Cylinder honing

[Tom Sahines <tsahines@domain.elided>]

A liner can be resized by professional honing but then you would have an
oversize liner. This is fine if you have oversize pistons. Most Alfa liners
show little wear at 100,000 miles and can be reused but it is normally
viewed as false economy when new liners and pistons can be obtained for
relatively little money in the overall cost of a engine rebuild. I doubt
that you would find many pros that would risk using used liners and pistons.

If you measure the liners and feel that they are reusable not renewing the
surface will surely result in unseated rings and much oil consumption.
Proper surface conditioning (sometimes referred to as honing) can be easily
accomplished by hand with the proper tool. See:

http://www.brushresearch.com/flexhonetools.htm

Using a cordless drill turn the ball hone at a low speed and push in and
out of the liner rapidly to obtain a 45 degree cross hatch pattern. I use
Naptha (kerosene) as a lubricant. This is the correct surface to seat new
rings. The process takes about 1 minute. Once you have used a ball hone you
will never touch a flat stone hone again. Install the pistons with new
rings into completely dry liners. If you cant stand it dry spray a little
WD40 into the liner and then blow or wipe it dry. DO NOT dip the piston in
oil and install like we used to 30 years ago. This just makes seating the
rings more difficult. Properly prepared dry liners with new rings will seat
rapidly. See:

http://www.hastingsmfg.com/Service%20Tips/breakin_procedure.htm

For the correct way to break in new rings.

I have had great luck with Hastings rings. Results with Deves rings have
been mixed and I no longer use them. I feel that the stock oil control
rings that come with the new piston / liners are not good and I always
replace them.


TOM SAHINES ARA TECH HOT LINE SAN JOSE CA
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