Proper cleaning of honed cylinders?

[IdahoDoug]

Several years ago, when I was rebuilding my engine, one of you smart people told me the correct way to clean the cylinders after honing. It was an old method of using a household scouring agent (Bon Ami? Comet?) and very hot water, repeating until a clean white towel wiped in the cylinder no longer showed any grey.

It took me a long while and I was impressed at how LOOOOONG it took me to fully clean it and I would never have kept going had I not been told it would take forever. As a result, my rings broke in flawlessly and my WBX burns not a measurable trace of oil.

I cannot recall who that was, or what the scouring product was. Does anyone know what the recommended product is? Thank you in advance.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[borninabus]

thanks for the compliment, Doug.
i don't always feel "smart".
it's Bon Ami and i learned the technique from Gary Berg

always felt bad that i encouraged you to run that bottom end and it turned out to be trashed.
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88 Van WBX, A/T - 13 JSW TDI 6M/T - 2012 Touareg TDI Sport

[IdahoDoug]

I can't believe you are on. I subsequently decided to search and found my years old attribution to you, so I answered my own question and was jumping back to delete this question.

That was some staunch advice and I so appreciated it then, and now. Pardon the "other make" need here but I've been working on a car I suspect many others will appreciate, restoring a 1988 Supra and I'll be honing the block in a few days.

That worked so, so well and because you told me not to stop, it caused me to do enough cleaning cycles that - lo and behold - there is actually a "clean" beyond clean eventually achieved. Bravo and a tip of the hat, kind sir!!

Doug

And a happy PS you may not be aware of. Because this "spare" engine took a dump on me, I refocused my attention on the original engine she left the factory with and turned it into a jewel. Took all the lessons you taught me, added a machine shop into the mix, and built it in my garage. So rather than a 2nd engine, she retains her original heart after all these years, which creates an odd satisfaction in my heart. Here is the thread I found where I mentioned you and the Bon Ami: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Now another classic from the same era will have beautifully reseated rings thanks to that technique and heritage from your mentor.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[borninabus]

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88 Van WBX, A/T - 13 JSW TDI 6M/T - 2012 Touareg TDI Sport

[MarkWard]

I use a product called Formula 88. They started in South Florida, but I buy it at HD. I have a cylinder bore brush. With individual cylinders it’s easier to clean them. With a block, after honing you need to have not only the cylinders squeeky clean, the block interior needs to be clean enough to eat off. Thorough
washing and rinsing will ensure you get all the pumous out. If for some reason your working with the crank installed, tape the rod journals to keep the slurry out of the crank journals.
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[dgbeatty]

Very simply. Hot soapy detergent. Scrub with a stiff brush. No magic required.
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Schau in das Buch

[Glenn]

[Butcher]

I've heard Bon Ami and I've also heard putting a little bit in a running engine to seat the rings. I never have but I've heard it works from really good mechanics.

Again, I never have, too sketchy even for me.

[MarkWard]

Once an engine is built, it’s built. There is no reason if done properly, that the rings wouldn’t seat. If it was determined the rings did not seat during breakin, I imagine the theory of inhaling some abrasive powder might help. Short of tearing the engine back down, I suppose it might be something to try, but you really should be wondering why the rings did not bed in properly.
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[vino de vano]

There is a lot of bad info posted on break in for rings. I fallowed the instructions from the ring manufacture, First start, warm fully varying the rpm staying above 2000 rpm, Then drive it, pull second gear Throttle at 50%, The again at 75%, and again at 100% or you can just drive in town stoplight to stoplight for twenty minutes. Babying the engine at the very first start is the likely cause of badly seated rings. First run seams to be very important.
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what a long strange trip it's been