Stainless Steel cylinder liner.

[Alyn Foundry]

I’m asking if any of the IC engine builders have tried using seamless stainless Steel tube as an alternative to cast Iron for cylinder liners?

I was thinking about using this for my latest model oil engine. The piston will be made of cast Iron and I intend to use Viton O rings in place of cast Iron piston rings.  The cylinder is water cooled. The liner will be glued into the cylinder casting. The tube will be cross honed in the usual manner.

  Graham.

[Jasonb]

Not tried it myself. Though I have toyed with the idea of using honed hydraulic tube but not easy to find short lengths

[Roger B]

A difficult question  I have used CI and brass for cylinder liners. What benefits are you thinking of by using SS tube?

[Jo]

Its not truly round  so you will need to machine it round once it is place

Jo

[Jasonb]

Jo was that the stainless "exhaust tube" you used that was not round, this is thicker walled seamless stuff Graham is talking about

[Jo]

Exhaust tube is welded. This was some thicker seamless I brought for the Henrici, it was supposedly round, it was not 

Jo

[gldavison]

I sleeved my snow engine several years ago with a section of 1 in id seamless stainless steel tubing. I trued the OD of the tubing and then bored the cylinders for press-fit. Then bored the  id to 1-1/16. By the way I am using o rings for piston rings and it still runs good.

Gary

[Alyn Foundry]

Good morning folks.

Thanks for the response to my question.

Roger.
The reasons for trying this approach are both time and cost related. I’ve attached a picture of the machined liner that I managed to scrape from a casting for my Hornsby Akryod project. Probably cast some 20+ years ago. A real testament to the foundry, perfect in every way. However, it took around 3 hours to get it to that point, partially due to the fact that the finished bore diameter wasn’t anywhere near the 1-3/4” diameter of this one! These days time for me is rather precious as I have my duty of care and a household to run.

Jo.
I’m lucky to have a bespoke exhaust manufacturer on my doorstep they carry an immense stock of quality stainless Steel tube and happy to sell me off cuts. I’m hoping that my Delapena hone will sort out any irregularities on the inside.

Gary.
Thanks for your feedback, it’s reassuring to know that this material will work and that you used O rings too.

I would certainly appreciate other responses to this subject but I’m guessing it’s a rather niche topic and not been tried.
Thanks to Gary I will be trying this out with the prototype as the savings in resources, energy and time will be very useful.

   Graham.

[Jasonb]

Graham, interesting that your exhaust fabricator uses seamless, most I have seen has a seam.

I was thinking more along the lines of this tube which has a thicker wall and is more consistant, you would also have sufficient thickness for a skim of teh inside if needed and to produce any lip at the head end

[Alyn Foundry]

Hi Jason.

For the sake of 15 Squid per meter, I’ll take a punt. The gentleman assured me over the telephone it was seamless. Needless to say I might have a finished cylinder liner by suppertime.

I’m wondering if I shall need to allow for expansion of the liner? Perhaps a small O ring placed in the cylinder mouth would be prudent? Obviously the front end would be glued in.

 

[Alyn Foundry]

Bad news….

Their tube was welded seam. Luckily I asked again just before they cut me a piece.

But at least all the patterns are now finished for the 1/3rd scale Robinson Oil engine….

 

[Jasonb]

Will you be casting a piston and the disc that is used for the eccentric?

[Alyn Foundry]

Indeed we will Jason.

The Aluminium piston and cylinder liner patterns are to the right hand side of the bed pattern. But new core boxes are needed. I have already got a decent stock of epicyclic gearbox blanks on stock.

 

[Jasonb]

Does the new foundry have any standard round cores? might save you having to make a box, just the pattern for the liner with prints to suit what they have.