Torque plate/ Honing question

[Fordman]

Does it make sense to use two torque plates on the block when having the block bored and honed. Is there room in the machine for this? or can a regular head be bolted to the opposing side. My thought is to provide a more equal clamping force to the entire block. Although I realize that the lack of bolting an intake manifold, engine mounts , water pump, bellhousing  etc is not possible. Do any engine builders here go to the extreme of having running temp hot water through the block while machining?. Getting close to building my bullet. Thanks for the opinions....John

[cammerfe]

The closer the block is to 'running condition' when honed, the better. All you've mentioned has been done.

KS

[machoneman]

Oh yes they do circulate hot water! NASCAR and NHRA Pro Stock builders do for sure and I would guess (not sure) that all the big name F-1, CART and other top teams do so as well.

One though could get similar results by bolting a cylinder head to the other side of the torque-plated side for machining/honing. The water trick is neat but much more involved. Btw, I do know the the Pro Stock guys also use a torque plate on cylinder heads to mimic distortion as a Serdi cuts bowls and finishes the valve seats. Makes a lot of head work a real bitch too. 

"Although I realize that the lack of bolting an intake manifold, engine mounts , water pump, bellhousing  etc is not possible. Do any engine builders here go to the extreme of having running temp hot water through the block while machining?"

[Katz427]

Not sure what you are building but I think on an FE having both a torque plate or a head on the opposite bank during honing helps. Though in my humble opinion the real trick is getting some one who really knows what he needs to do to get the correct surface finish for the rings you're using. The experienced builders have their own recipe.

[Chrisss31]

I was reading an article on Indy car engines, they said that everything is fit so tight the engine is bound up when its cold.  They have to preheat them before they'll even crank.  Pretty cool, along the same lines as where you're talking about going.