[Joe-Touring]

Originally Posted by grandam1979

What year is the block? that’s a shame at .030 over it checked like that.

1971 YC, believe the casting # is: 485428

Indeed, I was really hoping to be able to get a 455 back on the road. Seems like there aren’t many around up here in the PNW.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by PAUL K

And saving the numbers matching engine increased the value of the car considerably more that the cost of repairing the block.

Good job Mike!

Noooo way I can take credit for all that Mopar work. We farmed out the welding to a shop with that makes commercial stainless steel products. Steve, the welder is just the best. Than Blaine at my school, is the Rottler boring mill expert. He bored it for sleeves. I installed the sleeves, decked it and honed it. It takes a full crew to fix a mess like that. I have to say, it came out better than expected.

[455dan]

Originally Posted by Joe-Touring

1971 YC, believe the casting # is: 485428

Indeed, I was really hoping to be able to get a 455 back on the road. Seems like there aren’t many around up here in the PNW.

Not sure of what part of PNW but here is a Spokane ad for some blocks
from ad ( All are standard bore, buildable cores to my knowledge)
has a 428 no main caps, and others including a 455 for $700
couple decent year 400's - 68 WT and YS for what seems pretty reasonable

https://spokane.craigslist.org/pts/d...435800786.html

[RAIV55]

Looking at the test sheet it appears cylinders 1,5 &7 are thin on the major thrust. I would be inclined to find another block rather than doing the work to this one.

Probably wouldn't trust the guy who sonic tested it with a Pontiac, he missed on the cylinder numbering...rookie mistake...

[tom s]

I just had a deal on a 455 4bolt block I was given by a friend to help him get a engine built.Found out it had 8 sleeves in it and my builder not knowing anything about why all 8 were done said he would not guarantee the build unless he pulled the sleeves and see what was inside.He pulled them and then said he would guarantee the build if he installed 8 custom sleeves.The owner got the block for a song years ago so he chose to go thru with it.Done waiting for custom pistons.FWIW,Tom

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by tom s

I just had a deal on a 455 4bolt block I was given by a friend to help him get a engine built.Found out it had 8 sleeves in it and my builder not knowing anything about why all 8 were done said he would not guarantee the build unless he pulled the sleeves and see what was inside.He pulled them and then said he would guarantee the build if he installed 8 custom sleeves.The owner got the block for a song years ago so he chose to go thru with it.Done waiting for custom pistons.FWIW,Tom

Good luck with those pistons!

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by tom s

I just had a deal on a 455 4bolt block I was given by a friend to help him get a engine built.Found out it had 8 sleeves in it and my builder not knowing anything about why all 8 were done said he would not guarantee the build unless he pulled the sleeves and see what was inside.He pulled them and then said he would guarantee the build if he installed 8 custom sleeves.The owner got the block for a song years ago so he chose to go thru with it.Done waiting for custom pistons.FWIW,Tom

Tom, we ran into a few instances where we had to produce a one-off sleeve( Two cylinder John Deere engines), but they were sized as to utilize an off the shelf piston.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by PAUL K

Good luck with those pistons!

Even DSS is quoting lead times measured in MONTHS instead of weeks. This is why I haven't gone forward on the 4.3 Chevy turbo engine for my Silverado; can't get pistons (need a 30cc dish) in a reasonable time period.

[Scott Roberts]

I want to know where 25stevem is with his defense of sleeving all 8 holes? His MO is to post ignorant info then dissappear when corrected..
Steve...u out there?

[Joe-Touring]

Originally Posted by 455dan

Not sure of what part of PNW but here is a Spokane ad for some blocks
from ad ( All are standard bore, buildable cores to my knowledge)
has a 428 no main caps, and others including a 455 for $700
couple decent year 400's - 68 WT and YS for what seems pretty reasonable

https://spokane.craigslist.org/pts/d...435800786.html

Some good stuff, though prices seem a touch high. Unfortunately I am on the west side of the mountains, and that’s quite a drive. Thanks for the link tho.

