2001 rmk 700 - are stock cylinders nikasil? To hone or not to hone?

[kdecelles]

Background: 2001 rmk 700 currently in tear-down due to piston failure on mag side. Cylinders are polaris 5131824 (original part number) and are in good shape considering. I've searched and searched and googled everywhere but cannot find anywhere where it says whether these are nikasil plated, or plated with something else.

I'm trying to figure out how/if to hone these. This in itself seems to be a holy war. Hone. Don't hone. Always Hone. Never hone.

Questions: What are these plated with -- assuming stock, and what is the advice on honing? Finger hone? ball hone? brush hone? scotchbrite? emery cloth? wipe and go?

thanks in advance.

 

[meatbag]

Post a top view pic of the cylinder. You can usually see the steel liner if there is one. If it's steel liner then hone it out with a silicone carbide hone(if you have one) or break the glaze with whatever you might have that'll work, or rebore it if it needs.

If it's plated use a aluminum oxide ball(I contacted engine hone manufacturer's about this yrs ago) that'll break the glaze/clean it up. a few seconds with a good lube is all it takes. This works better than other stuff and the aluminum isn't hard enough to do any damage compared to the silicon carbide hone that is far more aggressive.(it can be used but be careful). This is what a very large maker of cylinder hones recommended to me.

 

[kdecelles]

I'll post pics tomorrow, but assuming it is stock, what would have been the standard offering in 2001?

 

[meatbag]

According to L.A. Sleeves chart it was a coated cylinder. But I definitely would double check it.

 

[Clode]

They are nickasil, if they look good don't touch them

 

[TROLLCAT]

They are nickasil, if they look good don't touch them

what he said IMO is the right answer and is what have learned from some where a long time ago