How do you clean the cylinder walls?
12-31-2008, 04:12 PM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 154
How do you clean the cylinder walls?
I'm in the process of rebuilding my engine and I was wondering if I could use sand paper to clean the cylinder walls. I was thinking may be a 2000 wet sandpaper. If you have any other technique or advice please share it.
01-01-2009, 04:01 AM
#7
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
Posts: 10,938
I have done this numerous times on everything from lawn mowers and chainsaws to 440 in³ V-8s. There's a bunch of information on the web as to how to do it correctly, but basically you want to use a light lubricant (like Marvel oil) and not remove much metal.
Use the coarse or medium stones to break through the glaze--this will not take long, less than a minute at 60 to 70 rpm--keep the tool moving up and down in the bore whenever it turning, you want to aim for a 60° crosshatch pattern. Finish it up with just a few passes of the fine stones (wipe the bore clean with Marvel oil when changing grits), once again aiming for the 60° crosshatch.
You can get a ridge reamer for $50 or so, although I have never used one--a carefully wielded machinist's scraper will do just as well.
It is not rocket science...
01-01-2009, 11:30 AM
#8
Resident Ford Troll
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Delaware
Posts: 6,717
If the bores are round, and within OEM specs, then breaking the glaze (honing) is a simple thing to do. All you need is a low/adjustable speed hand drill, and a honing tool.
I have done this numerous times on everything from lawn mowers and chainsaws to 440 in³ V-8s. There's a bunch of information on the web as to how to do it correctly, but basically you want to use a light lubricant (like Marvel oil) and not remove much metal.
Use the coarse or medium stones to break through the glaze--this will not take long, less than a minute at 60 to 70 rpm--keep the tool moving up and down in the bore whenever it turning, you want to aim for a 60° crosshatch pattern. Finish it up with just a few passes of the fine stones (wipe the bore clean with Marvel oil when changing grits), once again aiming for the 60° crosshatch.
You can get a ridge reamer for $50 or so, although I have never used one--a carefully wielded machinist's scraper will do just as well.
It is not rocket science...
I have done this numerous times on everything from lawn mowers and chainsaws to 440 in³ V-8s. There's a bunch of information on the web as to how to do it correctly, but basically you want to use a light lubricant (like Marvel oil) and not remove much metal.
Use the coarse or medium stones to break through the glaze--this will not take long, less than a minute at 60 to 70 rpm--keep the tool moving up and down in the bore whenever it turning, you want to aim for a 60° crosshatch pattern. Finish it up with just a few passes of the fine stones (wipe the bore clean with Marvel oil when changing grits), once again aiming for the 60° crosshatch.
You can get a ridge reamer for $50 or so, although I have never used one--a carefully wielded machinist's scraper will do just as well.
It is not rocket science...
01-01-2009, 11:43 AM
#9
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
Posts: 10,938
The OP was asking how to do it, he didn't say he had done it. There was a point in time that even the most experienced engine rebuilder out there didn't have a clue as to how it was done...
I would recommend to the OP that he read a few books about engine rebuilding, even the generic section in a Haynes manual would have addressed cylinder honing.
I would recommend to the OP that he read a few books about engine rebuilding, even the generic section in a Haynes manual would have addressed cylinder honing.
01-01-2009, 02:04 PM
#10
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,495
i dont want to be nasty or anything, but if you are even considering taking sandpaper to the cylinder walls you dont need to be rebuilding an engine. Find someone that knows exactly what theyre doing so it gets done right the first time.