Cost and weight are sure to be factors. In my mind the primary reason is heat. Steel sleeved engines run hotter and heat is already a a near killer on 2 strokes, especially today with the leaner runing versions.

Now I know you're going to ask WHY they run hotter. In effect, a thermal block occurs when a steel sleeve is molded in a aluminum block. The material difference does not allow a good heat transfer from steel to aluminum, it transfers but slowly compared to cylinders with one material. The electro bonding of very thin chrome apparently does not have the same thermo block effect.

Hi Bob
How's life? How's your back?
Make sense. Do you have any ideas the difference between chrome plated and chrome impregnated line that Maruyama claimed. Or you think it is just marketing talk?

What is your opinion on Kawasaki 26cc trimmer engine that is used on all their trimmer? Any experience with Maruyama stuff?

Not sure but suspect the impregnated term is marketing. Someone with better understanding of chrome plating may have better thoughts but I think the electro-plating process does penetrate the surface somewhat.

If the Maruyama products have a dedicated dealer in your area they are good stuff. You just want a local dealer if you should need parts is all. Kawi trimmer engines always have been good stuff and there's almost always a dealer around for parts.

The cheaper they make them the quicker they loose compression. Hence, blowers dieing a early death due to no compression. With replacement parts (Jug and Piston)about the cost of a new one I save the carb. and parts. trimmers seem to last longer evidently there not the same amount of pressure apllied to them, must thake alot to turn a blower and get the 150 to 200 MPH air flow?

Old school crome plating was a electro dipping process, have no idea what they do now if anything more.

Chrome or Nikisil(sp) are generally sufficient for 2 cycle engine bore plating. AS you know cheaper models are plain aluminum. Main thing is weight and cost of trying to machine the sleeve in addition to the underlying aluminum neeeded in a 2 cycle for the ports. Cast iron sleeving is generally reserved for 4cycle motors for comercial/heavy duty use, although most mowers are just plain aluminum bores with no plating, mine have held up fine.

I agree it boils down to cost and care from the homeowner.

I always wondered why car engines wasn't sleeved and why deisels were. Resale nobody in the industry wants an engine to last for ever. If they did they would build them selfs out of bussiness. Course engines of today last 3 or 4 times as long due to oil is alot better, oiling systems are better, engines burn alot cleaner and the fuel systems don't carbon up as carb models. And manufacturing processes have advanced meterials used to make parts. basiclly everything is better if taken care of.

Low end blowers don't last too long no matter what you do. IMO the heat and pressure to generate the air volume wears them out no matter what you do. It's just matter of time for them IMO.

I am surprise blowers are hardest on engines!!!! So I better buy best blowers. I have been eyeing on the Maruyama BL8100 which has Kawasaki engine.....the whole blower look very much like the Kawasaki big blower.