bad cylinder

[macpeppers]

i'm afraid i know the answer to this, but i'll ask anyway. i just bought a QC engine and found it to have a crack in one cylinder wall, is there any way to repair this? thanks

[Ronnie Russell]

It is common to have a bad cylinder sleeved. Look for a machine shop in your area that has some experience with W-head engines.

[macpeppers]

thanks ronnie, maybe there is some hope. i'm not sure the needed resorces are around me here in alabama, but i'll look around. would the repair involve welding the crack and then boring and installing a sleeve? and would this sleeve be the same as you would install in a cylinder that might be badly scared?

[Ronnie Russell]

No welding. Shop will bore per sleeve diamiter , install sleeve, then bore to final size. No big deal. Look around and you will find a shop that can handle it. Sorry, I have no information for Alabama shops.

[bobs409]

Had one done on my 409 here in Pennsylvania. If I found a shop to do this here, you should be able to. :D

[macpeppers]

thanks, you guys are putting that grin back on my face

[32witha409]

Just a little caution on boring for the sleeve. When the shop bores the diameter to accept the sleeve make sure they leave a step at the bottom for the sleeve to stop on. The sleeve can slip down when the head gasket compresses against it.

I have seen this happen before and it is tough to fix. You would think a machine shop already knows this but just clarify it with them.

Also if you or they don't weld up the crack, pressure check the block after the sleeve is set. Coolant can make it's way past the sleeve and in to the oil.

Robert

[macpeppers]

thanks robert, i'll tell them about the step. there's actually 2 cracks, runing almost the length of the cylinder, about an inch apart. water must have got inside the cylinder and froze. the portion between the cracks is pushed in a little. i'm just hoping it's fixable. this motor sat outside for 8 years with the intake manifold off, i'm surprised that there's not more damage.

[starsailing1]

I have had two sleeved cyl. on 58 348 since mid 70's. Drive all year long, 100 Deg F to 30Deg F below 0. Never been a problem . Had it with .060 overbore to now with .070 overbore. Reliable. No step at bottom, sounds like a good idea though.
Dave.

[32witha409]

thanks robert, i'll tell them about the step. there's actually 2 cracks, runing almost the length of the cylinder, about an inch apart. water must have got inside the cylinder and froze. the portion between the cracks is pushed in a little. i'm just hoping it's fixable. this motor sat outside for 8 years with the intake manifold off, i'm surprised that there's not more damage.

Like the others have already posted, sleeving will fix your problem. I just wanted to give my $.02.

Dave, not leaving a step works but a sleeve stop is an extra level of security that one would want after a sleeve moves.

Robert

[Ronnie Russell]

I have used 2 sleeved blocks in the past that were installed with no step. Experienced no problems, however, the build I am doing now required 1 sleeve and the sleeve was installed with a step. The step surely provides insurance and I would request it from now on.

[1958 delivery]

Most shops I know of use step sleeves as a routine practice. No reason not to use one.

[macpeppers]

i've been reading up on sleeves and i see that there is a wet sleeve and a dry sleeve. in worst case, can a wet sleeve be installed in these engines?

[petepedlar]

A wet sleeve is for a diesel engine. They have O-rings around them to keep the coolant out of the base.......

Dave