Originally Posted by
RayA
The nickle plating is softer, and with thinner wall thickness,than chrome plated liners. In most cases nickle plated liners DO wear quicker than the piston. I see it very often. Hope this helps you guys. RayA
Actually, the nickel sleeve is much harder than the piston. It's the piston that wears. The full name for the coating is nickel silicon carbide and it's hard and more abrasive than chrome. It's applied with an electroplating process that's cheaper and has less environmental impact that chrome plating. It was an easier and less expensive alternative than chrome, but as we gained more experience with this coating, it became apparent that it was too hard on the piston. It's OK for engines that run rings because most of the friction and wear is absorbed by the rings, which can be made of ceramic or other incredibly hard materials. RC car engines obviously have no ring, so it's aluminum vs. the cylinder coating, and nickel silicone carbide is too hard on the piston. Here's a little chart to show you the hardness of the typical cylinder surface treatments.
