To hone or not to hone that is the question.

[luvmygst]

I am in the process of rebuilding my 7 bolt gst. The bores all fall within the mitsu. spec, so I am going with stock pistons and new chromoly rings. I have read and read posts about this and there seems to be two different opinions, some say hone some say don't hone. I am looking for some opinions or some real world experience on this matter. I am rebuilding the whole motor, new rod/main bearings, arp rods/mains/head studs, bs elimination, new rings on the stock pistons.(the piston to wall clearance is fine). I have rebuilt a lot of 302cu mustang's and we always hone the bores is that not a good idea on this motor? Thanks for your help.

 

[huafist]

I am in the process of rebuilding my 7 bolt gst. The bores all fall within the mitsu. spec, so I am going with stock pistons and new chromoly rings. I have read and read posts about this and there seems to be two different opinions, some say hone some say don't hone. I am looking for some opinions or some real world experience on this matter. I am rebuilding the whole motor, new rod/main bearings, arp rods/mains/head studs, bs elimination, new rings on the stock pistons.(the piston to wall clearance is fine). I have rebuilt a lot of 302cu mustang's and we always hone the bores is that not a good idea on this motor? Thanks for your help.

Hone them. The rings won't seat properly if you don't.

 

[Arod]

You need to cross hatch hone so that the rings will seat.

 

[luvmygst]

I thought the same thing but after searching there are some builders that say on a re-ring not to hone the bores. Has anybody ever tried it this way?

 

[Birdoprey]

You'll definately want to hone when running chrome rings. You don't have to go crazy and open the bore with the honing, just enough to put a good crosshatch on the cyl. You KNOW that honing will be benificial where as not doing so may not seal the rings. Why risk it by not honing?

 

[99gst_racer]

Yes, when re-ringing, I would recommend honing the cylinder walls just to remove the glaze. It will help seat the new rings.

 

[luvmygst]

I agree I have alway honed the bore's, I was just worried when I saw that some recommend not doing it. I just wanted to get some more opinions on this matter. I appreciate all of the opinions and help. Thanks alot.

 

[bryanwheat]

The main perpous for the hone when doind a re-ring is to remove the glaze, to give it a little friction to wear the rings to the shape of the cylinder. The crosshatch isn't as important as removing the glaze from the cylinders. Who ever you are talking to that is giving you this onfo, i would reccomend not talking to any more. I tried it once when i was 15, couldn't get any more than 80 psi in a flat top 406 ci sbc. Don't do it, you will have so much blow by. What was he saying that downside to a somple 30 minute hone. You are not taking much surface off at all with a simple flex hone, of ball hone.

 

[Defiant]

Anyone telling you not to hone (or, glaze-break) is giving you erroneous information.

 

[dsm-onster]

Not to p!$$ on anybodies elses experience, look here. I recent'y replaced my rings WITHOUT honing. and after 1500 miles i have ZERO smoke, blowby, lowering oil levels/pressure. Everything is great and i have around 180 psi accross the board w/ a simple compression test. I have also done this with a 1985 T-bird Turbo Coup with the same results and my wife's brother has done the same to her Camry with the same results. Do not use "chrome/moly" rings when doing this basic form of inframe rebuild. The key is to use good ol' cast rings as the link states. Only rebuild without honing if the block falls within "spec" through out the bore. In all of my rebuilds I had blocks in great shape (glazing pressent but hatch marks visible throughout).

Hone if you have to bore. Bore if you have a score. Use chrome/moly rings if you're running for WRC. Stock cast rings with 150K+ miles have gotten many to over 400 whp, from what i've witnessed.

I can never prove this unless you come to where i live and i pull my engine apart an still you'd probably doubt it because it would look like a good break in. But I swear it has been my experince thus far.

 

[prplhz96]

The main perpous for the hone when doind a re-ring is to remove the glaze, to give it a little friction to wear the rings to the shape of the cylinder. The crosshatch isn't as important as removing the glaze from the cylinders. .

I hate to disagree, but a crosshatch pattern is just as important as removing cylinder glaze. Without the crosshatch you run the risk of "spinning" rings during breakin.

 

[luvmygst]

That is one of the articles that I read and sent me on the quest for the answer to the question "To hone or not to hone". He brings up some good points in the article, and it seems to make sense, I think I will go with iron rings instead of chromoly. Im still interesed in more opinions or experience.

 

[pjhale16]

Well i havnt honed anything but we did just go over this in class so il say what i learned from my teacher who has been doing it for years and the book. first off you always hone, as long as you take the pistons out you should hone, he actually said if you put it all back together start it up and did something wrong and have to open back up change it alittle and put it back together that you should hone it again. Also its like 50-60 degree cross-hatch for regular cast-iron rings and 25-30 degree for the moly rings. hes been doing this for a long time and the book is same one used at big tech school so i would say its right.