i would think a stone hone would do a more uniform job. im just guessing though. ive never honed a cylinder bigger than a wheel cylinder
What we call a rigid stone hone is the way to true up the cylinders only if a tweek is all that is needed. The rigid stone hone is gear fed like a rack and pinion feed for the stones. The ball hones follow the wavy **** that is worn in the block. Of course if it is to far out shape the bore job is next>>>>.
I have some light rust and minimal scoring in one cylinder wall, just to let you guys know what i am going after.
I would use the ball hone (***********) to clean up the cylinder. A ridgid hone will not get into the ring worn ridges and will remove good cylinder wall material if set to tight. Sounds to me this is for a cleanup not a rebuild.
Yes, I am just trying to cleanup a flatty I have, so I can run it while rebuilding my other engine for a blower!
I have both, but if all you're doing is cleaning up or breaking the glaze on a/the cylinder wall/walls, I'd use a ball hone. ALWAYS remove the ridge no matter which hone you use; if you don't you may just wind up breaking your new rings when they bottom out on the ridge when the piston comes to TDC.
OK, describe? If the ridge was there previously and the rings did not break how would they now?Did the Stroke GROW?
Simple Tman the rings wore to fit the ridge as it was being made by wear. A new ring has a very sharp square outer upper edge where as that edge on the old ring will have a radius to match the ridge. Many years ago you could buy re-ring set that had a step on that upper outer edge to clear the ridge, made just for the shade tree mechanics!! LOL
OK dont get so technical! I was busting his balls a bit. Many engine builders do not dig ridge reamers. There are lots of reasons why. I would just say for a mild rebuild if the ridge is not nasty you CAN make a berryball hone work. I have done it. The ball hone tapers off the ridge to where the rings are not harmed. My engine builder pals will cringe and send me PMs but I am talking garage stuff that did and does still work. ...........it is not all about the perfection of the machinist, the old boys showed us that.
Ok Tman . I've been in the car parts biz most of my working life and did my first ring/valve job damm near 50 years ago. And trust me I've done my fair share of "shade tree overhauls" Sooner or later give a man a tool and he will screw something up !! And mis- use of a ridge reamer is for sure a good example.
The proper name for a ridge reamer is a boring bar. **** guys do the math. If we start with .003 cylinder clearence then a ridge promotes the fact of reboring.How many thousands do you think the ridge is??? Multiply the clearance by 2 and you get .006 That's twice the desired cylinder clearence. most ridges are more the .003 deep. Put the ridge reamer in the block and grind away until you get the ridge out. For ****s and grins go ahead and hone it. Then lets put a dial bore gauge in it. I promise you it will be scary loose. That's why most shade tree rebuilds fall to **** and give engine rebuilders a bad name. Of course this is just my opinion>>>>.
Thats why most engine guys DONT promote the use of a ridge reamer! Not ot mention the waves you put into the walls that the hone will follow. I was only reffering to a mild ridge in a mill that needed some scuffing for the new rings. But, that said, the old boys did **** that made the records we are trying to break!
Ahh yes I wish **** was that simple again. I miss the days when we went racing with $15.00$ to our name and came home with $20.00$ and thought we were somebody>>>>.
Call Robertson. You need to get back in touch with him again anyway. Dean is the man when it comes to machine work....But you already knew that
FWIW I'd never buy anything but a ball reamer. If it needs more it's going to a machine shop, plus I've never been able to keep a rigid hone in good enough shape to reuse. Dunno how, but ours magically break in the 5 year interval between uses. Good luck
A ridge reamer was originally made to remove the ridge at the top of the cylinder caused by normal wear, it's where the ring STOPS, and the area above that being the original bore. Push the pistons out of the block without removing the ridge and you risk breaking the ring lands on the pistons, and you're not going to be able to reuse them. If every engine was REMANUFACTURED as opposed to being REBUILT or REFRESHED, then most everyone would be happy, most of all the automotive machinist who makes his living doing this. BUT, not everyone needs/wants/has to REMANUFACTURE an engine just to get them by, or back on the road, or has limited income to do so. I've seen thousands of dollars put in a race engine only to blow apart on the first p***; and, I have seen backyard mechanics run other racers thowaways for years, just refreshed and never had any trouble. Now, imagine this, if the cylinders are worn enough for a ridge to be there then what do the bearings look/measure out like? Tell me "loose" bearings don't affect the "stroke" of an engine, if even minutely, as will NEW bearings. Think about how that works. Throw new rings on old pistons, don't remove the cylinder ridge, use new bearings; now, guess how many pistons have broken ring lands after running it awhile. As far as the ridge being removed and affecting how "round' the top of the cylinder is, well, the rings should'nt travel up that far to begin with ,TO ANY REAL DEGREE. I still say if someone wants to cleanup and reuse what they have and not throw a fistful of cash at an automotive machinist, then let them. They'll probably be alright for what they're trying to accomplish, and a ball hone will do the job just fine. It's like this, I spent 36 years in healthcare, and you would not believe what I have seen; either to SAVE A BUCK, or more importantly, MAKE A BUCK, and it's all not absolutely necessary. Any business, be it automotive, medical, entertainment, or whatever, is doing it to MAKE MONEY. Personally, I have little TOLERANCE for INTOLERANCE. Leave the little guy alone, help him if he asks; but, don't tell him how AND where to spend his money. And since I'm on my soapbox, stop the overuse of the "S" and "F" words, you don't have to use it in NORMAL situations, it's not tough, manly, or even acceptable. Personally, the FNG needs to be changed also. Now I'll get down off my soapbox: and to all you knuckle dragging, ill eduated, habitually greasy, drunken Neandertals, have a nice day. NUFF SAID. No replies are necessary, unless I've irritated your last remaining axion and dentrite synapsing.
Man!! I had 5 post on this and I thought I could have said something that was helpful. And I only said **** 5 times. I guess I need to go to night cl***es on edicate and the correct way to fold my napkins!! NOT!! I think I'll just keep thrashing engines and hot-rods. I sure miss George Carlin>>>>.
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