Cam chain and Honing advise

[Rickrod3]

I been working on a stuck engine. Got the engine unstuck.
My cylinders are in spec.
If you guys do not mind; could you share some of your honing techniques?
Like what kinds of oil.

I called today looking for a cam chain with a master link and the guy totally freaked.
Said a cam chain shouldn't have a masterlink I was just looking for trouble.

BTW the bike in question is a 79F with 37K.
For what it is worth the PO is someone I know for a long time and really loves bikes (has about 15 of em) so when he tells he had it since new and never rode it hard I half believe him.

Thanks Guys
Rick

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Rick,

The parts guy was thinking about a Motorcycle drive chain type masterlink, with that little pressure/slip key type lock that holds the outer plate of the master link in place. The kind you get with the replacement cam chains have the real type link where you peen over the ends of the pins so it makes a continuous chain afterwards!

See below from www.Partsnmore.com

CAM CHAIN
219 X 128
Fits XS1100E/F/G/H (78-81) XS1100SF/LG/SG/SH


$32.00US EA. Part#52-4012

The above image shows a master link with it, but they also provide extra separate master links on the site also! I think others have posted about other places that have also provided cam chains, something about their size, different thicknesses or such?

I've seen several threads and good replies about honing techniques, so a search should reveal them fairly easily. But unless there's a fair amount of rust, you'll probably just want to do a light hone, not real heavy, as they say just enough to break the glaze, this way you should be able to go back with the OEM rings, but they do get brittle, and taking them off to be able to put into the cylinders to check the end gaps could be treacherous!?

Many folks have revived barn finds without taking the cylinders or heads off, and they just had to run them a while to have the re-breakin the old rings, using some Marvel Mystery oil to help loosen varnish and such that could be holding the rings stuck/into the piston ring grooves. Once they reseated, they didn't burn oil, and had good stock compression levels and such, especially on low mileage easily ridden engines! YMMV!!

T.C.

[MaximPhil]

Hi Rick,
I am with topCat if you have not already taken the motor apart.
If already in pieces. engine oil is all you need. Be sure to keep the hone stones moving in and out as they rotate not too fast on either rotation or in out motion. Rinse off after to remove the residue
Phil

[TopCatGr58]

Here's a recent thread with a great reply from IVAN regarding Honing, the nifty style of tool, source, etc.!!!

I found a thread form 2004 by Chevy with a reply from ROVER about how he found that the PNM chain had smaller pins than the OEM, but that it fit tightly and worked well and QUIET. There is a little blurb on the PNM site about the extra Master link...NOT TO BE USED WITH OEM CHAINS, so that sorta confirms that the pins are not the same size, but the chain has been reported to work just fine!
T.C.

[Rickrod3]

Thanks TC. & Phill
Will read the thread.

[Ivan]

I don't use any oil to hone cylinders. it plugs the stones, and is a bear to clean the grit and swarf out of the cylinder afterward.

I use shop solvent in a squirt bottle. The old nasty used stuff seems to keep the rust from reforming better than the new stuff that is still clear. Just keep plenty squirting in the cylinder, an assistant is very helpful. If that isn't an option, I use simple green and wipe the cylinders dry quickly after honing them.

You would probably be better off with a flex hone if its your first time. These look like a big bore brush with dingleberries of grit stone on the ends of the bristles. The three stone type hone takes some practice, and a while to get used to.

[Rickrod3]

I already have the 3 stone hone I'll look for a piece of pipe to practice on first

[81xsproject]

You don't need to practice, it's not that tricky. What I did on a different bike and was recommended by another member, here, was set the jugs down in a pan that had a couple inches of diesel fuel. This way every time the hones go down, they splash the diesel around to rinse, cool, and lube. Works well, makes a slight mess, and leaves ya smelling like diesel.

One thing that is tricky, is that after honing, you are basically going to have to re-seat the rings. Ride hard on and off the throttle. Your time to seat the rings is brief. Monitor the bikes temps that will be higher from the additional friction. Oh, and don't forget to change your oil shortly after breaking.