Ideally, if you've got a scrap block with similar-size holes laying around, you could practice on that. In the absence of that, you might be able to source a piece of cast-iron 4" plumbing pipe or something from somewhere, and practice on THAT. Again, I'm not a rocket scientist, I'm an airplane mechanic, and I pulled this off the first time I tried it.

A honer of either kind has abrasive stones that physically cut the cast-iron surface of the cylinder wall very slowly while it rotates in the bore. as it rotates it 'tears' or 'raises' metal in the cylinder wall, and the right combination of up-and-down and rotational motion will produce the crosshatch pattern of the desired 30-to-40-degree angle.

After the engine is started, the new rings 'wipe' against this raised metal on the cylinder walls, causing the ring/cylinder wall interface to 'smear' itself into a sealing surface, restoring compression.

YouTube is your friend...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUwC019Ll1A

 

before you spend the rest of your life trying for cross hatch.... what rings are you using?

Also, I thought the machine shop honed it for you?

 

hey fatcat, heres my engine compartment before i took'er apart, its pretty clean on top. The bottom on the other hand was an oily disaster. I probably wouldn't worry about that air cleaner intake. I think they make dress up kits, or i know you can get the individual parts like that chrome air cleaner and distributor cover (radio ignition shield i think its called?).

 

I have been told Molly rings are what I should use. You must have missed the post about me going ahead and picking the block up and doing it myself

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=flex...2&ved=0CHAQsAQ

 

Those braided lines alot more expensive than regular?

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...TyPZoSlWRCRoeg
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...daMUAOBL13b5iQ

 

those look like covers, $49 for a complete set

 

Thanks!

 

molly require a special hone - and for the $40 bucks or so it costs for the machine shop to do it, worth it for them to do it IMO

again, my opinion, but the dingle ball hone costs more than it costs for the machine shop to do it.... and they'll run it through their washer afterwards to get the crap out...


the stainless covers.... I've yet to see one where it doesn't look fake - which, (again my opinion) is far worse than simply leaving the rubber lines naked

 

Fatcat, from here on I'll just approach this as though you're committed to doing this yourself. Others can argue that some elements of this process may be cheaper on a one-time basis to pay a machine shop (and they'd be right), but from now on I will provide answers based on the premise that you're doing this yourself.

Reasoning for this is as follows:

(1) By purchasing tools to do the job yourself, you acquire tools with which you can do this job repeatedly years into the future.

(2) You are gaining knowledge. That is as essential to life itself as food.

(3) Your car will get fixed.

(4) Your friends will think you're smart and cool because you know stuff that they don't, and they will ask you car questions.

As for what kind of rings you should use, here is the quandary. Iron rings are cheaper, and are what came in your Corvette whan it was new. They prefer, say, a 180 to 220 grit hone pattern. Moly rings are a little more expensive, less brittle, and last a little longer, and like a hone pattern that BEGINS at 220 grit. You can buy a 4 1/8" Flex-Hone ('dingle ball' or 'bottle brush') from various sources in either 180 or 240 grit from various online sources for around $35-$50. OR you can buy a 3-stone type hone in practically any grit you want for a little less, and also purchase additional honing stones for it in different grits.

The 3-stone variety is a little more difficult to use, but really overall probably better in your case. With the bottle brush hone you don't have to worry about crashing into the block webs when you shove the honer down in there, but as far as grit there's no interchangeability; you get what you get.

MY RECOMMENDATION IS AS FOLLOWS:

Purchase a rebuild kit that includes cast iron rings, bearings, freezeplugs, and gaskets from your favorite online supplier (I like Summit); MAKE SURE you're getting "+.030"" rings, and STD (standard) bearings.

Purchase a Lisle 3-stone honing tool from the cheapest place you can find it with 220 grit stones.

Be advised that a rougher (180 grit) hone pattern will work a little better with iron rings; if it were just me I would probably get a 180 grit ballhone and call it good. I also like iron rings because I never have run a cheapie rebuild long enough to wear them out.

Also, if you don't have a vise on your workbench, you're going to need one as well as a reasonably clean, well-organized workplace.

To all the others out there, please don't view my opinions as arguments against yours. I bailed out of PR&C awhile back because I just couldn't take the hate anymore. I'm just trying to share a little knowledge and help get another old Vette back on the road. As they say, it's all good.

Also, that youtube vid that I posted up yesterday was possibly the worst example of how to hone a cylinder that I have ever seen...please ignore that guy, Fatcat. Get your tools first and we'll walk you through this afterwards...

 

Hey guys! It is all good!!!! I am having the time of my life I think learning from all if your knowledge. I live by a saying "We can disagree but the doesn't mean we have to seperate" this has got me through life and 23 years with my wife. Ha! Maybe I just taught you guys something! Ultimately it comes down to what I am comfortable with. The honing doesn't scare me as much as polishing the crank for some reason. I am getting $150-$200 (even the guy who had it before) quoted to hone my block. That sounds high especial since he originally told me everything less than $100 so now I am thinking he just talks and don't think. Hahaha

 

he raised the price cuzz you took it back, he was gonna buy his kids some presents with that money.....
If parts haven't been ordered I'm with Birdsmith, for the learning and cost savings... If the fancier rings have been ordered, then machine shop and help your buddy buy presents this year

 

No! He raised the price before I ever even picke I up! Hahaha Sucka!!

 

oh I see, one of those deals where he throws out a number before even looking at it, gives a low price to get you to leave it, then when time to actually do work, the price doubles....interesting

 

What about these heads? Double Hump

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/pts/3419143131.html

 

probably dont have accessory holes in the ends, wont work

 

Pass on them. No accessory holes.

 

Thanks!

 

Thanks!