Date:         Tue, 18 Apr 2000 21:23:37 -0400
Reply-To:     Bob Donalds <bostneng@FCL-US.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bob Donalds <bostneng@FCL-US.NET>
Organization: Boston Engine Exchange
Subject:      Re: FW: Cylinder Sleeves Quick Question
Comments: To: jeff crane <jeffcrane@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

jeff wrote
  I myself would
> consider any sanding of the cylinder walls to be non productive, due to the
> fact that you simply cannot  ever hope to  remain concentric with it. A
> cylinder hone does this quite well however.  Hope this helps to reassure
> you, if it is cross hatching you have a good healthy cylinder wall.
>   jeff/ Florida

the cheapo flex hones are ok but they wont straighten out a cylinder.
sand paper will atleast brake the glaze and thats the important thing. I
have seen engines that have had ring jobs without honing the engine
smoked had to much crankcase pressure and low power. I was asked to look
at the problem and soon discovered he had not honed the cylinders. I
honed the cylinders with a ball hone it did not change the shape of the
cylinder one bit but the problem was cured. the amount of taper in the
cylinder  wont change much with a flex hone. Cylinder taper will make
the rings move in and out of the piston grove as it goes up and down in
the cylinder. the engine will soon burn oil
when I build the 2.0 air-cooled engine I size the cylinders to give the
piston more room to grow. to do this I use my sunnen bench top hone with
a ridged cylinder hone. it takes alot of work to increase the cylinder
.001 and maintan a good deep cross hatch patern
 this honing is done wet with a vegtable oil coolant. motor oil,atf or
marvel mystery oil brake down the glue in the honing stones.
 Bob