i have a question on boring cylinders. i will be boring out a set of 94mm to 96mm. i've been made aware that a torque plate should be used. i'm sure it's the optimum, but is it truly a worry for a street engine if it's not avalible locally? one machinist said "on a sbc 400 you actually can see distortion when the head bolt is installed"... the air cooled cylinder, doesnt have a bolt tugging on the side of the wall, just studs alongside pulling a head down, so i wonder just how bad distortion could be? the shops i called have a device the cylinder slips into then is clamped down. i've never seen this "clamp".
any machinist out there?

mike

THE TORQUE PLATE IS A MUST!!!!!! I don't care if the engine will only idle!

If the cylinder is not bored under load it WILL distort when the clamping force of the head is applied.. It can change by a drastic amount and your rings won't like it.

Procedures must be done correctly for ANY engine build.


Now- if you are going to a V8 machinist go ahead and write off the engine. Those guys need to stick with their V8 crap...

The aircooled engine is intolerant to many things that are perfectly fine for a cast iron blocked V8.

thanks, thats what i needed to know... does anyone out there know of a good shop within driving distance of modesto, ca. (bay area, stocton, fresno). i finally got a set of undemolished cylinders through the postal service destruction team and really dont want to take that chance again.
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The shipping nightmare of shipping cylinders is why we quit doing the work..

I don't know of anyone in your area...

i'll search the s.f. bay area, theres got to be one out there
.
anyone?

Jay's Precision Machine in Santa Clara Ca. Near the SJ airport.
he did all of my machine work....he has been machining parts for type ones and type4s for many many years.

1751 Grant St
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 980-0743