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Stesso

Install Torque Plate and Plan Honing Strategy

10:52
31:16
162.3K views

At 10:52 in

Lake Speed's Ford C3 NASCAR Engine: Drag Racing Legend Greg Anderson Machines The Block!

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What happens here

A torque plate (deck plate) is installed onto the engine block, using the same studs, head gasket, and torque specifications as the actual cylinder head. This simulates the stress and distortion the block will experience when the cylinder head is fully torqued down during engine assembly. By honing the block in this stressed condition, the cylinder bores will remain perfectly straight and round when the engine is assembled and running, ensuring optimal ring seal. The plan is to use a rough grit abrasive (170-200 grit diamond) to establish the initial 'valleys' for oil retention, followed by a smoother grit abrasive (600 grit diamond or CBN) to flatten the 'peaks' and create a plateau finish. This two-step 'extreme plateau' honing process aims to maximize oil retention and minimize friction.

Goal: Simulate real-world engine stress and develop a precise honing strategy for optimal surface finish.

Tools and materials

  • 170-200 Grit Diamond Abrasive — Rough honing to create initial oil retention valleys
  • 600 Grit Diamond or CBN Abrasive — Finish honing to flatten peaks and create a plateau surface
  • Head Gasket — Placed under the torque plate to simulate actual engine assembly
  • Head Studs — Securing the torque plate to the engine block
  • Torque Plate — Simulating the stresses applied by a torqued cylinder head on the engine block during honing
  • Torque Wrench — Applying precise torque to the head studs
  • Engine Assembly Lube — Lubricating fasteners during torque plate installation

What they say

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what he's doing right now is putting on a torque plate so the idea is this torque plate using the same studs from the heads you're going to simulate the cylinder head right because when you put the cylinder head on and you torque it down it's going to distort the block so again back to making this cylinder straight and round you don't just want to straighten around here you want it straighten around when the engine is together so the idea is that you got all the main caps everything on torque just like it would so from the bottom of the cylinder that same stress is put onto it and then we're simulating the same stretch you have the same head gasket the same studs the same lube everything so that this will simulate as close to possible what the engine will see when it's assembled that way we're honing it the way the engine will actually be running that's the best way to try to get it straight around for the best possible ring seal so we're going

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