I know it is required for proper seating of the rings. But why ?
I have always been told that if the cylinder wall is not crosshatched that eventually will cause minor blowby..... is this true ?

If so, why is this ? What will eventually happen to a motor w/o it ?

 

The cross hatch keeps the rings and there gaps from sliding around the piston and all lining up together.

 

Why would a machine shop not do it ?

 

scared of screwing up the block?

 

A good honing machine lays a cross hatch pattern by the up and down grinding motion. A boring machine just lays a spiral pattern in one direction. That's why you hone to the final clearance instead of boring. The cross hatch pattern works best for seating rings. The rings rotate very little or not at all once they are installed and that process has nothing to do with a hone pattern.

 

Well.... ummm....eeerr..... it wasn't me !!

J/K, I just bought a block that was overbored and is in great condition, but I noticed that it does not have a cross hatch... if it is detrimental, of course I want to have it done before I install the pistons, so I am trying to avoid any problems.

Basically, I need a consensus... should I have an alignment hone done to put a cross hatch ? The walls are smooth and slick now. Not to mention, will cross hatching it increase the bore ? (I DON'T want that.)

 

Align hone has nothing to do with the cylinders. It has to do with boring down the crankshaft main bearing web to align all 5 web holes in the tunnel.
There is no crosshatch pattern because the block has been used. You can run a hone up and down the cylinders to break the glaze off the walls and you should be fine. If the cyl are out of round, then they must be done by a machine shop and pistons custom fitted.
As a last resort, install your new rings and use only WD-40 as a lube. That will help seat the new rings.

 

What do you mean ? I have always known an alignment hone to mean basically a hone on the cylinder walls to remove any surface rust and the cut from the previous rings. Could my terminoligy be wrong ? If so, then what is the correct term ? The block itself has not been run, there is no cut from rings and the walls are smooth. The pistons that came w/ the block are brand new and the rings are as well. I would only assume the cross hatch was not done... but how ? The block is .25 over, but if I have to lay a cross hatch, will it increase the bore any, or can it be done without affecting it. I don't want to 1) Have to get new/larger bore pistons or 2) Have to bore a stock block anymore or 3) Go kick some *** for selling me a block that's a mission...

I don't think I have ever heard of someone using WD40 !