Cylinder Honing

[b.walker5]

thats the one im after Brian,
what grit have u been using with it?
is the 280 to course?

the only thing to be careful about using these
is not to go to far past the bottom of the cylinders
other wise the thing expands and can go to pieces.

I have 320 on it at the moment but I use 4 different grits depending on what engine on on. 280 is fine for some of the harder bores.

Nate. Replace your rings, or at the very least the oil rings. All the honing in the world isnt going to fixed shagged rings. and if you're buring oil to the extent you say you are then your oil rings have lost thier tension, i.e. Shagged, and need replaced. Honing to overcome is just going to loose you more compression. And if you can't get a good crosshatch with a flat stone hone then you're not doing it right. Ball hones are a reasonably recent innovation and before that flat stones was all there was. Many, many, older experienced engine rebuilders wont use anything else.

[Yahman]

You will need a Flex-Hone to properly cross hatch your cylinders by hand. A straight hone is used after boring the cylinder and is not a substitute for a Flex-Hone. I use part number BC27818 from Brush Research Manufacturing. I purchased it though Amazon because that was the lowest cost I could find. Instructions for proper use are on the back of the package.

Larry

[b.walker5]

Straight hone is all i've ever used for over 35 years. Never had a problem yet, after many thousands of kilometres.

[Yahman]

Straight hone is all i've ever used for over 35 years. Never had a problem yet, after many thousands of kilometres.

I'm not saying that it can't be done with a straight hone, that's what I used before I learned of the Flex-Hone technology. A Flex-Hone just does the job so much better and will give you a Superior result.

Larry

[b.walker5]

A Flex-Hone just does the job so much better and will give you a Superior result.

Larry

I think that would depend on the experience and skill level of the user.. Not doubting you at all, but as I said before, many very experienced engine builders wont use anything else.

[trdriver71]

I'm not saying that it can't be done with a straight hone, that's what I used before I learned of the Flex-Hone technology. A Flex-Hone just does the job so much better and will give you a Superior result.

Larry

What do you mean by a flex hone? One of those spring loaded hones or one of those ball hones for deglazing cylinders and are the better choice if you don't want to resize your cylinder at all have to be careful too not, to taper your cylinder with one of those spring loaded hones.

[TopCatGr58]

Anyone have any thoughts on a 73mm 240 grit silicon carbide hone?

Hey Nate,

I read thru the PDF file, and the Silicon Carbide bits appear to be just their economical material vs. their Zirconia Alumina which is for the same/similar range of materials....steel, cast iron, stainless. The 240 grit appears to be the middle zone, and they suggest that grit for deglazing Nikisil cylinders, but that was on SOFTER materials...bronze/brass/aluminum.

The 240 says it should provide a .6-.8 micrometer finish, and the literature I read thru said that .7 was a common desired finish. So...that looks like a good middle of the road selection grit wise.

Did you read any of the other brochures on that page? If not, you might want to view the Plateaux finish one.

T.C.

[petejw]

thanx brian, i think nate mentioned
earlier he bought .25 over size rings to be fitted.

thanx for the info tc, my internet connection is restricted
and cant get into a lot of stuff atm, that info came in handy.

[Yahman]

I think that would depend on the experience and skill level of the user.. Not doubting you at all, but as I said before, many very experienced engine builders wont use anything else.

That's one of the reasons I suggested the flex-hone or ball hone, it takes less skill and experience to use one and get the desired result.

Larry

[petejw]

what are you guys using to lube
the cylinders when honing?

[Yahman]

What do you mean by a flex hone? One of those spring loaded hones or one of those ball hones for deglazing cylinders and are the better choice if you don't want to resize your cylinder at all have to be careful too not, to taper your cylinder with one of those spring loaded hones.

I was referring to a ball hone, not a spring loaded straight hone.

Larry

[natemoen]

what are you guys using to lube
the cylinders when honing?

I have always been told to use, and always have, any sort of clean solvent. Oils get to sticky and don't clean away the metal but the solvent just washes through and cleans off the metal bits.

[petejw]

i wouldnt use an oil as such, probably didnt
phrase it to well, was thinking of wd or
something similar, soluable oil maybe?
theres a honing oil u can
buy but it wasnt to cheap, it was that long ago
since ive done one i cant remember what we use to use.

[b.walker5]

Usually use CRC (same as WD40) but the last engine I did (350V8) I ran out so I used the cleaning solvent from one of my gun cleaning kits. Worked a treat, probably the best finish I've ever had.

[petejw]

cheers brian.