike warm up good no matter the machine work, if you don't you will scuff the piston. You are right about the search function, there is enough info on here about sleeves to choke a horse.

[sandblaster]

Most people generally put a sleeve in because its cheaper. Most cylinders can be repaired and re-nikosil plated, but costs more. Nikosil lasts longer and disipates heat better. Using nikosil also has the advantage of using stock piston and rebuild kits. Hondas use sleeves and can be bored to correct imperfections, but have the over bore piston sizes readily available. Not sure how you get over bore Kawi pistons. I'm sure its being done, and would be what you need, if its already on the second set of piston and rings in that sleeve. The sleeve vs nikosil has been discussed at length on here in the past. ( Search function) From what I remember, the nikosil cylinders let you have a tighter tolerance between piston and cylinder, where the sleeved cylinders need a little more room for expansion/contraction, which should be fine as far as seizures, as long as the shop goes by the proper clearances.

+1
We disassemble several dirt bikes every week.
From what I have seen, plated cylinders last longer and provide better cooling.
It is common to see scuffed up cylinders and pistons in a sleeved application, whereas plated cylinders have a much smaller incident of galling and scuffing.

[Kawasakifreak]

Thanks for the advice folks - that's made up my mind - think I'll pass on this example !! 

[seff23]

I've used a sleeved cylinder before and never had a problem. if the rest of the bike looks good and the price is right I'd buy it, but that's me

[kaw rider]

poor cooling system and iron sleeve= alot of piston clearance.
great cooling system and aluminum cylinder= very little piston clearance.
great cooling system and iron sleeve= alittle more piston clearance.

[JohnJr]

Hello, Ihave an 2001 KX-5OO, I have the sleave in my bike with a Wiesco Std. piston,V-Force reeds, stock jetting, 40:1 Blenzoil Premix, to me it runs the same as a Nicasil cylinder, it was CHEAPER that way,Just let it warm up and you wont have any problems,YOU CAN WAIT FOR IT TO WARM UP A LITTLE BIT,just try to hold on to it!!!!Have fun My friend

[Polar-Bus]

The generall rule of thumb is that cast OEM pistons residing in a nikasil cyl are fitted with a tighter piston to wall clearence. Cast pistons expand less than forged. Cast pistons require slighty less warmup regiment. Forged psitons are "supposidly" stonger and better suited to high performace applications, BUT forged pistons expand differently than cast, therefore require a greater piston to cyl clearence spec. Re-borable iron liners are nice if you think you will be blowing top ends on a re-occuring basis, all's you do is sieze, re-bore, slap in an oversize psiton, and you are good to go... 

I ran a LA Sleeve/ Wiseco kit on my '84 KX125, and had NOTHING but problems, but that was also 26 years ago, and also at the mercy of the quality of the machinist that did the sleeve job back then. I have stuck with OEM cast and OEM plated cylinders for the past 25 years and never lost a top end thus far...