Cylinder Honing

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Surely the purpose of honing is to break the glazing of the cylinder up so that the piston rings can "Bed" themselves in.
On the V8's that I have stripped (Quite a few), witness marks have still been present from the original cross hatch honing done at manufacture even though the engines had covered 100k miles +
 
Surely the purpose of honing is to break the glazing of the cylinder up so that the piston rings can "Bed" themselves in.
On the V8's that I have stripped (Quite a few), witness marks have still been present from the original cross hatch honing done at manufacture even though the engines had covered 100k miles +

Two different concepts of honing John. The cylinder is honed after the boring bar has been through it to remove any tool marks. The hone is moved in and out fairly quickly and produces a cross hatch pattern which aids oil retention. On an engine that has been run for a while the bore is busted to remove any glaze and renew the cross hatch. As you quite rightly say to help rings bed in. If new rings are fitted to a glazed bore they just slide past the cylinder on a film of oil without really touching it and take a lot longer to bed in. The hatching leaves minute high and low spots in the cylinder wall. The low spots hold oil the high spot rub on the rings to wear them in.
 
No but you said nice and bright. How far from shiny is bright? The purpose of using paraffin is to make the stones grip and cut WD 40 or oil will make them slide over the surface. So really it's not lubricant you need it's a cutting agent. The idea is to remove the glaze from the bore and cross hatch it to give the new rings a chance to wear in, rather than just slide on the smooth surface.

I'm giving up after this one, life is too short....If "shiny" has the same meaning as "bright" then why are they two separate words, with two separate meanings? And WD40, is it really an oil?, I'm not convinced on that one, more of a penetrating fluid I think, and you've obviously never used it for honing cylinder bores, as you will find it does not clog the stones which is why I've used it for several years now. Now, are there any more words I've used that you wish to discuss or manipulate?
 
OK guys job done. Used WD40 as the lube and just gave it a couple of thrusts in and out. Cylinders are no longer bright and/or shiney (delete as applicable) :) . They now look dullish but i wouldn't claim to have much evidence of a cross hatch pattern. Anyway there is no way the bores are glazed and so hopefully the new rings have something to bite as they bed in.
 
I'm giving up after this one, life is too short....If "shiny" has the same meaning as "bright" then why are they two separate words, with two separate meanings? And WD40, is it really an oil?, I'm not convinced on that one, more of a penetrating fluid I think, and you've obviously never used it for honing cylinder bores, as you will find it does not clog the stones which is why I've used it for several years now. Now, are there any more words I've used that you wish to discuss or manipulate?

Ok you go ahead and do as you want obviously you have more experience than i do. WD 40 is a water displacer. Not a penitrating oil. Paraffin is what i have used for the last 50 years rebuilding hundreds of engines. But as you say, what do i know. If you want penitrating oil use Plusgas or Eazeit.
 
Last edited:
Ok you go ahead and do as you want obviously you have more experience than i do. WD 40 is a water displacer. Not a penitrating oil. Paraffin is what i have used for the last 50 years rebuilding hundreds of engines. But as you say, what do i know.

would duck oil be ok to use?
 
OK guys job done. Used WD40 as the lube and just gave it a couple of thrusts in and out. Cylinders are no longer bright and/or shiney (delete as applicable) :) . They now look dullish but i wouldn't claim to have much evidence of a cross hatch pattern. Anyway there is no way the bores are glazed and so hopefully the new rings have something to bite as they bed in.


Sounds good, just one question did you only run the hone up/down a couple of times????

I always do at least 15/20 times up/down before i wipe the bore clean and then check to make sure its all been honed, if you've missed a bit do it again. A 3 legged spring loaded hone will only glaze bust, theres not enough pressure on the stones to remove any metal fron the cylinder wall.
 
OK guys job done. Used WD40 as the lube and just gave it a couple of thrusts in and out. Cylinders are no longer bright and/or shiney (delete as applicable) :) . They now look dullish but i wouldn't claim to have much evidence of a cross hatch pattern. Anyway there is no way the bores are glazed and so hopefully the new rings have something to bite as they bed in.

That's because the honing stones you buy are not course enough to do the job. To help them you need a cutting agent not a lubricant.
 
I still think this is a matter for him and his missus to sort out. I for one don't think my old lady would be very impresssed if I suddenly wipped out me whirly bits and a tin of WD40 after a night out. Each to their own.
 
I still think this is a matter for him and his missus to sort out. I for one don't think my old lady would be very impresssed if I suddenly wipped out me whirly bits and a tin of WD40 after a night out. Each to their own.

Naah the WD would dry her up. There are times when you really don't want to displace moisture. Leads to blisters if you do.:D:D:D
 
Back
Top