Hradec

I purchased a 2003 C4S with an engine noise last fall, thought it was a valve train tick, but ended up being cylinder scoring and piston slap

I rebuilt the engine myself last winter . I purchased the LN cylinder ( Nickies) and piston kit(JE ).

The engine was finished by me this past spring. The car was a blast all summer long.

Unfortunately I live in a west suburb of Chicago and we are about to experience single digit and sub zero temps. I am getting the shakes and want to drive my car.

My concern is cylinder scoring. Is the LN cylinders and piston kit I purchased of the appropriate materials and dimensions to prevent cylinder scoring in sub zero Fahrenheit. I really want to drive my car but I dont want to go through the trouble of another rebuild. Once was enough, my wallet cant handle another rebuild.

Thanks
Glenn
2003 C4S 3.6 rebuilt with LN cylinders and JE piston kit

DBJoe996

http://lnengineering.com/resources/2...er-cayman-911/
I think with the materials LN Engineering uses for the sleeves it would solve the bore scoring problem. You might send a message to Charles at LN to get his opinion. Is your car in a climate controlled area or parked outside? The reason for asking is, of course, cold start up temperature. And oil weight appropriate for your temperature range. Definitely start up procedures would make a difference, and initial driving mode while warming up. I never exceed about 3200 RPM until my coolant temp hits 180 and has been there for several minutes, or after several miles of driving.

Macster

For operation in cold temperature which is considered -25C (or colder) Porsche says to use 0w-40 oil.

I do not know what -- if any -- oil recommendation LN has for its cylinders/piston kits/sets for cold temperature operation. You should check with LN.

If it has none my advice would be to follow Porsche guidelines and use an approved 0w-40 oil if ambient temperature where you live/drive will get down to -25C.

Actually I'd be tempted to switch to 0w-40 oil if temperatures were going to dip below 32F and remain below 32F for extended periods of time.

jumper5836

The Nickies are coated with nikiasil and suppose to have greater wear resistance unlike the lokasil. So it should not score.

m3driver

Is that why they call them nickies? I always wondered that

Hradec

Thanks for the tips about the oil, but on the cold end of the thermometer, like our friends in Canada and the midwest experience and elsewhere ( single digit, subzero actual F temp) it is not a lubrication issue, even though that is very important, but it is a lack of clearance issue because of the combination of contraction of the block in the cold and on the start, expansion of the piston that ends up in a clearance problem.

I did some reading and there are some posts around 2014 from Flat 6 that they do ring end gaps with the block and rings in a freezer.

When I called LN then I was at this point of the rebuild I called LN and they reminded me when they sold me the sleeved block and JE piston kit that they were not going to support me because I was not a professional.( I guess being an Cetrified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic doesnt qualify me in the voodoo science of a 996) In the end they did tell me to just set the end gaps at shop temp. I did them at 70F.

Maybe the LN cylinder and piston combination was already engineered and prototyped by freezing and piston size and cylinder size were taken into consideration and standard ring end gaps will be fine at all temps?

anyone in canada or in the midwest that drives their rebuilt 3.6 996 daily in arctic cold that that has LN sleeves and JE /LN supplied pistons.

Call me crazy, but I really want to drive my car even in sub zero F temps. I wan t to turn the key with confidence knowing I will not cause any damage.


Thanks

Glenn

Imo000

Ask LN.

Wear properties of the lining has little to do with scorring. It has to be lack of adequate tolerance.

Arch1t3ct

Scoring should not be an issue - drive the car and enjoy it. That's what you have it for, isn't it?

m3driver

So should we call the OEM cylinders, sickies?

Schnell Gelb

"LN .....reminded me when they sold me the sleeved block and JE piston kit that they were not going to support me because I was not a professional."
Based on many posts by Charles and Jake ,I am sure they would give you a lower temperature limit on operating an M96 with their proprietary products in them.
Compared to the knowledge base at LN on their own products, I doubt many of us should say much on a very technical and obscure subject like this.Me included.

AWDGuy

I am running the 4.0 LNE nickies and was told it would be fine in cold weather. I live in Ottawa, Canada, today it is -25 celcius with wind chill.

I had 2 other cars to equip with winter tires this winter so the pcar didn't see a set of winter rubber this year. I am hoping to throw some at it next year and use it as my year round DD (unless I sell it)

You should rename this thread though, it reads like your LNE nickes have scored due to winter weather.

dporto

No, you should call them Lokies ! 😳😜

LexVan

Is your car in a garage? Throw a 200 watt shop light or 1,500 watt space heater under the oil pan. It's supposed to be -16 on Sunday.

Hradec

awdguy,
Who did assembled your 4.0 engine? was it flat 6 or some other independent garage?
I think what it really comes down to, should I have done my piston ring end gaps with my block and rings in a freeezer or does the engineered LN kit take all expansion coefficients and arctic temps into consideration and standard ring end gaps ( that I used) will be fine?

Hradec

I have a natural gas heater in an isulated harage, brining the temps up for initial start is not a problem, but my destinations will be outside blowing in the wind with no garage, so a very cold sub zero arctic start

Glenn