Honing or Boring?

[PhuckTheSR20]

I am thinking of just honing my block instead of boring it. What does everyone suggest?

[toki]

hone it to bore

[PhuckTheSR20]

well I am not trying to take the engine out of the car. I am tryin to keep the block in the car. I was just gonna hone it out, wash up the cylinder walls and install the new pistons/rings/rods.

[emperor_lunchbox]

so you want to hone the cylinder walls with the motor still in the car?thats crazy talk.

[Fergus]

sounds a bit impossible to do with the engine in the car...

[emperor_lunchbox]

^ word

[fiznat]

Not impossible, but definitely not the best solution. You can buy honing tools that work sorta like a drill from above, but you really need to worry about metal shavings dropping down into your oil pan and who knows where. Its a recipe for disaster to have little metal shavings circulating all around your engine like that-- and you'll never be able to clean them ALL to the point where you can consider yourself safe.

It is possible though, just strongly reccomended against. In general, taking shortcuts like this is NEVER the right way to do things- and will often cause you more problems in the end.

[lrb_2000]

I'm pretty sure it would be easier to take the engine out and do it right than taking the intake manifold, exhaust manifold, head, etc while it's still in the car.. and then trying to hone it yourself and taking that risk.

[Chezedik]

Don't listen to the hype. I did mine that way and it came out fine. Wipe down all of the parts with a clean rag and some motor oil, to pick up any iron dust.

[Edub1]

The oil pan will be removed. Unless there is a way to get the rods out without removing it.

[emperor_lunchbox]

why chance it. Just do it right. People wonder why there are so many "I blew my motor" threads. This is why. Pull the motor, take it apart, and do it right. You will thank your self in the end.

[eddiec]

be sure and and secure the engine from atop when you go a lowering the subframe to get the oil pan off.

[KATwo40]

why chance it. Just do it right. People wonder why there are so many "I blew my motor" threads. This is why. Pull the motor, take it apart, and do it right. You will thank your self in the end.

Just because the engine is in the car doesn't mean he'll do it incorrectly. I've done this before on other cars, it's no big deal. The hardest part will be to get the vacuum crap on the back of the head in order. That stuff is TIGHT to the firewall.

Only reason I won't do mine that way is because I need a clutch...so I pull the engine and trans still bolted together, then separate in the floor.

[KATwo40]

be sure and and secure the engine from atop when you go a lowering the subframe to get the oil pan off.

Who drops the subframe to remove the pan???

I just get a hoist on the engine, remove the driver side mount bolts from the block, then jack the engine up 'til the head nears the firewall. Next, I remove the front swaybar mounts, swing the bar fully downward, unbolt the pan and drop it. Then, I unbolt the pickup tube (3 bolts), let it drop into the pan and snake the pan out forward.

WAY easier than dropping the subframe, IMO. Plus, you can stick a jack stand under the engine to hold it, remove the engine hoist and have lots of room to work.

Only concern I'd have in doing it this way for removing the rods is that the crank might not have enough room to exit with the subframe sitting there in the way.

[Aaron_9349]

What you need to think about when deciding between honing and boring is how worn your cylinders are. Are they still in line? How deep is the ridge at the top? Do you need to correct any angles? Remember, when you hone, you take material off the entire circumference of the bore, where as if you bore, you are essentially creating a new line, and may actually take more off certain parts of the origonal bore, and very little off others. You can use the line bore procedure to correct for any wear angles, and create a truelly strait bore. Remember, a cylinder will wear more to towards the top, than at the bottorm, and if you hone, you will have to compensate for that by taking less off the top. Otherwise, your cylinder may still be wider at the top. This might also cause you problems in the future for overboring, but that would be an EXTREME honing or extreme wear.

As for doing it in the car, you should be able to drop the oil pan and get the crank out, pulling the rods out through the top (head off obviously). And no, you don't need to drop the cross member to get the pan off. I would be carefull with this though, you will want to make sure the block is absolutely level, and your hone perfectly perpendicular to it (compensate for off level block). Yet, I see no problem doing it in the car, if you are going to do it, assuming there is enough room for the hone and you can get it set up properly. This is not such an uncommon thing to do, just be carefull. Make sure that you keep as much of dust/shavings away from falling into the gallies. I would suggest a nice shopvac to help out, and also maybe blocking off the gallies all together with a plexiglass deck plate. Afterwards, I would blow out those gallies as best possible, and then wipe down the cylinders VERY WELL. Start with solvent (if available). ATF and white towels works very nice for the last wipes, then blow dry and towel dry. Once dry, oil immediately, and cover. And obviously change the oil earlier than the normal 3k.

So, I guess you decide, but hope this helps. I would make sure you don't have any taper or out of round you need to correct for first. If not, I wouldn't see a problem with honing as long as the cylinders aren't overly worn wide, and you make sure its set up correctly.

[12valveturbo]

I dont think doing it that way is bad if done carefully,but once you have the head,intake,exhaust,and oil pan off how hard is it to just pull the block? If you have the block out of the car everything is so much easier but do it however you feel comfortable and good luck.

[180sx]

IS it me or there was pics of someone lifting a block by himself haah? where is that thread...

cuz really all u need is undo all the stuff u would to pull the motor, hoses wiring... than undo 12 heat bolts + few timing cover bolts hoses, and lift the head off right with intake +exhaust mani .... than all u have is a block with alternator etc left... attached to transmission ...next undo the transmission bolts and get a friend to help you lift the block out. than do ur cleaning honing rebuilding etc..

Than just reverse step , drop the block in bolt up transmission, engine mounts....put the headwith manifolds back on ...bolt up connect wires etc and ur good.

if u do have enough room just use engine hoist to pull the motor+transmission less bolts ...than dismount easier than in the car .