Soenke
Junior Member
Posts: 77
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Post by Soenke on May 6, 2005 11:32:41 GMT -5
Is it possible to chrome a XS motor, I think it could look nice on the cylinder and the top, but I have never seen it done ?
Regards Soenke
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Post by slide on May 6, 2005 13:32:58 GMT -5
The entire XS motor is made of aluminum. As such, you can get it polished to the point that it will be as shiny as chrome. However, the cylinders and head are porous for a reason; the pores trap air/wind and assist in cooling the engine. If you polish these parts you may have an overheating problem that results in a cooked motor. To avoid this, consider having the cylinders painted high heat flat black with just the fin edges polished (Harley) and the head fin edges done the same way. The rocker box cover can be highly polished.
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Post by Diesel on May 6, 2005 19:41:48 GMT -5
As with powder coating I would definitely shy away from chroming the cylinders and heads of any air-cooled motor. There's a reason that show bikes are trailer-queens.  |
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Post by crazypj22 on May 11, 2005 13:31:13 GMT -5
I seem to remember Yamaha two strokes in the early 1970's had matte black cylinders and heads with the edges of the fins polished (RD 200, RD250 etc) I always thought it looked good (even though I didnt like two-strokes)
PJ
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Post by MarksXS on May 11, 2005 16:43:05 GMT -5
I always liked that look so when I was redoing my motor and I shined the fins before I put it back together.. The fins have a point to them so before I painted it I took a file and filed them all flat and the ones that are hard to get to I used a dremel. Then I sprayed it and after it dried I took a file to it again to take the paint off the areas I filed and finished with some fine paper. It looks great I think.
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cswamp1
Full Member
CBR1000,GSXR1100,GS1100E,VFR750,SOHC750chopper,SOHC750dragster,GPZ1100turbo,KZ1000classic,XS650 chop
Posts: 150
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Post by cswamp1 on May 13, 2005 1:34:36 GMT -5
Word to the wise,In the 70's we chromed everything we could.It seems to be coming back but it is not good for engines,particularly aluminum ones.They warped,machine fits don't fit any more ie bearings & seals,and expansion rates of chrome(very little) and aluminum(very large) made them a pain,as well as short lived.If the parts were used at all they absorbed oil or grease voiding any warranty.Even wheel hubs,brake parts,etc. would peel or flake after a year or two.If you must try it,leave seal,bearing,holes for shafts,any threaded holes and such filled or masked so no chrome gets on or in them or you'll have a disaster.
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Post by davidrayner on Jul 9, 2005 5:48:17 GMT -5
Soenke,
Everyone is correct in what they say. Chromium and aluminium are two very dissimilar metals. On something like a brake lever, adhesion is the biggest problem and the chrome will probably peel sooner or later but on a motor (one that will run) you have heat expansion and crital tolerences as well. Also, chrome will reflect heat from whichever side of the part it comes from. On a motor, the heat comes from the inside and will pass through the aluminium to be reflected by the chrome, back through to the inside. If you must have aluminuim plated, electroless nickel is the best. Whilst chrome has a blueish tinge, nickel has a goldish tinge to it. It's used in the aerospace industry and is made for aluminium. However, heat reflection and critical tolerences are still an issue on motors. Incidentally, the best metal to be chromed is brass. Brass and chrome are made for each other (next time you want some billet pegs or whatever made).
Dave R.
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