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Flexible honing for engine cylinders imparts a
plateau finish that optimizes lubrication and reduces friction and wear.
Flexible cylinder honing also removes cut, torn, and folded metal that can
interfere with the operation of mechanical components such as piston rings. By
removing burrs, imparting a series of oil-retaining grooves, and reducing
raised areas to a uniform height, BRM Flex-Hone® tools impart the ideal surface
finish. Two automotive application guides explain the benefits of flexible
cylinder honing for the automotive aftermarket.
Flexible Honing for Engine
Preparation
Kart racers drive small, four-wheeled vehicles that can
achieve speeds in excess of 150 mph. Two-cycle kart engines are available, but
many racers prefer four-cycle powerplants like the Briggs & Stratton L Head
and OHV Animal. When Jimmy Glenn, a championship engine builder and technical
inspector for National Karting Events, prepares a Briggs & Stratton engine
for kart racing, he uses Flex-Hone® tools for cylinder honing. As Glenn
explains in the 4-Cycle Kart Engines application guide, flexible honing is "integral" to kart engine
preparation. "Always use the premiere BRM hones," he adds.
With both the Briggs & Stratton L Head engine and
the OHV Animal, Glenn uses a 320-grit aluminum oxide Flex-Hone® to impart a
final finish to the aluminum bores. "For rebuilds on either engine," he
explains, "a quick honing with the appropriate grit will bring the cylinder
back into optimum condition for a new piston/ring set." The BRM application
guide describes Jimmy's Glenn's tips and techniques, and also explains how the
author of "Building a Race Ready 5HP Briggs" uses ball hones with carburetor
bores, valve guides, and other engine parts.
Flexible Honing for Engine
Remanufacturing
Remanufactured engines aren't just re-machined. They're
restored to precise mechanical tolerances and original equipment manufacturer
(OEM) specifications. For engine remanufacturers like RMP Powertrain Solutions,
a division of the Holman Automotive Group, imparting the ideal surface finish
is essential. Cylinder walls with cut, torn and folded metal can prevent proper
piston ring and sealing - and even cause engine failure. Flexible honing
removes surface imperfections, and imparts a plateau finish for optimum
lubrication.
RMP uses a rigid honing machine after engine cylinders
are bored, but trusts BRM Flex-Hone® technology to impart the final surface
finish. As the Automotive Engine Rebuilder application guide explains, the New Jersey-based
engine remanufacturer "has been able to maintain high quality standards at
minimal cost". By stroking each cylinder just a few times, operators reportedly
finish as many as 60 engines per Flex-Hone® tool. For RMP's customers, the
benefits include faster break-in times and reduced blow-by.
Learn More about Flexible Honing
for Automotive Engines
Would you like to learn
more about flexible honing for engine rebuilds? From case studies and brochures
to how-to-videos and technical books, BRM provides the information you need in
a variety of formats. Visit our website to find these and other
resources. As a full-line supplier of surface finishing and deburring
solutions, we have the tools, technology, and application experience that you
need to make your next engine rebuild a success.
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