Riad

Taking the bus?

Blackness

Here's a document from KS ATAG on casting aluminum blocks. Maybe this will help in understanding the difference between a sleeved block and a lining.

http://www.kspg-ag.de/pdfdoc/kspg_pr..._casting_e.pdf

redridge

Good post... I would have to say, based on that excellent attachment Blackness posted... page 7. I believe Streather and Paul Frehre is correct on the topic of Locasil and that the cylinder is bored for finer tolerances. It is indeed a silicon enriched sleeve but after the casting process, the block and the cylinder is one of the same but the cylinder having local silicon in place of the cylinder walls.

pl

guess i will get on the same bus soon.
feel not much to say here nowadays.

htny

I'll hope to summarize a little here:

As many of us have read, the Loksail process is an integral silicon matrix, and the way in which it deposits silicon is sacrificial. Most importantly, I think a lot of people are wondering if there is a flaw in the process.

I'm no materials scientist, but I've hired enough consultants over the years on materials issues to know that the introduction of an innovative process such as this, where many different materials are required to integrate, in some parts at a molecular level, will have a ramp in quality. Nothing I or anyone else can say will really make a difference in the way people who are worried about this sleep at night, only a quality warranty will. We wouldn't even trust a statement from Porsche at this point, unless it contained statistics. If you're sufficiently worried, purchase insurance ASAP. Sleep is good.

With regard to the economics, I think we can all agree that Porsche c.1994 was a very different place, as was cylinder liner technology (which is as old as the use of aluminum). Nikasil didn't do well in the American market due to sulfur content of fuel, and Porsche used a lot of Nikasil back in the day. Alusil, the most widely recognized "fix" for the Nikasil "problem", was expensive. A less expensive solution was invented in Lokasil, although it required more advanced manufacturing processes and hadn't been implemented in any volume production. There were obviously some hiccups in the beginning with the whole casting process, porosity of blocks/cases is evidence of that. None of us can conclusively say that the incidence of cracked cylinders has declined over the years, nor can we say that it has increased. Having no data of any statistical relevance, I feel that we can only survey the available options for remedying the situation:

1. replacement engine
a. Sourced from Porsche
b. Sourced from Secondary market (rebuilders, breakers, Autofarm)

2. rebuild existing engine
a. re-sleeve (LN Engineering, ?Autofarm)

If you haven't already, Please review the link I posted last week about the other sleever:
http://www.lnengineering.com/boxster.html

Mfletch

HT, thanks for posting that link. It looks like a viable option for those needing a new engine. I would rather go with a larger displacement, blueprinted engine if I was faced with a "blown engine". A few extra ponies would ease the pain, just a little.

htny

totally with you, I'd love to hotrod it if it ever broke and I had tto foot the bill. I'd go all the way out to 4000cc, by my back of the envelope math that's 5mm more bore than stock 3.6 (I only have dimensions for 3.6 turbo motor handy, so if someone posts the dimensions for 3.6L M96 i'll spit out the numbers for the real deal). LN Engineering doesn't charge extra for overbore applications, and they include nice pistons too if desired. Of course we'd have to find local shops willing to do the actual work, but I think with someone on our side of the pond acting as a service bureau for sleeving it will make life easier. It would have to be substantially cheaper than an M97/01S swap to make sense financially though.

There is an LN Engineering rep on this site, his info in the previous thread, I'll invite him to take a look at all this.
https://rennlist.com/forums/showpost...8&postcount=28

Blueprinting implies someone outside of Porsche actually has the exact design spec, and given all the cloak and dagger stuff you read about with them and the M96, who knows if that's the case.

htny

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...16#post5391116

Charles Navarro

I just made two posts on the other relevant thread:

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...=1#post5391202

I'm not a rep, but the rep for LN Engineering. If any of you guys are from the aircooled side of things, you'll probably know who I am. I am LN Engineering, for the most part anyways, and who everyone deals with. My wife does the engineering and I have a whole shop full of guys that I work with on everything from the aircooled cylinders to rods and tons of private label stuff we do for other shops.

After reading the other post, I'm very accessible, either by email, forums, or the phone (815-472-2939), I'm usually available during normal business hours for questions and the like.