Mahle cylinder boring

[Bsherrard]

Anyone know a shop that can bore my original German Mahle cylinders to 96mm?? Not having any luck finding a place.

[Piledriver]

European Motor Works or RIMCO.
Getting them packaged right is most of the battle.

Be aware you are not saving money going down that path, the new EMW jugs are also not bad from all accounts.
The potential advantage is the heat cycled/aged jugs should stay round better, as well as wear better..

Also note most motorcycle shops can bore/hone free standing iron jugs, or know a machine shop that can.

[Bsherrard]

Piledriver,
I will check with EMW and RIMCO. Thanks.
Good thought on the bike shops, didn't think of that.
Brook

[Bsherrard]

Just a quick follow up. Neither EMW or RIMCO would do the cylinder boring. There is a local shop that does jet ski and motorcycles but they wouldn't do them either. Finally found a machine shop that will do them, they have done them in the past but it was a long time ago. They are going to have to fabricate a thrust plate to do the job. We will see how they turn out - might end up just going with the Chinese junk!
This is just crazy - I bet 20 years ago this was an everyday procedure!
Brook

[sideshow]

Wow, I kinda expected RIMCO to fall off the planet due to all the in-house skill lost over the last few moves.
I also thought this was still a common procedure especially in the bike crowd.

So I guess it is just a matter of hours before the only person on the planet that can afford to repair a car will be Jay Leno.

[H2OSB]

I have a set of those cylinders and considered both boring the 94s to 96s, and finding workable 94s for the 66mm crank(T1Cs...i think that's what it is), but in the end with Pile's good advice and considering the fact I'm a cheap ass, I decided to hold off to get set of EMW 96 Ps&Cs. Glad I waited...I ended up acquiring a 71mm crank when my son gave up on his T4 dreams.

H2OSB

[Bsherrard]

I may end up going that route if the boring doesn't work out. I really prefer to keep the German Mahle's - they are nice cylinders!
I guess I could always splurge on Nickies, I mean hey...their only $2,760!!
Brook

[raygreenwood]

Call Roy at Mofoco. He may not be a type 4 full time mechanic.....but I will wager he has tools and experience including torque plates to hone cylinders.
Ray

[Bsherrard]

Ray -
thanks for the suggestion. I did find a local machine shop here in Orlando that is going to bore them. They don't specialize in air cooled so I am hoping for the best. I just got back from Germany - maybe I should have taken them over there and tried to get them done:)
Brook.

[raygreenwood]

The problems you are finding is why I cringe at the habits from the past 40 years...of simply removing worn out...but unbroken cylinders and throwing them in the trash. It was always said that re-boring was not cost effective.

Now...we have problems finding good cylinder castings.....and re-boring may now be the best option....but everyone threw away the castings. The real deal is making sure you have a torque plate on the machine that fits your cylinders. Ray

[Bsherrard]

Cylinders back from machine shop and look good and after all the waiting, it only cost $160.

[Bsherrard]

thought I would update and close out this thread. As I mentioned, I was able to get my cylinders bored out by Revmasters Machine Shop in Orlando. They came out great. Here are some pictures after I cleaned them, media blasted the fins and painted with Rustoleum flat black thinned 20% with mineral spirits. So much better than what I can buy new (except of course Nickies which are in a league and price range all their own).

cylinders 2.jpg

Cylinders 1.jpg

Brook