Re: Cylinder Wear

[Don]

I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one that gives old engines the 50 cent hone job with a little wet/dry/emery cloth. I usually just clean out any sanding dust with some brake clean and compressed air. This method, crude as it may seem, is a great way to break years of cylinder glaze and improve ring sealing. And, like RC says, most of these old engines never get enough hours put on them to be actually worn out enough to warrant a "rebuild". Needless to say, obvious major scores/scuffs from overheat/lack of oil, are another story.
So, again, please don’t pull this engine all apart once you have it freed up, unless the rings are hopelessly stuck/rusted. Once it is freed up, you may want to pull the head and have a look/clean up the cylinders a bit. You can always pull one/both of the intake bypass covers to get a better idea if the rings are stuck. Pulling the exhaust cover is a messy job that may include drilling out broken bolts, something to be avoided.