When honing a block, is using a torque plate necessary? If so, why?

TIA, Shawn

 

Yes, to duplicate the stresses that the head puts on the bore. Otherwise the cylinder or bore is not as round when you do bolt the heads on.

 

Yes, the block actually distorts when you torque a head down on it.

 

Always considered it a "Must" on iron blocks. I would think that an aluminum block would be more so.

 

Also if you are useing iron heads use a iron plate aluimnum use a aluimnum plate you also need to have the correct spacers for bolts or studs and the head gasket you will be useing and you need to tq the mains because they will pull the bottom of the bores.With the thin rings that are being used today it is very inporten to have cylinder walls that are straight and round less then .0005.








mike

 

they say on an ls1 it is not needed due to where the head bolts clamp (at the bottom of the bore) on old style engine it is needed badly cause the heads clamp at the top of the deck thus distorting the cylinders alot.

I read this a long time ago from someone at GM.