2.2 E P&C's

[Halm]

I am probably going to do a full rebuild of my 2.2 E. Looking at our sponser's web site, P&C's for the 2.2 E are NLA. Where else should I look? I know JE makes pistons, what about cylinders? If so, are they a good alternative? Also, did I read that Mahle now offers replacement cylinders only?

[Tyson Schmidt]

Since your 2.2 cylinders are biral, (aluminum fins with a cast iron liner) they can be bored to the next oversize. Then you can buy some J&E pistons of the proper size and whatever compression ratio you want.

[Wayne 962]

Indeed, if the original ones are NLA, then that is what I would recommend. I think that Mahle now has Nikasil 2.2s, but I'm not 100% sure...

If the 'S' pistons are available, you can have your cams reground to 'S'-spec and they should work okay. For the whole package, perhaps a recal of the pump and distributor?

-Wayne

[BK911]

You could have the ring lands machined to accept thicker rings. But to do this your cylinders would have to be within spec. Most engines I have seen with the top ring land out of spec, the cylinders were also out of spec. Usually oval.

[Wayne 962]

Right - machining the the ring grooves is a band-aid approach that only really compensates for one area of wear. You're living on borrowed time if you machine the ring grooves...

-Wayne

[jluetjen]

If the 'S' pistons are available, you can have your cams reground to 'S'-spec and they should work okay. For the whole package, perhaps a recal of the pump and distributor?

If "S" pistons are available, just use them. They'll work great with E cams. That's what's in my 2.0E.

[michel richard]

I can confirm that 2.2 E cylinders can be purchased in nikasil, that's what I got second hand from Brian Kolar last year ("BK 911"). Make sure you know what you have because the rings will need to be different, depending on whether you have Biral or Nikasil. If the cylinders are the former, you might be able to have them re-honed. If they are the latter, they are probably still good: nikasil is just about bullet proof.

Note to Brian: engine is running strong !

Michel Richard

[Scott Clarke]

If nikasil cylinders are used, consider modifying the case by having piston squirters installed, as nikasil clyinders were never intended for use without the squirters.

[BK911]

Sorry Wayne, I am going to have to disagree with you. If the only thing that is out of spec is the top ring land, then machining the top ring land is perfectly acceptable. Definitely in a street engine. The only thing it does is add some friction so you loose fractional HP. Rings are available in virtually any thickness. If you machine <.001" off the ring land and get rings to fit within ~.003" clearance, the pistons will last as long as new ones.

I believe the top ring on the 2.2's are 1.5mm. Some Porsche engines had 2mm top rings.

But as I said earlier, if your top ring land is out of spec, most likely your cyllinders are oval too. Everything has to be mic'd.

[Wayne 962]

Machining the ring grooves will work if everything else is in spec. However, nine times out of ten, if your pistons are worn, then there are other wear problems as well.

-Wayne