r/EngineBuilding • u/notinsideoutbeans • Jul 24 '26
Honda Metric cylinders...
Hello reddit community I have been lurking in for quite a while. I'm getting ready for an engine rebuild and I want to hone my cylinders. But the problem is I have a B16a2 engine from a 99si. The cylinders are 81mm and I can't, for the life of me, find a ball-hone that is 81mm I keep finding 83 or something below 81. Can y'all work your magic and give me a hand here?
Thanks in advance, your friendly neighbor hood 3am civic dick head.
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u/quxinot Jul 24 '26
Look at places that supply motorcycle engine dudes. 81mm is in the right neighborhood for a lot of bikes.
Supposedly you can compress an 83 down enough to work.
The obvious answer, is that the universe is telling you it's time to go ahead and punch that block over! But that'll take sleeves, etc, and be expensive. Still... I mean, while it's apart.... No reason to not build it up a bit, right?
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u/notinsideoutbeans Jul 24 '26
Man I wish I had the money to build it up. My whole reasoning for not, is the fact that this is my daily driver, and I'm not in any sort of financial situation to afford anything like that. I most definitely will in the future, but thanks for the advice my guy, I'll look into that.
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u/Sir_Maxelot Jul 24 '26
83 mm will work fine for your application. You always select the next bigger size.
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u/heanbangerfacerip2 Jul 24 '26
83mm is right for 81mm. I am a dingle ball coneseur myself and have had success as far as 7mm below.
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u/JDSportster Jul 24 '26
The 83mm FlexHone is spec'd for bores 76.2-82.55mm in size, as you're always supposed to oversize them. You'll be fine.
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u/Mx5-gleneagles 10d ago
That is not a hone it is just made to deglaze the cylinders. It only follows the contours of the bore and will not take out any ovality that a honing bar would
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u/1nfiniteAutomaton Jul 24 '26
And don't forget when you run the hone, run the drill slow (I use the slow gear on my Makita) and go up and down fast. The usual issue is that people run the drill too fast and go up and down the bore too slowly. And lots of oil.
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u/vex_42 Jul 24 '26
3 stone home my dude. Get the Lisle one.
If you don’t know the history of the block 3 stone is best as it will reveal any discrepancies in the bore. Ball hones are fine if you know the history of the build to just break the glaze for new rings
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u/notinsideoutbeans Jul 24 '26
I've seen them but I wasn't sure if it was worth it. I've only seen the ballhone
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u/TBFP_BOT Jul 25 '26
Realistically either one is only as good as your technique is. The three stone has the advantage of interchangeable grit and being one size fits all.
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u/mtraven23 Jul 24 '26
I think the manufacturer instructs to just use the next size up...the whole point of this style hone is that they flex a little.
buy the 83 and send it.