I don't know. Kawasaki's KXs and KDX ran Electrofusion. As for durability of PVD, those fork tubes hanging out there in the grime on KTMs. Plus, think about what I was mentioning... Cutting tools with TiN, TiCN, and others. Talk about a tough life to live. Shearing off metal. The coating significantly lengthens the life of the blade, approaching 10 times the life.

The question is how is Kawasaki applying the nicasil? It can be electrofusion, PVD, or chemically plated. They still advertise the electrofusion. like this comment from 2015: "Aluminum cylinders are Electrofusion-plated for light weight, long wear and excellent heat dispersion" - part of the highlights of the Brute Force ATV engine design. I'd venture to say that engine will get some serous abuse.

The question that I haven't seen asked or answered here - what is the material being applied on that 300 cylinder? That could make a difference.

 

Good point and something that I overlooked. The Nissan was using an iron coating on the cylinders. Kawasaki may in fact still be using a PTWA process and simply switched to Nickel Silicon Carbide vs whatever coating they were using prior. For some reason I was equating coating process with coating material which is obviously not the case.

I hope I didn't confuse anyone other than myself.

 

To answer a couple of questions.

I have the 299 kit and today I was gapping the rings. The 1st ring is iron with a dull silver metal on the outside edge. The 2nd is straight iron. The oil control rails are iron with chrome-like edges.

The cylinder wall is magnetic so I suspect that it is the sprayed iron coating.

 

I'm glad someone else here bought one. Let us all know how it turns out! Are you getting OEM gaskets? Or are you using the ones with the kit?

 

I asked this in post #30 of this thread:

 

Using OEM.
I am new at this but my instinct says that the rails are held out too firmly by the expander ring. I can't come close to closing the gap manually. Maybe that is as it should be ,but it makes me nervous to proceed. Maybe someone with more experience could chime in. Couldn't get much about it on Google.

 

Missed the question... apparently the answer to an extent is in a post above - magnetic indicates some kind of iron content.

I would venture to say these cylinders are simply the same part as used on Chinese engines (said Capt. Obvious) and if you read about some of the bikes/ATVs they are fairly decent mechanically. The worst problem with them is no dealership network, second worst is crappy hoses and such. Heck, the good ones are manufacturing models for Japanese companies.

As much as so many complain about dealerships, they seem vital when it comes to parts/service distribution. To editorialize a bit, if everyone starts buying all parts and such on line the dealership network will wither and eventually the Japanese distribution may end up like the Chinese distribution. Only a few sources. There are reasons to support the good dealers... unless one wants to start mail ordering their motorcycles and work with on line service sources.

 

If the piston rings slide into the cylinder while on the piston, it would seem all is good. The gap may not close since they are not compression rings, but rather just scraping oil off the cylinder wall.

Here is a great source for piston ring information, although some of it may be more proprietary than general.

Hastings piston rings

 

Can I ask a stupid question? Why spray a cylinder with an iron substance instead of using a basic steel liner?

And hopefully a not stupid question:
What rings are meant for iron plated cylinders? Would we use rings for standard steel sleeves, or for plated sleeves?

 

While I appreciate people attempting something different, it seems to me that by the time you buy the China 300 cylinder and OEM gaskets that for about $200 more you could get the Bill Blue 351 kit and know you have a quality build. Just my thoughts on it.