I have to mail out my block for this service.

What else is typically required other then the block?

Some builders want a used head gasket, some don't. The head and case bolts you will be using. Some machinists even want things like oil/water pumps installed. It's really best to just get ahold of your particular machinist and ask them what they are comfy with. As a general rule the more complete the engine during the honing the better.

You need to bolt and torque cases together(machine shop can do that for you).
In some cases you need to supply your used headgaskets and headbolts
or studs too.
We do have all that covered, all you need to do is to ship your block cases and case bolts and of course pistons with information which head fasteners you are using.
Another thing you might consider is to send rings. A good machineshop/
engine builder can set your ring gap properly for your application using professional ring cutter.

You can torque plate hone a suby engine if you want but frankly you are wasting time and money.
WHY???
Torque plate honing is not required in a Suby engine because the threads which hold the head bolts are nowhere near the deck of the block (like for example a chev or a cast iron block).
Normally threads would tend to distort after torquing but they are well down in the block.
As you are not building a full race engine you will have a run-in period for your engine. A race engine must run on full power straight after assembly.
The run in period allows the rings to seat. Thats why you run in an engine. Running in has very little to do with bearings.

Actually, I believed that at first to, but I measured my cylinder bores before and after torqueing the case together and they did move, albeit a small amount but did move nontheless.

Also, if you look the headbolt threads are about the same distance away from the bores as the main bolt threads. So I myself am concluding that when the heads are torqued, it will move the bores.

Here's a very good read on torque plate honing.

due to the inaccuracy of some aftermarket shops' ability to machine. IMO using a torque plate is the ONLY way to go.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1121352&highlight=builders

At Cobb we use a torque plate on each side of the block (to simulate the cylinder heads when they are bolted on and torqued) as well as a torque plate on the rear section of the block (to simulate the transmission bolted to the block)

Torque plates are a must for the EJ's as our engine cases flex easily.


- J.



'nuff said.

I had my engine builder buy a hone plate for my ej257 build. It came from BHJ (www.bhjinc.com). The instructions that came with the plate said NOT to use a head gasket?!? Either I or my builder will call to make sure.

Torque plate honing is not required in a Suby engine because the threads which hold the head bolts are nowhere near the deck of the block (like for example a chev or a cast iron block).
Normally threads would tend to distort after torquing but they are well down in the block.
As you are not building a full race engine you will have a run-in period for your engine. A race engine must run on full power straight after assembly.
The run in period allows the rings to seat. Thats why you run in an engine. Running in has very little to do with bearings.


It is a sleaved engine first of all...and even a street engine can benefit from near perfect machining. The sleeves will move when torqued....

Torque plate honing is the only way to go, period.
Thanks, Tomi

I know that some rather high profile, highly respected SUBARU engine builders do not torque plate hone their blocks. I had a discussion with my local engine builder and he concluded the same thing with the same reasoning.

Subaru themselves do not call for torque plate honing. So whats that about?

def

Many of the high profile highly respected guys in the Subaru world are idiots. Many aren't.

The Subaru community isn't old enough for most of the incompetent folks to have been weeded out into obscurity yet. It's slowly starting to happen... but there are still some "well respected" people out there that have no business changing oil. Many of the truly talented and knowledgeable guys haven't risen to the top yet either.

Many of the high profile highly respected guys in the Subaru world are idiots. Many aren't.

The Subaru community isn't old enough for most of the incompetent folks to have been weeded out into obscurity yet. It's slowly starting to happen... but there are still some "well respected" people out there that have no business changing oil. Many of the truly talented and knowledgeable guys haven't risen to the top yet either.

Haha... if you only knew...

def

I know that some rather high profile, highly respected SUBARU engine builders do not torque plate hone their blocks. I had a discussion with my local engine builder and he concluded the same thing with the same reasoning.

Subaru themselves do not call for torque plate honing. So whats that about?

def

Let me ask you something.

Say, It wasn't "needed". Obviously this technology has been used for years. Is it just pure laziness on the two engine builders you talked to? Or do they honestly believe that it wont effect the bores at all? What's their resoning?


Ofcourse subaru doesn't call for it. Subaru has tooling that probably costs 10x that these little shops rebuilding engines.....with far greater accuracy.

Laziness or someone not wanting to charge you for something thats not needed?

The place I am working with currently has been in business for 30+ years and I have heard nothing but good things about them.

I am pretty sure if it were laziness there would be A LOT more things to be concerned about... and more than likely they wouldn't be around today anyway.

def

Do they torque plate hone any brand of block?

Do they torque plate hone any brand of block?

Yes they do, the ones they found that needed it. A ford big block they had sitting nearby comes to mind.

The head bolts went into the block literally 1 cm from the cylinder wall, and its a fully closed-deck block... so there was a "direct" connection so to speak to the bore.

None of our bolts do this.

def