Meteor cylinder kit platting?

[Bryan Marks]

I recently bought some meteor cylinder kits for some saws at work. I opened the box on a 044 and was cleaning up the intake port. It had a good lip on the bottom. Just a good burr bit. The same one I use on all my cylinders I have ported and boom two big chunks of platting popped off. Same with the transfer port. The tool was spinning at a good speed. I didn’t touch the inside of the cylinder at all. Pictures attached. Has anyone had this issue with meteor cylinders?

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Man that sucks , I doubt that you'll be able to return it after grinding on it.

 

[Bryan Marks]

We’ll I just have to use a single cut bit and diamond. Less aggressive then the double cut burr bits I was using so the cylinder’s I got can still be used.

 

[Ketchup]

Yep. I’ve seen it on every AM jug I’ve tried to grind. The more the plating goes into the chamfers and ports the worse the chips can be. It’s also a problem on the lower cylinder flange. I’ve had so much trouble with aftermarket cylinders I’m not sure if I’ll do another one but my habit now is to grind all plated edges with diamond, then take the meat out with a burr, then blend with the diamond again.
You’re right that single cut and high speed help. Loaded or dull burrs are bad news. The worst spot is the plated chamfering. It’s easy to lift flakes of plating there. Once you get past that to the vertical wall it’s not as bad and little mistakes with the burr may not create flaking. Beware any chips you do take off may raise the plating in that area. You find out when you put the cylinder back on to check numbers or something. I’ve found some nasty scratches on brand new pistons when the jug came back off.

 

[Nutball]

Be mindful of the direction the burr is going. You don't want it to lift the plating, but rather cut it down into the aluminum. Do the same with diamond burrs, fine grit, gentle pressure and low rpm if it is off center in some way that would make it hammer the plating as it spins fast.

 

[ManiacalMark]

We’ll I just have to use a single cut bit and diamond. Less aggressive then the double cut burr bits I was using so the cylinder’s I got can still be used.

I hate double cut burrs unless it’s for steel. Single cut is slower but leaves a better finish and is less grabby.

 

[drf256]

That’s odd. Meteors usually have plating that’s too good.

Definitive Dave had some meteor 046 jugs he gave away because of a flaw in the casting of the intake port. It didn’t extend past the piston skirt, so the jug was usable.

Many of us used these jugs as the basis of ours China 1128 buildoff saws. I had 3 or 4 I gave away after that. The plating was so hard on them that it ruined tooling. It didn’t chip and was nearly impossible to grind.

 

[Darryll]

Ok that confirms it then. I have always liked the plating on Meteor kits. It was tough as kryptonite.

The 372 Hyway kits I got here in NZ were actually something else chines but had good plating but the last one I got was the genuine Hyway. I think Hyway are crap. Anyway I did not look at it in the shop and got it home and even cut the squish band before I noticed a dirty great slot cut around the top of the cylinder. So I phoned them and take it in. They sold Hyway and Meteor given this cylinder was a write off I asked to look the the 50mm Meteor. As far as I could tell it was the exact same kit. It even had the dirty stinkin groove at the top of the cylinder.
It seems to me Meteor have gone to the dark side and just repackaging Hyway crap. All the Chines crap chips the plating. Its OEM all the way now. I did like Meteor but I won't buy another one.

 

[Ketchup]

Ok that confirms it then. I have always liked the plating on Meteor kits. It was tough as kryptonite.

The 372 Hyway kits I got here in NZ were actually something else chines but had good plating but the last one I got was the genuine Hyway. I think Hyway are crap. Anyway I did not look at it in the shop and got it home and even cut the squish band before I noticed a dirty great slot cut around the top of the cylinder. So I phoned them and take it in. They sold Hyway and Meteor given this cylinder was a write off I asked to look the the 50mm Meteor. As far as I could tell it was the exact same kit. It even had the dirty stinkin groove at the top of the cylinder.
It seems to me Meteor have gone to the dark side and just repackaging Hyway crap. All the Chines crap chips the plating. Its OEM all the way now. I did like Meteor but I won't buy another one.

I hate that slot as well.

My buddy took a 372 Highway apart recently. The wrist pin bearings had gone all over. One was still imbedded in the side of the piston, several others fell out when he pulled the jug. Zero damage to the plating even though both sides of the piston had tracks where needle bearings had jammed in the transfer uppers. It wasn’t a Nikasil jug. The plating is hard in Hyway. Brittle, and doesn’t go to the top, but durable in the right circumstances.

 

[Darryll]

Mate I've been there done that. I've failed Chines crap in every possible way you can imagine. As I've got more and more power I got less and less time. It's OEM or nothing from now on, cranks and bottom ends need to be low hour and in good shape and the guys I port for need to know what they are doing. This is all good fun and a hobby for me but I have reworked to many saws over *s-word parts. Fortunately all the guys have been experienced operator's so I've had no trouble there.

All that said those Farmtec jugs are like NZ$40.00 and if you are learning they are a great way to try something new.