Ball honeing a chrome cylinder ?

[WATERWINGS]

I have done it both ways, and can't really tell a difference either way.

Is it worth the time/trouble to do this, or is it a waste of time?

Thanks in advance,

John

[jphii]

Call Tommy.

[pyro]

No hone, just de-glaze lightly with a wet scotch brite pad. When in doubt, get it re-plated.

[Jay Smith]

I use maroon grade scotch bright on chrome bores with good luck....

[pwerwagn]

I used the marroon grade stuff too when I did mine, at the reccomendation of Jay and a few others. Worked great.

BTW, who does cylinder plating?? Is it worth having it plated, or better to sleeve?

--Jeff

[WATERWINGS]

So instead of the ball hone, ya'll use the square pads of scotch bright?

And I assume that you do this by hand, and not with a drill?

.........and just scuff it up a little with pad in hand?

I think there are several different "grits" of scotch bright pads? What "grit" do you use?

[steve]

Using the ScotchBrite and the fine ball hone. Both worked fine on chrome , but I don't recall if we used a Silicon Carbide or Tungstan Carbide ball hone. I'll check. Honing gives a better pattern . Also if you go to replating it, just get it Nikasil'd , its not much difference in price and much more durable.

[WATERWINGS]

Scotch Bright PAD?

By HAND?

[pyro]

YES. Maroon color pad.

[WATERWINGS]

Aren't there different "grits" of scotch bright?

Do you know the "grit" that I should use?

Also.....can a steel sleeve be chromed, or only the alum. bores?

[steve]

Theres not much point in chroming a steel bore or even Nik plating it. It might make a it a tad slicker with the NIk, but the real reason for the chrome and Nik over aluminum is for better heat transfer. If its steel leave it. If its aluminum, Nik it.

[WATERWINGS]

I get it.

So, the chorme is not for less friction, its mainly for better heat transfer?

[chris_lacey]

Actually the coating (over aluminum) is for durability. Steel rings in an uncoated aluminum bore would last about 3 strokes!

Nicasil is a more durable coating than chrome, but chrome has less friction. They both give better heat transfer than a steel sleeved bore. A coated aluminum bore can have tighter clearances than a sleeve because there is less difference in rates of expansion between the piston and bore = more power.

[merc326]

the color pad dictates its grit.

[pwerwagn]

The Maroon part of it is the Grit.
the make green and other colors, but the maroon is what I used and it worked good. I think the maroon is slightly more abrasive than the green, IIRC.

Isnt chrome plating more heat resistant than nikasil though???? Like, if you get a nikasil mota hot, wont it take a crap quicker than a chrome bore?

--Jeff

[WATERWINGS]

I see.

The reason I asked is, I thought I had seen some maroon here at work that was really coarse, and some that was maroon and not that coarse.

Maroon is kinda burgandy colored.........right?...........reddish colored ?

[jphii]

That's it. Grab me some too!

[WATERWINGS]

I will keep my eyes open.

And there is only ONE grit of maroon.........right?

[jphii]

As far as I know there is only one grit that color.

[pwerwagn]

As long as its 3M(I believe its 3M??). I have seen knockoff brands that are marroon and not the same.
Its pretty cheap stuff to buy at autozone, if in doubt go get some to make sure its 3M.

[WATERWINGS]

I went ahead with the ball hone.

Looks great, and I will do it again the next time.

The finish went from being a mirror is some spots, to a duller gray looking surface.

Also got a nice cross hatch on the surface.

I went only a few "strokes" at the time, and wiped it clean to have a look every few strokes, turnes out that it probably takes 15 to 20 "ins and outs" to get the look I wanted.

I could have gone more, but didn't want to over do it.