When honing the cylinders

[Jackman]

When honing the cylinders, what do I use as a lubricant? is it cutting oil kerosene or diesel fuel?


Jack

[Eugene]

Any light weight oily lubricant will do. I use air tool oil, which I have in stock.

Eugene

[Gary Dotson]

I use cheap penetrating oil. (it's not much good for anything else, but it was free) Diesel fuel or kerosene will work fine as well. Be sure to wash the clys real good when you're done.

[BigBill]

Just make sure its light oil because it will keep the stones clean. Thicker oil will keep the stones clogged up. Kerosene or penetrating oil will work.

[Jackman]

I am going to hone them tonight with a spray can type penatrating oil, seems to me that cutting oil would be best but I can't find it in my area. This will be a very light hone just to clean up the cylinders and get the cross hatch pattern back, the Cub was locked up from water down the stack so there is a light rust with a heavy dark stain in each cylinder. Thanks for the info I will post back when done.

Jack

[Jack fowler]

I have used plain engine oil mixed with kerosene for honing oil. I’ve seen machinist use SAE 10 or 20 engine oil also. Don’t use synthetic oils; they won't allow the rings to seat.


Some tips which, hopefully will help:

Common causes of high oil consumption is cylinder walls that have been finished too rough, with oil filling and then coming out of the honing scratches

Use 120 grit stones, too smooth honed cylinders will retard run-in and too rough honed cylinders will result in rapid ring wear. A rigid type wet hone is best to use for “piston to cylinder wall fitting” for final sizing. If the cylinder walls are at factory specs you can use a glaze-breaking type hone. Glaze-breaking or spring type hones you should use 220 grit stones.

When finish honing, pass the hone through the cylinder at 60 cycles per minute to provide a 30 degree cross hatch-pattern.

Do not hone the cylinders in a solvent tank using parts solvent - while not visible to the naked eye. The hone will tear, fold, and rip the bore finish.

After honing, wash the cylinders and block with hot, soapy water. To clean the cylinders correctly: use a stiff round brush, oil them to prevent rust, and use only clean oil and a lint-free rag..

Before assembly begins, make sure that everything that needs replacing is replaced, and is replaced with the correct component. Make sure that the piston to wall clearance is within factory tolerances. If the clearance is too great, the cylinders will have to be rebored, honed and oversize pistons installed, or possibly sleeved back to standard. This is also true if the cylinders have too much taper or are out-of-round

If you’re going to use aluminum pistons add a minimum of .002-.003” from piston to cylinder wall clearance over factory specs of the original iron pistons. I’m sure someone can tell you the specs for aluminum pistons. I’ve read some post when aluminum pistons were installed and they had to go back and refit the pistons. I have always stayed with the same type of pistons when rebuilding…. Just preference.

Jackman wrote:

Cub was locked up from water down the stack so there is a light rust with a heavy dark stain in each cylinder

My last Cub I rebuilt I had to rebore .060” over, just because of the taper on the top of the cylinder bore. It didn’t appear that bad until I started measuring the clearance.

When the C-60 engine is put back to original factory specs, there is nothing that sounds and runs better.


Jack Fowler

[KETCHAM]

GUYS ATWORK HERE [FORD DEALER ]TOLD ME TO USE AUTOMATIC TRANS FLUID.THEN BRAKE CLEANER TO CLEAN UP.KRUSTY DID A GOOD JOB AT THE CUB TUG,SO OLLIE IS GONNA GET THIS WINTER.KETCHAM

[Jackman]

Well its done , I used a 32 dollar ridged hone from NAPA it had 120 grit stones and a can of NAPA penatrating oil, it was so quick to clean up and get the cross hatch back , only took a 30 -45 seconds on each cylinder to get that nice clean steel look with the cross hatch . I am anxious to to get the pistons back in but the rings won't be here until Tuesday . Also thought Id mention that the NAPA hone at 32 dollars seemed real reasonable to me as I was expecting around 100. Anyway thanks for the great advice.

