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The Suzuki GS-550 hit the
roads in 1977 as the first four-stroke member of the Japanese manufacturer's
motorcycle family. Two years later, Suzuki modified the bike's styling for the U.S.
marketplace, but kept the same great air-cooled, 549-cc, inline-4, 8-valve
engine. Built with dual overhead camshafts (DOHC), this high-performance powerplant
was part of the Suzuki GS-550 series until the mid-1980s, when a new 674-cc GS-650
engine added more horsepower.
For a GS-550
owner on Do The Ton, an on-line
forum for motorcycle enthusiasts, a good deal on a GS-650 engine became a great
opportunity for an engine rebuild. Before bolting the top end of the 650 to the
block of the 550, the biker tore down his old four-stroke engine. The pistons
for the 550 aren't the same size as for the 650, so rigid honing for bore resizing
was probably required. For the final finish, however, the motorcycle mechanic chose
a Flex-Hone
tool from Brush
Research Manufacturing (BRM).
Flexible Honing for Optimum Lubrication
Built with a
stiff, double-wire metal steam and flexible nylon filaments that are
permanently laminated to abrasive globules, the BRM Flex-Hone is
versatile, reliable, and easy-to-use. As this Flex-Hone
video shows, BRM engine hones mount easily in variable-speed handheld
electric drills. Parts manufacturers often use Flex-Hone technology with
machine centers, but BRM's cylinder honing tools are a favorite of do-it-yourself
(DIY) hobbyists whose equipment is more limited.
Known also
as ball hones, BRM Flex-Hone tools impart a uniform surface finish along the length
of the entire engine cylinder. Unlike honing stones, which can impart an uneven
or unidirectional crosshatch, flexible honing tools round and reduce peaks to a
consistent height while creating oil-retaining valleys. Rigid honing tools are
right for cylinder resizing, geometry correction, and heavy-duty material
removal, but honing stones can't match the Flex-Hone tool's plateau
finish for optimum lubrication.
Flexible Hones for Cylinder Wall Surface
Finishing
As the
GS-550 owner from Do The Ton explained, BRM provided all of the surface
finishing supplies that he needed. After chucking a 240-grit aluminum oxide
(AO) Flex-Hone into his cordless electric drill, the bike-builder lubricated
the cylinder honing tool with Flex-Hone oil, BRM's
specially-formulated blend of honing and lapping oils. The GS-550 owner
initially stroked the cylinder too quickly (the Flex-Hone® is a low RPM tool),
but eventually achieved the 45-degree crosshatch angle he desired.
BRM's Flex-Hone
Resource Guide provides guidelines for both tool selection and use, and also
explains how flexible cylinder hones are self-aligning, self-centering, and
self-compensating for wear. As a full-line supplier of surface finishing
solutions, BRM also offers cylinder wash brushes like the one the GS-550 owner
ordered. With sturdy bristles made of 6-12 Nylon, these efficient cleaning
brushes remove residues from cylinder walls and are designed for use with a
mild detergent and warm or hot water.
Wash, Dry, Clean - and Share Your Story
After
washing the cylinder walls, remember to dry each engine cylinder and then clean
them with a lint-free cloth that's coated with a light oil or mineral spirits.
Continue to clean until the cloth remains clean. Then, if you'd like to share your
surface finishing success story, take a picture of your project and share it
with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, or even Pinterest.
BRM also maintains social
media channels on YouTube
and Vimeo. So if you shoot a video
of your flexible honing project, please tell us about it. As the GS-550 owner
from Do The Ton demonstrated, Flex-Hone users have some amazing stories.
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