QSC Nikasil coated cylinder liners

[phil53chevy]

Anyone used them? will they work with stock, forged 996 pistons ? any experiences with these is appreciated

special machining requirements ? I have d chunk in cyl 1 and 4.

[logray]

I have not heard of QSC. Do you have any links to share?

Is there a reason you are not considering LNE's offering which includes the cylinders and new pistons?

[phil53chevy]

Here's the link: http://www.qscusa.com/

why would I consider ? only $468 per set !! L and N is very proud of their "nickies" liners. search under ebay motors for:

Porsche 996 95.5mm water cooled cylinders set

Machining is the question I would have and will cast iron cool well enough ? tolerences to install?

sealing surface at base, etc.

Maybe L and N and will send me there specs , haahaha

[logray]

This one?

"95.5mm 996 Porsche water cooled cylinder set"

95.5mm is not the stock bore size (96mm is for the 996), so you would need both new custom pistons as well as rings.

You also have to pay for the machining to bore the old cylinders out and have the new ones installed. LNE has a plating process on top of that.

So lets say you can get new custom pistons and rings for $1500, the cylinders for $500, and then say $1000 for the machining? That's only $1k less than the LNE offering.

There are a few threads on rennlist doubting the cooling and long lasting capabilities of cast iron although apparently there are a couple cars on the road and at least one company doing it (although why would someone really consider doing that versus paying only another $500-$1000 for the superior LNE offering?).

If you are after a runner, just buy a used running engine. They can be had for $5k - $8k range and all you have to do is bolt it up.

Edited April 24, 2012 by logray

[phil53chevy]

thanks for the input. still on a mission to rebuild cheap cheap. used motors are no fun.

cheap may not be possible either !

[logray]

If I were doing this on the cheap, I wouldn't be afraid of a used motor personally.

A rebuild where you are cutting too many corners is going to cost about the same, and since you are cutting corners, you could encounter a problem sooner than if you had done it the right way in the first place (read, $$$$$$).

Weighing the two options, think about it this way, the used engine has already put in XXXXXX miles and may not have been opened and could provide another XXXXXX trouble free miles.

Whereas what you are trying to rebuild has encountered a big problem, which to make it right again could cost more in parts, machining, and labor to return it to the condition of a good used engine (albeit it might have some new parts inside).

[JFP in PA]

thanks for the input. still on a mission to rebuild cheap cheap. used motors are no fun.

cheap may not be possible either !

Some words cannot possibly be used in the same sentence; "cheap rebuild" and "Porsche" is one example.........

[dcdrechsel]

Don't know anything about QSC .Suggest you contact EBS Racing.com .They should be able to provide some options .One of the expensive parts are piston rings and I think they have a US source .Another option is LA Sleeve -last time I checked they were quoting 1500 for cast iron sleeves -installed -decked and matched to your pistons .This issue of sleeves is very controversial -some say cast iron is fine and others say LNE is the only way to go .If mine blows I'll go with cast iron .

[logray]

In the UK Autofarm and Hartech are doing things that aren't yet available in the US.

Autofarm will exchange your bad crankcase with one that has been updated with nikasil sleeves (silsleeve product similar to nickies) and at standard capacity so you can use standard pistons. They also throw in rings for about $3800 OTD. This is a very good option and price if you ask me and I probably would have done this for my rebuild had it been available in the USA.

IIRC Hartech can sleeve only the busted cyliners and will provide weight matched piston for the overbore... which would by far be the least expnesive route. They can also do the more expensive options.

In the USA there is also SSI Performance who will do CI replacement.

I consiered CI for my rebuild, but when you add in all the shipping, cost for pistons, rings, machining, etc. it wasn't much of a savings vs. the superior LNE option.

If you plan to reuse your existing pistons and can get a cheap set of rings, then CI might be the cheapest route, but there is not a lot of data whether it works well or not. If you had a D-chunk failure, I would question if the pistons are fit for re-use.

There have been a few people that come along and say they will rebuild the entire motor for 3 or $4k and have it last a long time. Then we never hear from them again.

Go up to ebay and search for motor meister IIRC ? They claim to "rebuild" your engine for about $5000. Of course, that's if it was running fine before you send it to them. Anyhow, I'm not sure if was taken down but basically it was a total scam... there was a post here not too many months ago detailing all of the shortcuts they take.

[phillipj]

Yikes! Motor Meister... Right up there with Vivid Racing and Fabian Roock on the "Most hated list",,,

[phil53chevy]

thanks all for the input. $8000 fo a '99 996 with slipped sleeve seemed a bargain..just repair like all the other motors in my life. ....I am finding that not to be the case.live and learn. very fascinaiting engine though. low weight components of aluminun alloy bolted to a "boat anchor" of a carrier bearing. very efficient BUT, it all has to operate within close tolerences to work properly and survive. I may very well choose the L&N route as it is my first porsche boxer motor and, as many of you have said, youshouldnt spend 6k on parts and cheap out the other 1500 by reusing easily repalcaeable parts while it is all apart. I am guessestimating taht i can get cases , machine work, parts and etc all doen in the 7-8 k range if i am careful. True or false ?

[logray]

I think you could do the LNE option responsibly for 8-10k as a DIY, but closer to the 10k mark.

Remember there are also many custom tools you either have to purchase, rent, or fabricate.

[ledson]

I went the LN route for my track car due to throwing a rod. After 6 months, I threw another rod due to oil starvation issues. Mind you, this had nothing to do with LN's machining, but rather my suspension setup which pulled too much G's in the corners for the stock engine oiling.

I would like to point out that the LN sleeves held up like champs, and I only had to replace the broken rod. (When I had done the original LN job, I had put a rod through the original sleeves and case, so had to source a new case)

All that to say, I couldn't be happier with the LN job, Charles is very easy to work with and definitely knows his stuff.

[logray]

+1, still very happy with my setup and after 3000 miles it's still running like a champ!