FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: gregaba on January 12, 2021, 10:05:29 AM
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I ordered a set of Autotec pistons from Brent and they have the small ring pack on them.
Getting ready to hone the block and was wondering if I should use my Stones or my ball hone to do the job.
Not sure if it makes a difference but since this is my first set of small ring pack rings I thought I would ask.
Greg
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Greg, a shop needs to do it with a good rigid hone and a torque plate bolted on it. You won't have much of a chance otherwise.
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Thanks for the answer.
I don't have a torque plate so I guess It is a trip back to Texas with my block.
I really hate that 6 hour round trip.
Greg
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I have done my drag engines with 320 ball followed by a "polish" of oil soaked Scotchbrite. Strictly touch up for new rings. No issues with 1/16 3mm moly face ring set, 11 lbs tension. But nothing smaller than that. Only on good clean straight bores, light passes only. Anything more or looks out of spec, goes to the shop.
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Had the block blueprinted to specs with the deck cut to 10.150, new bores .030 over so should be good.
I went back and read my receipts from the shop and found out he went ahead and honed the block so I was worrying about nothing.
I guess I will have to start paying attention to what work I have had done.
Greg
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I would have thought so - standard procedure would be to ask or spec what rings are being used and the piston type and material. Then the block is finished to the specs and clearances required by those parts. The old days of piston fitting IMHO are long gone, now that even low cost pistons come in with diameter specs in the .0005 and under range. Last set of custom pistons I checked were like .0002 variance. LOL, I could change that just by holding one in my hands for about 5 minutes.
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Yes
He had the rods, rings bearings, pistons for the balance job so He had what he needed. Did a great job. I went out and checked the block yesterday and everything was in spec. Now if i haven't forgotten how to assembly a block I should be good to go.
Greg
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I'm sure you're aware, but just as a heads-up, DO NOT dunk the piston in a bucket of oil like the old days. Guaranteed to have ring sealing issues or multiple issues. I just used WD-40 on the cylinder walls and rings once they were on the piston. Then a little oil on the skirts. No sealing issue so far. Oil doesn't go down and oil smells nice and clean.
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Good advice but I stopped dunking my pistons years ago.
I like the WD-40 on the walls as well.
Glad you brought that up as a lot of new builders don't know that.
Greg
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From time of assembly with pistons dunked in oil till time to fire engine, how much oil is still up in the cyls? I’m guessing no more than a thin film? Jmo
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You definitely should coat the cylinder wall with lightweight oil that you are going to use, and put oil on the rings and skirt of the piston for your assembly and break-in procedure. To do otherwise is folly and can ruin a fresh hone and ring set. You don't need to dunk the piston, but you do need oil as I mentioned. Joe-JDC
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Gregaba...i just PM’ed you about your machine shop in texas.
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Reply sent.
Greg
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LOL - an old Ford mechanic that taught me some things would always say "It's easy, just put it back together the way it came apart."
My cylinder wall procedure is to scrub the block with warm soapy water and blow dry. Hose with WD-40 and wipe down. Wipe the bores with WD-40, then scrub them using ATF and white rags/paper towels. Once you don't get any gray on the towel, wipe off excess ATF. I put a "squirt" of oil on the ring pack from a oil can and work that around with my fingers to get it all in the lands, then in it goes.
This is a cylinder "cleaned" with WD-40
(http://raceabilene.com/misc/WD40.jpg)
Same bore wiped again using ATF - not so clean
(http://raceabilene.com/misc/transfluid.jpg)
Same on the head and block decks, except at time of install I wipe several times with paint prep "wax and grease remover" and blow dry with air just before landing the gaskets.
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I'm sure you're aware, but just as a heads-up, DO NOT dunk the piston in a bucket of oil like the old days. Guaranteed to have ring sealing issues or multiple issues. I just used WD-40 on the cylinder walls and rings once they were on the piston. Then a little oil on the skirts. No sealing issue so far. Oil doesn't go down and oil smells nice and clean.
+1 NEVER dunk the piston in oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WD 40 or engine oil "wiped" on the face of the rings and a quarter size spot of oil spread out on the skirt just before installation is great.
Randy
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I use engine oil after cleaning everything with multiple products.
Like the illustration above - different solvents (soap & water, thinner, WD40, ATF) all seem to remove different stuff.
I just get a thin film of oil on rings, cylinder walls, and skirts.
No exotic powders or elixers.
Figure that the engine will live on oil for the rest of it's life after the first couple of seconds.
Top ring is probably lubricated by fuel as much as by oil...
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I use lint free cloths to wipe down the bores. Paper is great for blowing your nose or wiping your...well, yeah. I don't want paper fiber or lint embedding anywhere. Everyone has a technique and all but dry installation seems to work. I put an engine oil film on the walls and over the piston and rings and give the pin a couple oil squirts. And on some recent videos from factory engine plants, they seem to use a little mop to coat the piston and rings. Nothing really fancy or scientific in that.
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This ^ was going to be my question. Wouldn’t paper leave residue?
Is microfiber better?
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All I know is it takes forever to clean a block and parts.
It seems like I spend a whole day on this every time I build one.
When I started out in the mid 60's building engines I did my best to keep them clean but mainly just assembled them as they came from the machine shop. Standard practice at the Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler dealerships I worked at.
I did get in the habit of changing the oil & filter after a half hour of running and told the customer to change the oil & filter after 500 miles.
I all so told them to change the oil & filter every 1500 to 2000 miles but I don't think anyone ever did.
Greg