So once again i picked up a shortblock, this one luckily had no scarring when i cracked the motor open and inspected the walls. There is on little scratch, but only a single scratch on the walls that i am not worried at all about, other than that spotless. Now here is the back story.

So in my infinite wisdom (or lack of) i was doing some port work on my intake manifold. It dawned on me half way that i had completely forgot to seal the block with some painters tape or a plastic bag... i quickly looks at it and it had fine bits of metal at the top that were as small as baking powder. Well, i cleaned off what i could but still didn't trust it. I just spent $600 on headwork and don't want any kind of metal shavings to mess my bearings or anything else up, so i decided to tear the block apart.

While i took it apart when i flipped the block upside down on the stand i noticed one of the pistons rings were not sealing 3 were good but one was letting oil slide pass it. The inside of the block had no metal shavings anywhere which means i got pretty much all of them out. However, i am still taking all my pieces to the machine shop and having them clean every part to ensure nothing is still in there. I inspected the bearings and a few appear to be on their way out. They aren't spun or anything but they are definately starting to show some age.

Now here are my questions. I obviously have to replace the rings and it is a smart idea to replace the bearings. I have heard of many people replacing rings without a hone, what do you guys think about doing this? One is not sealing which leaves me very few options other than to do that. I have been told i can with very low chance of anything screwing up down the road as long as all the same pistons go back in their same cylinders that they came from.

As far as the bearings, should i have the crank inspected before i replace them? Once again, i have heard of people replacing bearings without servicing the crank and them lasting for a very long time afterwards. Personally i feel like that would be cutting corners on the bearing work, but this is what i need to know. If i replace the bearings and service the crank, wouldn't that mean i need to re-balance the rotating assembly since the crank now has material missing from it? If so what parts would have to be rebalanced?

Sorry for the novel, but i really would like to know the answer to these questions. This is the last little issue i have before i can finally after a year put my motor back together and start re-installing everything.

 

If you can barely pick up the scratch with a finger nail or can't... then you don't have to have bore and hone on FRM cylinders.

If using factory Honda OE pistons that came in the block, I would advise to get a whole new set of OEM Honda rings. Inspect the ringlands for any cracks, dark dirty area on the ringland then a perfect clean spot may be a tell tell. Don't just replace one piston ring set.

Re ringing an engine doesn't bother me, done it a couple times on the H motors. But using older bearings after taking them apart is lil bit of a gamble. If they inspect to be okay, I guess you could, follow the correct torque specs from honda and procedure and use some good lube.

If it was mine and wanting it to last a bit...
Dissemble
Honda OEM rings
ACL std side bearings if mics out on crank
Clean block with hot soapy water and cylinders
Mic crank, polish it
Put together, use WD in cylinder upon piston install

 

As far as the little bits of metal shavings, I would imagine, that they wouldnt cause to much problems, the oil filter should pick them up.

But if you are really worried about it, you can always give it an acid bath.

 

FYI, piston rings never seal 100% due to the end gap, so oil leaking past the rings when the block was upside down is no indication of the condition of the rings.

You were right in tearing the block down when metal shavings got into it. You'll never get that stuff out without disassembling the block and completely cleaning everything.

Do not assemble the block without new rings and bearings. I'd have the block honed, but I'm pretty **** about that kind of stuff. I also don't reuse high mileage pistons.

 

I do plan on buying a new set of OEM ringlands, I wouldn't just be replacing one, they would all be replaced. I wanted to do that either way because it makes me feel better knowing there are new rings rather than high mileage ones in the motor.

The scratch is just barely enough to catch a finger nail on. Like i said, it is the only scratch in any of the walls, and it is only about 1 cm long. I feel safe enough not honing the walls. Plus, if you hone an H22 don't you have to bore it out .20mm? Meaning i would have to pick up new OS pistons?

The crank should be fine but i guess i'll have it inspected and polished just to be safe. If it is mic'd and everything is in spec if i didn't want to polish it could i just drop some new OEM bearings in? As far as the pistons go, i'll be reusing them for a little while.

I only want this motor to last me until winter 2011, so the rest of next season. After that i'll be forking over some mulla for a built block. For now however, i just want this stock short block to work.

Thanks for the replies guys

 

Ring lands? Ring lands are part of a piston. Do you mean new rings?

Chances are, with a high mileage engine, if you mic the bores, they'll be a bit out of round and out of spec, so honing to OS spec (0.25mm oversized) is your only option, other than sleeving. So if you're just going to install new pistons without proper preparation, just know what you're getting into.

 

haha yah, that slipped my mind. Yes, i meant to say i plan on replacing the rings.

Hmmmmm, well i don't plan to install new pistons though, just re-install the old ones back to their proper cylinders. That way each piston stays at the same spec as before.

Believe me, i remember the convo's you and I had earlier when i still had my new type s pistons you sold me. I would not be foolish enough to drop new oem pistons in without proper prep. However, these are the same pistons going back into the same block, more specifically the same cylinders each came from. No mixing up piston 1 into cylinder 3 or anything like that. They will be reinstalled as piston 1 back into cylinder 1, piston 2 to cylinder 2 and so on.

Final questions (hopefully), if the crank gets serviced how will i know what bearings to purchase? I would assume i'd leave that up to the machine shop to inform me? And finally, is it possible to put the pistons and rods (still attached) into a parts washer? I am not sure how it works but my understanding is it just basically lowers on a platform into boiling water, correct me if i am wrong please

 

Pistons and rods will need to be disassembled to clean.

The machine shop may be able to tell you what bearings to order if they do that kind of work. If you don't have tools, you'll need someone (the machine shop or otherwise) to measure the journals and the ID of the bearings (installed in the block with the mains torqued) to get the exact clearance.

 

They do that kind of work so i'll ask them to measure the journals and the ID of the bearings. If the pistons and rods are seperated do new wrist pins have to be purchased? Or is that a big no, no when re-using them?