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Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 1:39 am
by byron
El__burro wrote:...is the aluminium one that bad for £75?
I am not sure if it's a Nikasill plated.
unlikely, it may well be a steel lined one that could need some port tidying to work. see some photos at least before parting with your money
Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:26 pm
by El__burro
Too late
I've agreed to buy it,
I'll take some pics as soon as I'll receive it.
Would you be able to tell?
Otherwise I'll send it back
Thanks
El__burro
Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:34 pm
by El__burro
As promised, I've received the barrel today and here are some pictures, please lat me know if it is ok?
I see many grinded part and also some gaps....
Thanks
El__burro
Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:54 pm
by CT.
Give it to Harry Barlow to wave his die grinder over and turn that cow's ear into a silk purse.
I gave him my a rough SR190 cylinder (very similar to the above) and was very pleased with the quality of workmanship, end result and was charged a very reasonable amount too.
Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:29 pm
by J1MS
CT. wrote:Give it to Harry Barlow to wave his die grinder over and turn that cow's ear into a silk purse.
I gave him my a rough SR190 cylinder (very similar to the above) and was very pleased with the quality of workmanship, end result and was charged a very reasonable amount too.
He does tidy these barrels up nicely....

Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:56 am
by CT.
Well I'm very happy. I gave him the cylinder and a tracing of the (opened up) crank case gasket face gasket area and what I got back really was very tidy, the work to the transfers in the cylinder being most apparent.
It's fitted to my SX150 with a clubman, PHBH 28, suzuki piston, mec long rod crank and is very smooth and torquey.
Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:39 pm
by druist
hope this doesnt look like a thread hyjack as i thought this might add to the title but also answer a question i have on the same theme
does anyone have or know about the GT english made iron barrel kit with reed valve? if so, how would you rate over the other options mentioned and 175 - 190 kits about?
http://www.lcgb.co.uk/workshop/bolton.html
Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:43 pm
by coaster
druist wrote:hope this doesnt look like a thread hyjack as i thought this might add to the title but also answer a question i have on the same theme
does anyone have or know about the GT english made iron barrel kit with reed valve? if so, how would you rate over the other options mentioned and 175 - 190 kits about?
http://www.lcgb.co.uk/workshop/bolton.html
That's the GT186 and I seem to remember reading that he isn't making any more when his stock is used up. Generally reconed to be a good kit if you don't mind the carb being on the wrong side.
Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:42 pm
by soulsurfer
coaster wrote:druist wrote:hope this doesnt look like a thread hyjack as i thought this might add to the title but also answer a question i have on the same theme
does anyone have or know about the GT english made iron barrel kit with reed valve? if so, how would you rate over the other options mentioned and 175 - 190 kits about?
http://www.lcgb.co.uk/workshop/bolton.html
That's the GT186 and I seem to remember reading that he isn't making any more when his stock is used up. Generally reconed to be a good kit if you don't mind the carb being on the wrong side.
The carb is on the correct side when using a 25mm Delly/Mikuni 24 and on the other side with a 30mm. It's a well engineered touring spec kit with excellent low down grunt. It's possibly one of the few kits that hasn't gained a bad rep for poor or inconsistent quality, infact I've always heard good press on the quality. It's a shame there won't be any more after this final batch is sold. Also you can ask the creator any questions and he'll always give advice, he comes on here as Rich T.
Re: Cast iron VS Aluminium cylinder
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:03 am
by druist
Colin, pity, looked good on spec with the reed valve, have read they make a big difference - anyone got a reed valve?
if you had a 175 iron some tuning done would it be worth going upto 190cc or wouldnt the gain be that much. Some seem to say 10 - 15mph extra which seems a fair bit. Are any of the low end kits worthwhile if tuned well or is an imola, rapido, mugello type kit needed?