If it were mine I would have both cylinders done, new rings and use Cometic MLS gaskets. No better time now than to freshen it up since you're more than 1/2 way there.

 

If it were mine, I'd do a 88 ci bore kit, get the heads ported by WFO larry, add v thunder cam, 44cv, 2000i, ...

 

yes I understand about the cam, heads, ignition, Mikuni/S&S and the big bore etc. Eventually that may be where I go. Not sure. Wisconsin summers being what they are I just want it up and running in stock form to enjoy the brief weather that is available.

 

If you pulled the pistons out of the cylinders don't even think about using the old rings. And yes, use a 240 grit ball flex hone, wet with WD40 for about 6 quick strokes in each direction of rotation of the drill for each cylinder.

Wash the cylinders in warm soapy water (dish soap) rinse completely. Give a quick wipe with paper towel and spray immediately with WD40.

If you don't do what I described, you will be very disappointed with all the work and time you will have spent, trust me!

 

Well 6 strokes isn't going to do jack for seating new rings. And unless the bore is measured you may be honing and putting new rings in a cylinder that is on the verge of being out of spec.

Simply removing rings from a bore and putting them back in won't hurt a thing, aside from user error

 

One of the things that many don't understand is that the rings do indeed rotate on the piston on a 4 stroke. if the cylinder and piston are in good shape. It's once that stop rotating that you can have issues.

Personally if doing rings, I prefer Tq plating and using a fixed hone to make the cylinder round and straight again. Doing that can cause little piston rattle tho.

 

Six strokes in forward, 6 strokes in reverse rotation = 12.

No, won't hurt a thing to use the old rings... except excessive oil usage, excessive blow-by and wondering why the air cleaner is always soaked with oil and where all that light blue smoke is coming from when stopped at a light at night.

As to whether the cylinders need to be measured, if they have a lot of miles or damage then yes, I agree. But if all was well and not high miles, using the same pistons and new rings with a scuff hone works just fine.

I've done it too many times, (both ways) and know what works and what doesn't. Re-using rings in a glazed cylinders does not work.

If the OP follows the ignorance displayed so far on this thread, I sincerely feel bad for him. In the vernacular of Forrest Gump - that's all I have to say about all this.

 

If it were mine, with 30K on the engine and only one cylinder removed, I would do just what the OP is doing.

Finally... me and Rufus disagree on something.

 

Yea thanks for the math lesson. Care to explain what is going to go wrong when a ring set that has been run in a cylinder is put back into the same cylinder? Again, user error is to blame. If everything is put back PROPERLY then nothing changes. End of story. Hell some people have trouble getting NEW rings to seat, user error or improper hone.

 

You can remove cylinder with piston still in it. Just a little more work to get piston clip and pin out then back in while
not exposing rings. New base gasket, new pin clip and a stock head gasket should b good for 40 k miles.
Now the next thing that WILL happen is the other cylinder will start leaking!
So, better to do both and a clean up of of valves, hone and rings while your in it!