Tecate cylinder

[dirtface]

Would someone please explain the tecate cylinders to me? Why can't they be bored? Why can't you bore the nikasil coating out and use the metal behind it? Can you buy new sleeves, and is that the way to go? I have been a Honda man for 20 years, and now I'm building a tecate. Any help appreciated, thanks.

[350Xhilaration]

I don't know all of the details, but you can sleeve them. I think you can bore them and nikasil the new metal; I hear it's pretty expensive though. (someone correct me if I'm wrong) I'm certain they can be sleeved.

I'm sure someone can give you a definite with a good explanation here. If not try www.kawieriders.com or http://tecateconnection.com/ Cory Sprock started his website up again from what I hear.

[dirtface]

Anyone have a website or some place you can order a cylinder sleeve? They are not listed in Dennis Kirk anymore or James Lucky. One more Question, Is the steel soft under the nikasil lining, is that why you can't machine the nikasil out and use the metal under it? Can't buy a piston that size?

[BigGreenMachine]

The cylinder is aluminum, the soft aluminum would never hold up to the hard steel piston rings. Boring the cylinder and having the cylinder replated would be the way to go. Get on Tecate connection and check out the 300 cc kit from Sprock racing, they give you an already Nikisel lined cylinder and everything needed to do a rebuild on the topend for like $600 Nice kit. Any major bike shop should be able to bore and sleeve your cylinder which is the route I have taken. Lets you cheaply rebuild the motor like any other iron lined cylinder.

[TRITecate350]

Buy an oversized tecate piston, and ship it to US Chrome to nikisiled. Piston is like 90, nikisiling is like $200, gaskets are $30 and you are set. Then when you rebuild you can just replace the piston and not worry about boring it out all the time. Plus the nikisil runs cooler, increases lubercation, revs quicker, and lasts longer. Your trike is like 20yr old, and still on original plated bore... You can buy just a big bore kit off of tecateconnection.com w/out billet head for like $400-500 also.