To hone or not to hone
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
From: Elora, Ontario Canada
To hone or not to hone So I picked up a L92 out of a 2007 Cadillac Escalade with approximately 200,000km (I know Canadian here eh). I stripped everything down to the bare block other than the rotating assembly. Everything is looking good. My plan is to but in a GPI Performance SS2 cam package https://gwatneyperformance.com/produ...-kit/#camshaft
Specs are In./Ex. Duration®
228/240
In./Ex. Valve Lift ®
.646/.637
LSA ®
112
ICL ®
+4
I can definitely see where the piston rides in the cylinder walls and there is still a faint crosshatching.
question one should I just run it? I did pull off and main cap and rod cap and bearings look good. Or should I put new bearings in and rings with a hone to be safe and have more longevity.
it is going in a Mazda RX7 with a T56 the car is 90% street driven with a couple of track lapping sessions and an occasional drag pass.
thanks in advance
Specs are In./Ex. Duration®
228/240
In./Ex. Valve Lift ®
.646/.637
LSA ®
112
ICL ®
+4
I can definitely see where the piston rides in the cylinder walls and there is still a faint crosshatching.
question one should I just run it? I did pull off and main cap and rod cap and bearings look good. Or should I put new bearings in and rings with a hone to be safe and have more longevity.
it is going in a Mazda RX7 with a T56 the car is 90% street driven with a couple of track lapping sessions and an occasional drag pass.
thanks in advance
Ultimately it boils down to whether you want to spend the $ or not.
You’ll almost certainly be just fine running it as is. I know the urge to do something is strong, but unless your thinking different pistons, etc.. Id prolly leave it alone.
definitely take a peek at all the bearings though, thats easy enough to retorque the bolts back.
Usually you can tell pretty easily if an engine was neglected or not. Bunch of crustys in the heads? How clean was the donor vehicle? Smell of old oil inside engine? Pull the vin history from donor?
You’ll almost certainly be just fine running it as is. I know the urge to do something is strong, but unless your thinking different pistons, etc.. Id prolly leave it alone.
definitely take a peek at all the bearings though, thats easy enough to retorque the bolts back.
Usually you can tell pretty easily if an engine was neglected or not. Bunch of crustys in the heads? How clean was the donor vehicle? Smell of old oil inside engine? Pull the vin history from donor?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
From: Elora, Ontario Canada
Ultimately it boils down to whether you want to spend the $ or not.
You’ll almost certainly be just fine running it as is. I know the urge to do something is strong, but unless your thinking different pistons, etc.. Id prolly leave it alone.
definitely take a peek at all the bearings though, thats easy enough to retorque the bolts back.
Usually you can tell pretty easily if an engine was neglected or not. Bunch of crustys in the heads? How clean was the donor vehicle? Smell of old oil inside engine? Pull the vin history from donor?
You’ll almost certainly be just fine running it as is. I know the urge to do something is strong, but unless your thinking different pistons, etc.. Id prolly leave it alone.
definitely take a peek at all the bearings though, thats easy enough to retorque the bolts back.
Usually you can tell pretty easily if an engine was neglected or not. Bunch of crustys in the heads? How clean was the donor vehicle? Smell of old oil inside engine? Pull the vin history from donor?
I wasn’t sure if I should just stick the cam in it and replace all the gaskets and be on my way.
or
hone with pistons and rings.
or
Go all out with full 416 striker rotating assembly with all new bearings and have it fully built.
I am selling my cammed LS1 and t56 so that is were most of my budget is coming from.
but it would be nice to keep a bit of money left over for the paint job I am getting done as well.
Leave it be!! If you still see faint cross hatch marks at this mileage, somebody took care of it, or they'd be long gone. Just throw in a cam, valve springs, lifters, timing chain, new GM trays, maybe an oil pump, and new gaskets, of course. It may be tempting to do a valve job. If you do that with older rings, be advised you may see oil smoke for awhile afterwards, until the extremely good vacuum, due to the fresh valve job, lessens slightly. I've seen this on several engines in the past. This is not a problem on older non electronic engines. However, on newer engines like the LS, you may find the extra oil consumtion may foul a cat or O2 sensor. It will stop smoking in a month or two of regular driving.....
Last edited by grinder11; Nov 25, 2024 at 12:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
From: Elora, Ontario Canada
That is perfect I have everything you mention is in my cart ready to order. I think you are right just run it as is and in a couple of years if i feel inclined to spend money unnecessarily I can pull the trigger on the Stroker kit at that time.
Last edited by LS RX7 Guy; Nov 25, 2024 at 01:58 PM.
Take it to a machine shop and see how the bores measure. If it were me I would just do rings and bearings and reuse the rest... unless you really want to pay for new rotating assembly. A healthy 416/418 cubic inch setup is pretty amazing in a little RX-7 I can tell you that 
. We made 560rwhp with a 416 running a BTR Stage3 cam with unported factory L92 heads/LS3 intake manifold and 91 octane using a T56 and a 335/30/18 tire out back in my buddies C10 race truck.
. We made 560rwhp with a 416 running a BTR Stage3 cam with unported factory L92 heads/LS3 intake manifold and 91 octane using a T56 and a 335/30/18 tire out back in my buddies C10 race truck. 124,000 miles I wouldn't touch the short block. If you want more power than a cam can provide then put a super charger on it and run the sbe. Lots of smiles for not a lot of money. Plus if you hurt the motor you aren't out much throw another one in it.
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