Sleeveing a block

JRyan · 06-24-2010, 06:15 AM

Alan,

Our blue SS/NA has a sleeved 350 block, NO FILL, and mounts on the side with welded stock mounts. We have over 300 passes on it, with the same bearings. We found a lifter going away, so we're going to freshen it again, but there is zero bearing material in the oil. It's not as fast as the purple car, but it's not nearly as trick either and it'll run 11.00's in good air, so it's no pooch. The point is, if your chassis is stiff enough, you won't have block problems.

I might add, the blue car has no bars forward of the firewall either, and we have never lost a bearing in that car in 13 years except for one mental lapse on my part -- got interrupted and forgot to put all the oil in. Whoops! But that block is still being used.

Jerry

art leong · 06-24-2010, 09:10 AM

Can you sleeve all the bores in stock?

Alan Roehrich · 06-24-2010, 09:31 AM

Yes. Some of the older small bore stuff is impossible to find.

randy wilson · 06-24-2010, 10:42 AM

If you pick the right sleeves and rings, it will actually pick up measurable H.P.

FED 387 · 06-24-2010, 10:54 AM

we have used Darton sleeves with success in many applications---Comp 387

Todd Bailey · 06-24-2010, 03:55 PM

Had my engine builder tell me many years ago that if I brought him an engine run on rubber mounts and an engine run with steel mounts, he could tell which was which from looking at the mains. Rubber mounts and tie it down!!

Alan Warman · 06-25-2010, 12:36 AM

Jerry
Do you remember were you found the sleeves. Every body I talked to, keeps putting that custom word in front of the part number. Mellings has a sleeve but I do not think the O D is big enough. The bore size of the 350 is 4.057 and the sleeve is 4.062. So far LA Sleeves has the best price. So from all the info from every body. Between chassis flex and solid mounts is what killed the block.

JRyan · 06-25-2010, 08:05 PM

Alan,

LA Sleeves is where I got mine. Not cheap, but they don't require any super trick cylinder wall finishes to get them to seal. The non-windowed block with these sleeves is plenty strong even for the 3550 lb. Superstocker with bumper draggin' wheelies, so you shouldn't have a problem as long as your chassis doesn't flex. Good luck!

Jerry

06-24-2010, 06:15 AM	#1
JRyan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 645 Likes: 30 Liked 112 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Sleeveing a block Alan, Our blue SS/NA has a sleeved 350 block, NO FILL, and mounts on the side with welded stock mounts. We have over 300 passes on it, with the same bearings. We found a lifter going away, so we're going to freshen it again, but there is zero bearing material in the oil. It's not as fast as the purple car, but it's not nearly as trick either and it'll run 11.00's in good air, so it's no pooch. The point is, if your chassis is stiff enough, you won't have block problems. I might add, the blue car has no bars forward of the firewall either, and we have never lost a bearing in that car in 13 years except for one mental lapse on my part -- got interrupted and forgot to put all the oil in. Whoops! But that block is still being used. Jerry

06-24-2010, 09:10 AM	#2
art leong VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Richmond Hill, Georgia Posts: 2,003 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Sleeveing a block Can you sleeve all the bores in stock? __________________ Art Leong 2095 SS

06-24-2010, 09:31 AM	#3
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,113 Likes: 1,571 Liked 1,826 Times in 414 Posts	Re: Sleeveing a block Yes. Some of the older small bore stuff is impossible to find. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

06-24-2010, 10:42 AM	#4
randy wilson Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N/A Posts: 882 Likes: 0 Liked 22 Times in 22 Posts	Re: Sleeveing a block If you pick the right sleeves and rings, it will actually pick up measurable H.P. __________________ don,t have one

06-24-2010, 10:54 AM	#5
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,420 Likes: 529 Liked 333 Times in 180 Posts	Re: Sleeveing a block we have used Darton sleeves with success in many applications---Comp 387

06-24-2010, 03:55 PM	#6
Todd Bailey Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Houston Posts: 312 Likes: 30 Liked 33 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Sleeveing a block Had my engine builder tell me many years ago that if I brought him an engine run on rubber mounts and an engine run with steel mounts, he could tell which was which from looking at the mains. Rubber mounts and tie it down!!

06-25-2010, 12:36 AM	#7
Alan Warman Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: San Angelo Tx Posts: 231 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sleeveing a block Jerry Do you remember were you found the sleeves. Every body I talked to, keeps putting that custom word in front of the part number. Mellings has a sleeve but I do not think the O D is big enough. The bore size of the 350 is 4.057 and the sleeve is 4.062. So far LA Sleeves has the best price. So from all the info from every body. Between chassis flex and solid mounts is what killed the block. __________________ Alan Warman STK 4107

06-25-2010, 08:05 PM	#8
JRyan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 645 Likes: 30 Liked 112 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Sleeveing a block Alan, LA Sleeves is where I got mine. Not cheap, but they don't require any super trick cylinder wall finishes to get them to seal. The non-windowed block with these sleeves is plenty strong even for the 3550 lb. Superstocker with bumper draggin' wheelies, so you shouldn't have a problem as long as your chassis doesn't flex. Good luck! Jerry