To Hone or not to Hone???

[MAINJET]

Im in the process of freshening up the top end on a 2011 800 that has 1500 miles on the clock running a race gas turbo. The pistons and rings that came out look stellar... (Reeds were a different story) What I'm wondering is what some of the experts on here feel about weather or not honing is necessary. Thanks for your input.

 

[Rixster]

Helps the new rings seat properly. I wouldn't take a top end down without a quick hone.

 

[dogtownbutcher]

Great question mainjet... I was wondering the same thing? Could some of you expert engine builders please chime in?

 

[RACINSTATION]

ANY time you put in new rings you should hone the cylinders.

 

[mydooxv]

Just did mine same year 1800 miles. Used a ball hone on mine.just in and out a couple times to take the glaze off. It does help the rings seat.

 

[mtsummitx]

I'm not a Cat guy so I dont know if your cylinders are Nikasil plated or steel sleeves. If they are Nikasil plated then you need to buy special stones designed for plated cylinders to be able hone them so you dont risk damaging the plating. If they are steel sleeves you can use a regular hone. To be honest when I rode dirt bikes (they were green and had Nikasil plated bores, whenever I would do a top end I would use an industrial type scotchbrite in a medium grit to hand scuff up the bores.

 

[mtsummitx]

Just did mine same year 1800 miles. Used a ball hone on mine.just in and out a couple times to take the glaze off. It does help the rings seat.

Just curious if your cylinders are plated? If so a ball hone can be risky because the balls can hit or catch the edges of the plating around the intake and exhaust ports and chip off the plating. That is if we are talking 2 strokes?

 

[mtsummitx]

Mainjet: OOPS, I thought I seen somewhere in your post it was a Cat. I guess we don't know what brand it is.


Edit: Nevermind I guess we are in the Cat forum so I would assume it is a Cat.

Wow, I should pay more attention

 

[MAINJET]

Mainjet: OOPS, I thought I seen somewhere in your post it was a Cat. I guess we don't know what brand it is.


Edit: Nevermind I guess we are in the Cat forum so I would assume it is a Cat.

Wow, I should pay more attention

No Worries... Yes it is a cat. thanks for the input. You guys are confirming what I thought.

 

[mydooxv]

Never had any problem. Do it on the 860 doo too

 

[TheBreeze]

I send them to millennium for a real hone, as the ball hone won't do much in my opinion. About $50 per cylinder.

 

[diggerdown]

Diamond stone hone. Run drill in reverse then forward (carefull not to catch the ports) gives you a nice cross-hatch job.

 

[MAINJET]

Cylinderes are honed!!! Case closed

 

[HILCLMR]

Honing

What I used to do in my engines was use the 3 finger stone hone, wrap a piece is scotch pad around it and soak it in ATF. Then a very quick hone, like 3 passes.
Worked for me.

 

[mmsports]

Just getting it broke in

And your replacing them already? Turbo seam to not be as hard on pistons as NA sled in my opinion i would not change them till like 4K.

 

[MAINJET]

And your replacing them already? Turbo seam to not be as hard on pistons as NA sled in my opinion i would not change them till like 4K.

Do you have a theory on how that could be? I believe on Cutlers website they reccommend changing them every 1000 miles or so. Id love to go further but with the cost of replacing a turbo Id be hesitant to wait that long.

 

[mmsports]

Truth

If I was just trying to sell you pistons I would do the same thing. I have had customers put 6k on one set. No i do not recommend that 4k max. This is just from inspecting them and running them for many of years it takes almost 500 miles just for the turbo to start to really work good. like you said they looked great almost new.