After Market cylinder heads and ball honing

[charliec]

Hello,

Has anyone purchased/installed a Proline brand after market cylinder and piston head replacement kit for their Homelite Super XL or any model for that matter.  I am wondering about the quality of this product (i.e. fitment, casting quality, durability, etc), any experiences/insight welcome.  If you like another manufacturer please provide their contact information.

Secondly, has anyone used a ball honing tool (i.e., drill attachment) to crosshatch their cylinder thus allowing the piston to seat better?  I am thinking about purchasing the Brush Research, Flex-Hone ball, aluminum oxide, 240 grit product with a 1.75" diameter for this particular cylinder size .  From what I have read so far,  240 is a good grit with the ball material being aluminum Oxide for softer cylinder head metals like aluminum.  The articles/directions I have read suggests the drill speed should be around 800 - 1,000 rpm.  The head movement speed around 200 IPM (inches per minute), assuming 3" cylinder depth or 6" in and out to ( i.e. one full cycle)every 2 seconds. How long to run the drill is another open question.  Some of the things I have read suggest running it for about 40 - 50 seconds (20 -30) in and out cycles and then checking for good crosshatch and then deciding if more is necessary/required. 

Thanks in advance,
Charlie

[kevinm1980]

If you are going to hone only do it for a few seconds.. A very light hone, compromising the chrome plating would be bad, I've only ever honed one cylinder and that was on a mac 15 but that was just cast iron and no chrome to worry about

[blythkd]

I've never done it and I doubt I ever will run a ball hone down in a 2 stroke cylinder. Seems like it would be very hard on the edge of the transfer ports. I've always found emery cloth does the trick very well. You just need to take any galled aluminum off of the chrome.

[kevinm1980]

Dec 20, 2021 21:28:06 GMT -5 blythkd said:

I've never done it and I doubt I ever will run a ball hone down in a 2 stroke cylinder. Seems like it would be very hard on the edge of the transfer ports. I've always found emery cloth does the trick very well. You just need to take any galled aluminum off of the chrome.

Agreed, I typically just use some maroon scotch-brite we use at work just to take the polish off

[tangobravo]

Check this video on the topic by Lake Speed Jr. I think he is one of the premier pros on ring seal. If you don't have a good honed surface for a new ring to seat on, it just won't ever work well.
I have honed a chrome bore old cylinder in my Super Mini and have not had a problem with doing so. That chrome layer is very thin, but it is also very hard and if you don't overdo it- It should work favorably.
I used a brake cylinder 3-shoe hone to do mine. Just very lightly scuff it with some good oil holding grooves.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhIQyffIUY