Engine building guidance

R

Raptorracing

Member
1. Does anyone break their engine in before building? I’ve heard of people running them for a few hours then breaking them down to rebuild, I’ve heard from a couple that they put their blocks in ovens to “relax the casting”.

2. do you build new engines with factory hone or run your own hone through it?

I have an older sunnen benchtop mandrel hone, having a hard time keeping the cylinders round with it, is it my technique or the machine? Is there a better tool that isn’t 5k that is more consistent.


thanks for any help
 
Flatheads that was common . Not so much anymore .
I can't not hone one after removing the piston . Though did switch to a billet rod and left it alone .
Sunnen is about as good as it gets .
Trying to remove too much material with a fine stone will do that .
Or stones already wore tapered .
You can dress them flat check with a caliper , take down the big spots .
A trueing sleeve dresses them as well .
 
Try more pressure and slower speed and more fluid. You have to vary the stroke and speed. If you keep honing the same way over and over that's the best way to make it out of round. 4 stones are better imho.
 
racinnut15xm said:
Do any of you guys use a rod hone?
Click to expand...
I don’t on cylinders

I had to edit, I didn't think you meant a Rod honing machine. I also prefer the AN600 honing head used in my old sunnen rod honing machine. There has been an AN600 posted for sale in the classifieds here. They are pricey yet work real well. CR mandrills work also yet they are harder to control IMO.
 
Last edited:
racinnut15xm said:
Do any of you guys use a rod hone?
Click to expand...

Yes sir. Sunnen LBB1660 with an AN600 head. It does a PERFECT job.
CREHonethm.jpg

4 stones, no wiper blades.
Plateau finish with light pressure.

-----
🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
31 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
CarlsonMotorsports said:
Yes sir. Sunnen LBB1660 with an AN600 head. It does a PERFECT job.
View attachment 8331
4 stones, no wiper blades.
Plateau finish with light pressure.

-----
🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
31 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
Click to expand...
That’s a nice hone. I’m thinking on finding another unit. Ours is a lb5263. It has aluminum shoes and two stones, sunnen told me to switch to brass shoes for a better finish. Looks like my truing sleeves are a little off, they are cheap so I’ll order more and practice again on some junk blocks to see if my technique can change to correct my reliability. Seems like some are coming out perfect and some are not. I’ve had to buy a few blocks already, since we cannot bore oversize, bc I was not able to recover the cylinder before the limit. I kind of fell into this work by chance from doing my own and had people ask me to do them, now it’s getting more and more, I just don’t want to deliver garbage and want these people to win too, even though some are our competitors. I appreciate all the help, and tips. I’ll keep digging
 
Clone cylinders are very soft. They hone quickly - go slow. Take your time.
Soft cylinders are easy to hone to the next bore, but that also allows for a lot of distortion. Be SURE to use a torque plate to simulate head bolt load on the cylinder. Even with the wide bolt spacing, you can see how it pulls the cylinder. That is amplified as the block sees localized heating.

All the best,
Brian
 
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