Rebuilding an engine - what precision instruments to do measurements

[stutaeng]

Further consideration: I'm not used to using a 3-stone hone. Since my hones are different from your hones, I don't know what's normal for that style tool.

Is it possible that the "staining" you're showing on those cylinders is where the stones aren't touching the cylinder wall, due to some wear in the cylinder bore?

I'd really like to see you haul that to a machine shop for a professional opinion. I lean toward spinning a rigid-hone through some of those cylinders to see if they clean-up visually.

Thank you for your advice. I can't feel any difference when I rub my finger or nail across that area. It just looks bad, that's why I think it's staining. The thing has been sitting outside for a number of years by now.

I decided to stop before I make things worse.

I'll take it a machine shop I called last week for evaluation.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

It's ruined. I'll give you scrap price for it.

Lisle tools make a more precise hone that's more like what a machine shop uses. It's expensive. Probably not worth it if you are only doing this once. BTW, it was this tool that taught me to hone dry. It works better.

What's your goal with this rebuild?

 

[stutaeng]

It's ruined. I'll give you scrap price for it.

Lisle tools make a more precise hone that's more like what a machine shop uses. It's expensive. Probably not worth it if you are only doing this once. BTW, it was this tool that taught me to hone dry. It works better.

What's your goal with this rebuild?

Yeah, I saw some reviews on that Lisle hone. You are saying dry hone works better on that one? Everything I've see says to use a lubricant?

My goal is to just restore it back to a OEM engine. As much as I'd like to drop a forged rotating assembly and all of that from the Summit Racing catalogue, I simply don't have the budget for that. I've never rebuild an engine, so I want to learn the basics and fundamentals.

If I'm successful with this, it may get swapped into my K3500 or I've been looking at XJs for a cool off-road build.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

It's not like I'm honing every day and have years of experience making me an expert, but I do it dry now. It's quicker and far less messy. Just did it a couple of weeks ago on my 4.8 stroker. With the 3 stone you may need to brush the stones between cylinders.

You could probably put it together now and it would just be down on compression a little bit, may need more frequent oil changes, and maybe burn some oil.

That motor would be a hoot in an XJ. I had one in a CJ7 and it was violent in 4-low and got up to highway speeds way too quick and too sketchy to go faster than that.

 

[Schurkey]

Hones work by continually breaking-down the stones (wearing-out) which exposes fresh, sharp stone at the cylinder wall that cuts properly. If you don't flush away the stone dust, it loads-up the stone so that it doesn't cut right.

Stop by any machine shop. They flood the cylinders with honing oil to positively remove the worn stone bits. Even a valve-grinder uses a pump to pour oil over the grinding stone where it touches the valve--also keeps the valve cool. Same with cylinder walls. When rigid-honing, you can't measure the cylinder until it's cooled-off. Machinists skip from cylinder-to-cylinder across both block decks or from end-to-end to speed-up the process somewhat...but the final checks for size have to be done when the block has cooled. *********** (Dingle-Berry) brushes or spring-loaded 3-stone hones don't heat the cylinder like a rigid hone, but the honing oil still flushes away the worn abrasive dust.

I pour Diesel or Kerosene down the cylinder wall when I'm dingle-berry-brushing the cylinders. Big drain pan below the block to catch the fluid. (Yeah, it can be messy.) I let it settle overnight, then pour off the liquid for re-use while removing the debris (stone dust, dirt, dead flies) at the bottom. A coffee-filter would probably work well. I forgot to mention that in my prior post.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

With a dingle berry hone, I would say most of the dust/debris flies out as you do it. I believe the instructions for the Lisle tool say not to use oil, as it has felt wipers on the tool.

I was skeptical too, but it works.

 

[Schurkey]

Link or part number for this hone?

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

15000 Engine Cylinder Hone

Best by Far - Yet Competitively Priced.

www.lislecorp.com

I found the instructions on the website, and they have instructions for dry honing, but do recommend oil (so I was wrong about that).

If dry honing, clean each cylinder thoroughly with any approved solvent and wipe dry. Be sure there is no oil or grease left in cylinder to get on stones. If stones should clog with gummed oil or other material, clean with wire brush. ALWAYS KEEP STONES CLEAN.

Honing with a honing oil will produce a smoother finish and generally remove material faster than dry honing. If honing oil is not available, a mixture of 8 parts kerosene to 1 part oil will suffice. Keep cylinder walls wet so fluid will wash away material you are removing from cylinder walls.

 

[Schurkey]

I learned something, too.

I should add some oil (1:8) to my kerosene/diesel.

 

[Erik the Awful]

How rough was it when you started? How long did you work each bore?

If it was rough enough to catch a finger nail, then you probably needed an overbore instead.

I use a crapload of ATF or MMO to lube the stones and bore while I'm honing, and I work each bore until it comes clean, probably 15-30 seconds.