Feedback needed for QSC and AL Biral cylinders on e-bay

[RS-GT]

Hi,
I found 2 sellers of aftermarket cylinders with JE pistons on e-bay. The first say "new aluminium Biral cylinders with JE pistons" for 1400$ (!!) and the second is selling "QSC aluminium cylinders with nikasil coating with JE Pistons" for 2400 $. (My engine is a 2,4T that will run 9.5 CR, weber 40, S cams, S heads, S dist. with MSD and SSI)

Here's my questions :
1-Are they good ? long term ?
2-Is it a good idea to use 86mm slip in ?
3-Is it better to bore my 84mm (T cylinders) to 85 mm and use JE Pistons directly in them ?
4-Should I forget that, put a second mortgage on my house (!!) and buy LN engineering cylinders with JE pistons for 4000...

Thanks !
JD

[ajwans]

If you're going oversize get some good but worn birals
second hand and go for 85mm. I'll take refurbished
Mahle over new chinese stuff any day.

andy

[Steve@Rennsport]

JD,

I think Andy offered some great advice,...

Your cheapest option would be have your cylinders bored to 85mm and have some custom JE's made for them. These should be bored and honed using torque plates to assure concentricity when hot.

The other option I'd choose is to install a set of brand new Mahle Nikasil 84mm, 2.2S P/C's (for around 9.3:1 with your crank) and much better longevity and performance. Depending on who you get them from, that a $4K option, too.

[kenikh]

Here's the scoop I get on QSC cylinders. If you don't have someone who is religiously going over every set to make sure they are in spec, you are shooting craps. Henry Scmidt has been pulling his hair out with QSC because he has to go over every set, spending the time to make sure they are OK. This is why his are more expensive than the Ebay versions - you get what you get from an overseas seller, while he guarantees his with time spent on every set.