So I pulled all the pistons and the crank tonight on my 72 455. The piston walls are in really good shape - no scratches to catch a finger nail. Only a couple visible marks at all.

I'm going to take my block and heads somewhere to get them hot tanked. And probably to get new cam bearings intstalled.

I'll be installing used standard bore factory high compression pistons with new rings (thanks Dan - rocwal - for the free pistons). Need to get the piston pins pressed on to the my current connecting rods at the machine shop too.

Anyway, I need to hone the cylinders for the new rings. A buddy at work has a stone style hone he said I could use. It seems simple enough to use, but I haven't done it before. Should I do this myself or pay the machine shop to do it. I'm planning to do it myself, unless there are some compelling reasons I shouldn't.

How 'bout technique. 30 seconds per cylinder? 2 minutes per cylinder? Backa and forth, or one slow pass? How much does it take? Is one of the brush style hones better?

Is it OK to hone the cylinders prior to having the block cleaned so there is no residue? Thanks. Tom.

 

I just did mine this weekend with a stone hone. Use a good drill and I used wd-40 oil. I do each cylinder until it is clean and uniform. You want to move up and down the cylinder fast enough to leave a good cross hatch pattern in the bores. Make sure you wipe the bores out good. I have never used a brush before so I cant say if it is better. Its not hard to do it only took me maybe half hour. This is the 4th motor I've done this way and no problems. And if you have a pressure washer and some degreaser thats how I cleaned my block and heads. Hope this helps!

 

You should go to O'Reillys and see if they have a dial bore gauge to rent. This tool will allow you to determine the cylinder wear. Until you measure, you won't know if you need to hone or bore the cylinders.

 

check this out
http://www.hastingsmfg.com/ServiceTi...efinishing.htm

Note that to get the angle of the crosshatch of the order suggested by the article is a function of the speed you move the drill up n down the bore and the speed which the drill turns the honing tool..
But like mentioned , it seems to make sense to measure the bores prior to honing in case a rebore is the order of the day.
Others wiser in these matters may like to comment on Hastings aspersions re x-hatch angle importance.
mike

 

If you don't have a dial bore gauge you can also use a set of snap gauges and a micrometer. This is less accurate however.

 

if you have it at the shop anyway i would just have them do it. they can check for out of round and hone it for around $50. i would do this before the cam barrings are installed.