2.4 cylinder options

[Phrog]

Hello All:
We are getting ready to rebuild the 2.4 for my vintage race car. I am looking at all possible directions for the jugs and want to make sure I am not missing an option before making my decision. Can you make suggestions for anything from going with my stock steel 84mm cylinders to 85mm Nickies. I am open to any and all possibilities so please all guidance would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Kevin

[Henry Schmidt]

Originally Posted by Phrog

Hello All:
We are getting ready to rebuild the 2.4 for my vintage race car. I am looking at all possible directions for the jugs and want to make sure I am not missing an option before making my decision. Can you make suggestions for anything from going with my stock steel 84mm cylinders to 85mm Nickies. I am open to any and all possibilities so please all guidance would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Kevin

Well my friend , you have an incredible list of options.
First, if you have a 2.4T, it came with cast iron cylinders that can be bored to 85mm and add after market pistons of your choosing. Because cast iron is a horrible heat transfer material, that is the least recommended option.
Next, 2.4 Es & Ss had biral cylinders. These are aluminum fins around a cast iron liner. They can be purchased in good used condition or you can bore a worn set to 85mm to run after market pistons. You can also have the 84mm stock biral barrel restored to stock by coating them with Nikasil. This is a great option if you have useable stock pistons.
Another option is replacement Mahle piston and cylinder set. These are Nikasil and the best option if "price is no object".
You can also go with LN Nickie package. This is a great option if you want the largest pistons possible without boring a numbers matching case.
The last option and in my opinion best (cost and function) is a product from AA Products. They offer a biral barrel in 86mm (2450cc) that comes with a JE piston in two different compression ratios. Because it's a Chinese product it has deficiencies but they can be overcome.
The main deficiency is the low Rockwell or hardness of the cast iron. We overcome this deficiency by coating the cylinder liner with Nikasil. This does three main things. It allows us to size the piston to a closer tolerance, reduces the propensity for cast iron to wear and reduces friction which in turn reduces heat.
Even with the Nikasil process the piston and cylinder package proves cost effective considering the performance enhancement.