[Hawk51]

Does anyone out there know from experience whether or not the rings will seat or break in properly from using a ball type cylinder hone. I'm just trying to clean up a little rust and put in new rings.
Thanks all.

[engineguy]

Hawk,
Welcome to our site! The ball hone will work OK, if the cylinders are round and there is not much taper. Check the cylinder dimensions very carefully, at several places in each cylinder. If the rust is very deep and the ball hone does not clean it up completely, then the rings will never seat. For a quicky re-ring job like this you are better off with an inexpensive cast iron ring set.

[PrimeMover]

Ball hones work great for de-glazing only. I'd shoot for a 30-40 deree cross-hatch.

Welcome!

[302 Z28]

Ball type cylinder hones are not for finish honing, only deglazing. If like above. the cylinders are straight and not ecxessivly worn they work OK. If not, they do not work worth a flip and your engine will be smoking like a diesel in a very short time.

Vince

[Robert Fowlie]

The Ball Hone is sold under the name Flex-Hone and is manfactured by Brush Research Mfg.The Flex-Hone Tool is designed as a surface finishing tool not a stock removal tool. It will not correct bad bore geometery such as tapered. bell mouthed or out of round cylinders. To answer your question the Flex-Hone will not remove enough material to get to the bottom of the scratch but it wll finish the surface so as to achieve a surface that will not harm the ring face while still sealing it properly.

The Flex-Hone Tool is used by high performance engine builders such as Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress, Cosworth Racing and Iilmor Engineering as a the final hone for surface finishing. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me directly. at rfowlie@brushresearch.com

Bob Fowlie
Brush Research Mfg.

[Jmark]

Now thats what I call getting it straight from the horses mouth! LOL

Hi Bob, welcome to the board!

Mark

[4 Jaw Chuck]

Originally posted by Robert Fowlie
The Ball Hone is sold under the name Flex-Hone and is manfactured by Brush Research Mfg.The Flex-Hone Tool is designed as a surface finishing tool not a stock removal tool. It will not correct bad bore geometery such as tapered. bell mouthed or out of round cylinders. To answer your question the Flex-Hone will not remove enough material to get to the bottom of the scratch but it wll finish the surface so as to achieve a surface that will not harm the ring face while still sealing it properly.

The Flex-Hone Tool is used by high performance engine builders such as Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress, Cosworth Racing and Iilmor Engineering as a the final hone for surface finishing. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me directly. at rfowlie@brushresearch.com

Bob Fowlie
Brush Research Mfg.

Hey Bob! I think you should give these Hotrodders a little lesson on "plateau finishing" and how this surface is easier on rings and promotes a more open pore structure on the bore face for oil retention.

As you can tell I use your product extensively and consider it one of my little secrets to getting low leak down figures.

Perhaps some pics or links?

[bondo]

Hey Bob! I think you should give these Hotrodders a little lesson on "plateau finishing" and how this surface is easier on rings and promotes a more open pore structure on the bore face for oil retention.
As you can tell I use your product extensively and consider it one of my little secrets to getting low leak down figures.
Perhaps some pics or links?

Great Idea......
Knowledge Base Material.........

[crazy larry]

THIS IS GOOD.
I thought i screwed up by finishing my cylinders with a flex hone.

[Robert Fowlie]

Chuck,
Thanks for the kind words about the Flex-Hone Tool it is appreciated. The Flex-Hone has been on the market since 1974 and Cylinder wall finishing has been our primary focus.

For more information on Cylinder wall finishing I would recommend that you check out our website at www.brushresearch.com. On the left side of the home page click on "Technical Booklets."

There are four booklets that are worth reading:

"A Study Of Cylinder Wall Micro Structure"
"Quality As It Affects Performance"
"The Necessity Of A Plateaued Cylinder Wall Finish"
"Cylinder, Boring, Honing & Wall Finishing"

If you are in a hurry you can download booklets or fill out the order form and we will send them to you. There is no charge for the booklets.

You might also check out the "Ezine." It is an article by Jimmy Glenn, a well known Kart racer and author. Jimmy's article shows the various applications for a Flex-Hone when building a performance engine.

Bob

Also- I think this board is really great. I am a novice hotrodder myself, just finishing a custom '37 Ford, and now working on restoring a '40 sedan delivery. You can bet the cylinders will be Flex-Honed!

[k-star]

I also use the flex hone to finish my bores. I have flex hones for guides and lifter bores also. I think they are very good products.

keith

[MI2600]

Be careful when you buy a Flex-Hone. Most sellers sell the 180 grit. There are other grits made. See what your ring manufacturer says about the final hone surface.

[PrimeMover]

Originally posted by Robert Fowlie
The Ball Hone is sold under the name Flex-Hone and is manfactured by Brush Research Mfg.The Flex-Hone Tool is designed as a surface finishing tool not a stock removal tool. It will not correct bad bore geometery such as tapered. bell mouthed or out of round cylinders. To answer your question the Flex-Hone will not remove enough material to get to the bottom of the scratch but it wll finish the surface so as to achieve a surface that will not harm the ring face while still sealing it properly.
Bob Fowlie
Brush Research Mfg.

What he said!