QSC Quality Specialty Components

[turbo930ss]

Hi,

Has anyone used QSC's cylinders and pistons? Are they high quality?

Thanks Scott

[arbita1]

I asked a similar question recently. Seems the consensus these days are to stay away. I think I read an old post somewhere about issues With the plating.

QSC Cylinders

[turbo930ss]

any info on the cast iron cylinders?

[stownsen914]

If you do a search, you'll find some good and some bad reviews. At least one respected engine builder here on the forum sells them, but does inspect them individually and discards bad ones. I believe he sells inspected sets too.

[tharbert]

Originally Posted by stownsen914

If you do a search, you'll find some good and some bad reviews. At least one respected engine builder here on the forum sells them, but does inspect them individually and discards bad ones. I believe he sells inspected sets too.

I have no experience here other than doing my homework and shopping. Mr. Townsen is correct that there are builders here that use the Chinese brial cylinders. I believe they have them sent to a plating service to add an additional Nikasil coating. I have a set sitting on a bench awaiting my lead butt to get busy. Then there are builders here that wouldn't use them on a dare, with additional coating or otherwise: Mahle only.

With new Mahles sitting at +$4k, the less expensive stuff is enticing budget wise. If you are talking about using them in a turbo, my guess is that you won't get anyone here saying, "Go ahead, you'll be fine!"

Cast iron? They simply don't shed heat like the aluminum cousins. Unless it's a low HP engine, you'd probably be better staying away from them.

Good luck!

[turbobrat930]

Originally Posted by tharbert

Cast iron? They simply don't shed heat like the aluminum cousins. Unless it's a low HP engine, you'd probably be better staying away from them.

Good luck!

I have the JB Racing cast iron cyl (they have Aluminum cooling fins on the outside) and I run a high HP turbo.

The cast iron cylinders are a lot thicker, and should resist becoming "egg" shaped down the road. Also, the ring choices are amazing for cast iron cyl's ....

IMHO, there are only three choices when it comes to cylinders for our cars,

1. LN Engineering "Nickies"
2. JB Racing's cyl's
3. Maule

[tharbert]

Originally Posted by turbobrat930

...they have Aluminum cooling fins on the outside...

I was talking about cylinders that are 100% cast iron. Sleeved with aluminum fins cool a bit better, 100% aluminum better still. Each has their own pros and cons. Theres a pretty good discussion about all that here and here. I believe some of the lower HP, detuned models like my 72 2.4T originally came with 100% cast iron cylinders. From there Porsche moved to biral then to aluminum (nikasil and alusil.) I considered boring my cast cylinders but decided to go with nickies and JE pistons, just my personal preference here.