how to hone atv cylinder

melsman · 02-10-2012, 10:24 PM

OK - starting my teardown of my '05 Rancher 400 FA AT engine, and was chatting with a friend who has rebuilt a few bike engines. He mentioned that some bike cylinders shouldn't be honed at all before installing new rings. I noticed the shop manual doesn't mention honing the cylinder when replacing the rings. But, in my very limited experience, it seems that the cylinder needs to be honed to get the new rings to seat properly... at least that's the case in the car engines I've overhauled.

So, back to my question... hone or no?

Melsman

shadetree · 02-10-2012, 10:57 PM

hone it..lol..the new rings won't seat right if you don't hone the cylinder..then they will leak oil..compression..get the pic ?..lol.

shadetree · 02-10-2012, 10:59 PM

and i have never...everrrrrrrrrr heard of anyone installing new rings without either a honing..or boring over..then a hone ??????..i'd like to know if these ppl you talked too..i wonder how many set's of rings they went through..before they decided to hone the cylinder ???????..lmfao.

Manny · 02-11-2012, 12:34 AM

+2 honing, i've never heard nore done otherwise.

agdempsey · 02-11-2012, 07:55 AM

Always hone a cyl when rings come out even if your putting same rings back in. Just do a very light hone if using same ring. Mic the cyl also every time the piston comes out just to make sure the wear is true and in spec. If you don't have a cyl Mic most machine shops (here) will Mic for free.

yamahasucks · 02-11-2012, 10:17 AM

i had a 230 quadsport the Dummies put in a new piston & rings didn't hone it and it smoked like a freaking freight train HONE It LOL

slincolnn · 02-11-2012, 04:32 PM

The cylinder your not suppose to hone are nikasil plated aluminum cylinders because they say it will wear it off.Any cylinder with a steel sleeves need to be honed.Basically if it can be bored out then it needs to be honed.

melsman · 02-11-2012, 07:04 PM

Ok - so let me be sure I understand this... because it's not very clear... I should hone the cylinder, right? LOL!

Thanks, Scott, for the composition I was trying to remember - nikasil. I figured my cylinder was a standard type, but I thought I'd verify. Especially since the shop manual mentions nothing about honing. (My vehicle shop manuals all go into detail about honing.)

Thanks everyone -

Melsman

shadetree · 02-11-2012, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melsman

Ok - so let me be sure I understand this... because it's not very clear... I should hone the cylinder, right? LOL!

Thanks, Scott, for the composition I was trying to remember - nikasil. I figured my cylinder was a standard type, but I thought I'd verify. Especially since the shop manual mentions nothing about honing. (My vehicle shop manuals all go into detail about honing.)

Thanks everyone -

Melsman

scott is right as for cylinders that are nik plated...these CAN NOT BE HONED !!..they get bored out...over..then they have to be re-coated with a new coating of nik plating..most of these cylinders are in 2 stroke motors..at least the old school 2 strokes any way. i have seen alot of these types of nik plated cylinders in jet ski's.