Jack

[KETCHAM]

I GOT A PISTON RING INSTALLER, A VALVE LAPPING TOOL,A HONE FOR A GREAT PRICE AT THE NAPA STORE HERE.NOW I HAVE A COUPLE OF GUYS WANTING ME TO RE DO THERE CUBS.THEY REALLY LIKE HOW MINE TURNED OUT .KETCHAM

[Jackman]

Nice haveing the proper tools, always makes the job more enjoyable . What is needed to get the valves out? I imagine the valve keepers are real small and hard to put in to position when reassemybling.

Jack

[KETCHAM]

THEY ARE 2 HALFS.A MECHANIC AT WORK HAD A OLD SPRING COMPRESSOR THAT WORKED GREAT!!LAPPED THE VALVES IN,IN NO TIME.I WOULD SUGGEST CHECKING THE SPRINGS ALSO.MINE WERE WEAK SO I PUT IN NEW ONES.GOT A REAL GOOD RUNNING TRACTOR NOW.BE SURE TO PUT IN NEW ROD BEARINGS ALSO.SIZE IS ON BACK OF BEARINGS.IE STD .030 OR WHATEVER THEY ARE MARKED.WAIT TILL YA FIRE IT UP.BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD TO HEAR THEM RUN AGAIN!!!!KETCHAM

[Eugene]

Nice having the proper tools, always makes the job more enjoyable . What is needed to get the valves out? I imagine the valve keepers are real small and hard to put in to position when reassembling. Jack

You need a spring compressor to squeeze the spring - to release the keepers. There are a number of styles of spring compressors. The one I use on Cub engine is a very large adjustable C - reaches over the manifold. The height is adjustable as is the jaw width.

Plug any drain holes in the bottom of the valve spring/tappet chamber. This is to keep the keepers from falling into the pan.

Depending on the type of spring compressor used you may need to rap on the valve to release the keepers from the cap.

I use wheel bearing grease on a thin screwdriver to reinstall the keepers. Small dab on the screwdriver and a small dab of grease on the inside of the keeper. Not hard - can be a bit frustrating.

If you are just going to lap the valves you do not need to remove the valve spring and cap from the block. If you do remove the springs, caps and retainers - keep the parts together and put back on the same valve.

Eugene

[Rudi]

Guys:

You wanna post pics of those tools so guys like me can figure out what it is we will need eventually? Especially since I am hoping to be able to work on Jethro's mill this year??

What does a good hone look like? How do you properly hone a cylinder? Especially on a Cub..

What does the ring compressor look like.. same thing with valve compressors or whatever they are called....

Remember, some of us are mechanically challenged or at least infants at the art..

[Eugene]

Pictures of engine tools are readily available in catalogs such as Sears. That's where I usually purchase engine tools when I need to. The same tools are widely available at autoparts and industrial supply stores.

I must have 5 or 6 different valve spring compressors accumulated over the years. Depending on the engine's block or head configuration some work better than others.

Haynes or Chilton manuals, any vehcile make, usually has very good explainations, with pictures, on how to perform engine repair work.

Next time your local library has a used book sale - go. Locally, hard back books go for $1.00 and soft back for 50 cents. Last sale I picked up an encyclopedia style set of Popular Mechanics books for $5.00 and a stack of assorted mechanical and how to books.

Eugene

[Xrunner]

Guys:

You wanna post pics of those tools so guys like me can figure out what it is we will need eventually? Especially since I am hoping to be able to work on Jethro's mill this year??

What does a good hone look like? How do you properly hone a cylinder? Especially on a Cub..

What does the ring compressor look like.. same thing with valve compressors or whatever they are called....

Remember, some of us are mechanically challenged or at least infants at the art..

Rudi,
In automotive we used a bore hone on a half inch drill for the last .005, and pulled up and down to leave a 45 degree cross-hatch.
About the time the foreign cars became abundant we were told to use a 30 degree angle (less wear and grindings breaking in I guess).

A bore hone and diesel for lubricant, the bore hone trues when you are re-ringing and the diesel lubricates and also lets the loose material fall off the stones.
Am I close?
John