[Joe-Touring]

Originally Posted by tom s

I just had a deal on a 455 4bolt block I was given by a friend to help him get a engine built.Found out it had 8 sleeves in it and my builder not knowing anything about why all 8 were done said he would not guarantee the build unless he pulled the sleeves and see what was inside.He pulled them and then said he would guarantee the build if he installed 8 custom sleeves.The owner got the block for a song years ago so he chose to go thru with it.Done waiting for custom pistons.FWIW,Tom

Wow, that seems like a quite a bit of labor. But these days, if you want anything done in a month or two, you gotta work with what you have.

[25stevem]

Scott, why don’t you open up your wallet nice a wide and sleeve a whole Pontiac block and report back after 2 full ( ( complete ) seasons of racing?
Oh and the motor must make at least 800 hp by the way.

[Joe-Touring]

Originally Posted by RAIV55

Looking at the test sheet it appears cylinders 1,5 &7 are thin on the major thrust. I would be inclined to find another block rather than doing the work to this one.

Probably wouldn't trust the guy who sonic tested it with a Pontiac, he missed on the cylinder numbering...rookie mistake...

What is the consensus for minimums on thrust and non thrust surfaces? The machinist recommended 0.150” on the thrusts, and 0.100” everywhere else.

I noticed that, I am slightly apprehensive about the shop. The owner/main machinist was not the guy doing the sonic check or the sleeve removal.

[Gach]

Let me add this. X-ray vision? All an ultrasonic inspection will do is confirm there is enough material in the primary thrust face to machine out. Blocks corrode internally; they also suffer from coolant erosion and cavitation. I know of two ‘ blocks that had primary thrust face cylinder walls that were less than .090 thick. The MINIMUM primary thrust face cylinder wall SHOULD be .150-.180. Align honing simply insures that the main saddle alignment is correct. It’s a simple process that removes a modicum of material from the main caps and the main saddle. At most, .003 005out of the caps and .001-.003 out of the main saddle. Iron DOES distort over forty years of heating and cooling cycles. Have them check the cam bore alignment as well.

I’m sure you’ve already made a decision, but the above just something to think about.

[Gach]

I would definitely also have the main saddles checked it would be a nightmare to sleeve or what ever way you decided to go, only to find out later, you ended up with main bearing issues same on cam bore.

This was a few years ago, a friend went .030, just a street car. Although he did have it magged, but never Sonic tested. Finally just to see what it would do he line up, with a Chevelle on the street. Second race white smoke coming from passenger side. First thought head gasket. After we pulled it down found nice big long crack.

I personally after checking to blocks found third one to be good. Of cruse my plain was racing.

[Dragncar]

When I was a kid we had a 66 389 crack a bore, and it was std.
I would not trust this block.

[Gach]

So the question you have to ask yourself is it thin from being bore or from internal corrosion. Especially if it’s been sitting and rusting from inside out. It’s no small investment to proceed Thats for sure.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

When I was a kid we had a 66 389 crack a bore, and it was std.
I would not trust this block.

I know of two ‘66 389 blocks that had cylinder walls less than .090 thick.

[Scott Roberts]

Originally Posted by 25stevem

Scott, why don’t you open up your wallet nice a wide and sleeve a whole Pontiac block and report back after 2 full ( ( complete ) seasons of racing?
Oh and the motor must make at least 800 hp by the way.

So you're standing by your statement that sleeving 8 holes is a bad idea? I have opened my wallet for a Pontiac... to the tune of 100k. I've only ever done it, not just read about it...

[Scott Roberts]

Originally Posted by 25stevem

Scott, why don’t you open up your wallet nice a wide and sleeve a whole Pontiac block and report back after 2 full ( ( complete ) seasons of racing?
Oh and the motor must make at least 800 hp by the way.

You do understand that a sleeve is stronger than the factory bores right...??