To blather on a bit.
REM stands for isotropic superfinishing. Even though the surface of the gear, bearing, crank, etc appears smooth, it is actually rough when measured on the scale of 50 u" or so. It is this roughness that contributes to friction, heat, and detracts from strength.
The REM process takes, for instance, the R&P. It is coated with some material to a very nominal depth that coats both the low and high parts, then placed in a vibratory drum where special material gradually wears away the high parts of the coating and the high parts of the R&P. The process stops when the surface is smooth to within 1-2 u". The original coating that remains in the low portions of the gear is removed.
Under high loads, the coefficient of friction is reduced by around half and the strength of the gear is increased a nominal amount. For our R&P, its mesh loss is probably above 3-4%, so this results in a useful increase in power at the rear wheels. Oil temperature is reduced due to less friction.
REM will treat virtually anything that rolls or slides. The process is licensed to numerous places, mostly in the US but there is at least one in the UK. precisionbearing.net claims they will do our roller bearings. REM will handle small orders like 1 R&P at a somewhat reasonable price.
RF85 is a newer process. They are closed mouth about the details of the technology, but apparantly use some calcium based compound to modify the surface of the piece in question. This supposedly results in a reduction of 85% in friction.
The pricing structure for RF85 is interesting, with the stated intention of modest pricing for the small guy, and higher pricing for the big successful teams. However, their price for a R&P gives one pause. However, if you disassemble your engine, transmission, R&P and ship the whole lot of pieces, the job lot is reasonable on a per piece basis.
Supposedly, you can apply RF85 after REM.
As far as Paul’s overheating goes, check the oil level - too high can lead to over heating. Check the adjustment of the ring and pinion. Unless these are precisely adjusted, they will generate excess heat. And finally, rotate the pinion and check for variation in drag. You may have a strange ring or pinion. Overheating is an indication of some other problem.
David
1968 36/7988