thoughts on cylinder sleeves

[drew87gn]

Has anyone had experience or have an opinion with using cylinder sleeves? I need to make a decision on whether to sleeve my original motor or go with a new block. My motor did have some modifications but I wouldn't consider the build crazy. Larger turbo, cam, Champion heads. Thanks.

 

[mikestertwo]

If done right they work really well. My son had all 6 cylinders sleeved in his motor 10 years ago and the engine is still running strong. The sleeves are actually harder than the block itself. They need special cutters to bore them.

 

[87GNSteve]

I would find a new block and just hold onto the original. The blocks are still relatively inexpensive and plentiful so if you needed to sleeve in the future you would have two to work with.
Who knows what technology they may come up with in the future to restore metal...maybe laser metal spraying!

 

[TurboBob]

You take a chance with sleeves. I had a block built up with a couple sleeves. The build was fantastic, motor purred, but it was pushing air into the cooling system.

That block is now a coffee table.

Bob

 

[drew87gn]

I'm leaning toward getting another block and putting the original aside and eventually repair later just in case I decide to make original again. I think I would have piece of mind with a new block. I did speak to a machine shop. He suggested to bore out the cylinder. I told him that the motor had already been bored .030 so he suggested sleeves but it might not be a good idea if I go beyond stock specs. I really won't know my options until I get the motor out of the car and get a good look at the damage from the wrist pins scraping the cylinder walls. Just by looking up in the block my guess is the pins gouged grooves in the cylinder walls approx. .030 deep.

 

[turbofabricator]

Properly installed Darton sleeves are a lot stronger than a virgin 109 block. With that said, unless its a serious race car, and you are saving a Stage block, just buy a new block. 4.1 block for the win!

 

[turboponcho89]

Aluminum blocks use sleeves. As said before, done right they should be good as new. Strength depends on quality of the parts used. Durability depends on the tune.

 

[drew87gn]

Turbofabricator got my blood pumping!! Not much needs to be changed going from a 3.8 to a 4.1. Picked up a 4.1 last week and is in the shop for a rebuild. My original motor can be salvaged. 4 of 6 cylinders need to be sleeved. The original block, I'll go as far as getting the sleeves properly installed and put the block away for the future if I decide to go back to original.