Why Proper Crosshatching Can Make Or Break Your Engine

While technology has made life more complicated than ever, it's also arguably better in many regards. So too is the case for engine building, where horsepower per cubic inch (or liter) has far surpassed anything from the peak of the muscle car era. That's not to mention better fuel economy, fewer harmful emissions, and a modern engine's ability to last well over 100,000 miles without any perceptible wear. However, achieving those accomplishments also requires a more stringent machining process.

Once upon a time, if an engine's bore was sized correctly, well-rounded, and straight, then that was good enough to throw in some pistons. Upon startup, the piston rings would handle any final smoothing tasks and remove tiny aberrations from the cylinder walls during the new car break-in process. That's why, historically, a vehicle's first oil change interval was shorter than usual – to quickly remove excess metal particles resulting from break-in.

Fast-forward to the present when many engine builders give their cylinders the crosshatch treatment as a final step in machining the engine block. Crosshatching is just what it sounds like, a ...