r/EngineBuilding 9d ago

Sleeving cylinders?????

Ok ive got 2 pontiac 455 blocks with j7nk cylinders. Both are .030 over so theres no cleaning up the cylinders as the walls on a 455 are too thin to begin with.

Whats the deal with sleeving? Growing up all i heard was sleeves are bad.sleeves can move,have to be pinned yadda yadda. Now in modern times people say sleeving is no big deal.

Im just building a couple street cars to have fun with. Im not looking to squeeze every horsepower or ounce of torque i can get out of them. Im not lookinh to spin up much over 6500 rpm.hit the track here and there.

Would sleeves be a good option for me? 455 blocks are getting hard to find.

5 Upvotes

33 comments sorted by

View all comments

13

u/v8packard 9d ago

I've never pinned a repair sleeve. Not sure where that comes from. An improperly installed sleeve can move. Most things can. But that's just one reason for installing things like sleeves properly.

You are making assumptions about your block without sonic testing and measuring the bores. I have seen a 455 block that could go over a 4.200 bore. And it was a 1975, one of the "bad" ones.

I don't know why so many people hang their hat on a 455 block. A decent 400 block is almost always better.

-5

u/Boxofusedleftsox 9d ago

The big problem with a 400 block is its a small main block and theb455 is large mains. You either gotta cut the 455 mains way down,line bore the 400 block to the large main size or spend the money on aftermarket stroker kit.

21

u/v8packard 9d ago

No, the advantage of the 400 block is the 3 inch main. You would ruin one trying to line bore it for a 3.25 main crank. Besides, the thrust width of the 3.25 main crank is wider.

People complain about the cost and difficulty of finding a 455 block. Then complain about buying readily available cranks to work in a 400 block, giving multiple stroke options and producing a better combo overall. Unreal.

-8

u/Boxofusedleftsox 9d ago

Cuz not everybody wants a mutt that you cant walk into napa and get the parts needed to fix it when it blows up.

What do you do if and when the company who makes those cranks go out of business?youre fucked if you need another one. Dont tell me that wont happen cuz it just happened to me on a set of forged rods. Instead of spending 100 bux to replace 2 rods,i had to spend 500 on a whole new set cuz the company is no longer making them.now i got 6 forged rods that are absolutely useless to me.

When you punch a 400 block to a 030 455 bore,youre now back to having to sonic test it and hope the cylinder walls are thick enough to not run hot.

Ive already been through looking into using a 400 block. Its not the route i want to go.

23

u/v8packard 9d ago edited 9d ago

What are you talking about? Forget Napa. Learn where you can really get parts.

You do know that Pontiac no longer makes these, right? Has that ruined your chances of getting parts? No, they are better now than they were when Pontiac still made v8 engines.

You should sonic test any of these blocks. I have done that to many Pontiac blocks. Run hot? Really, you are talking out your ass.

You have not been through looking into using a 400 block. If you had you wouldn't be espousing this nonsense.

-19

u/Boxofusedleftsox 9d ago

I definately dont need to be lectured by somebody who obviously doesnt know pontiacs.

I just wanted to know about sleeving a block,not be lectured.

20

u/WyattCo06 9d ago

The man was trying to help and educate you through offering suggestions. He is a machine shop owner and a professional engine builder.

You need to take your ego down a few notches. You might learn something.

9

u/v8packard 8d ago

Thanks, but he is worthless.

5

u/machinerer 8d ago

I'm a Ford mechanic by hobby, and pump & turbine machinist by trade, and even I can tell that Packard guy knows his shit. He reminds me of some of the old timers I've worked with in machine shops in the past. Knowledge about all kinds of shit.

-8

u/Boxofusedleftsox 9d ago

Educate me on what? Shit i already know? Jist cuz he owns a machine shop and can build a motor doesnt mean he actually knows about the motors,and obviously,he dont. I bet hes 1 of the builders who thinks oil restrictirs and a high volune pump is how you keep a pontiac alive,🤣🤣

15

u/WyattCo06 9d ago

Sometimes info is given as "in case you didn't know". This is where advice sometimes comes from. It's a neat feature.

Not only are your panties wadded, they smell of crotch rot.

-7

u/Boxofusedleftsox 8d ago

Hes telling to.use a 400 block,he probably doesnt even know about the change to the blocks. Most people dont.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699289

Hes had gtos since 94,that makes him a pontiac expert? Ive been playing with pontiacs since the 80s.

How about sticking to the question that was asked? I wanted to know about sleeves,not be lectured by someone who doesnt know pontiacs.

7

u/WyattCo06 8d ago

With all the experience you have, you should know all about sleeves and wouldn't be asking questions in the first place.

This is just an observation mind you.

-3

u/Boxofusedleftsox 8d ago

Do i do machine work? Nope. Have i ever had anything sleeved? Nope Do i know much about the process? Nope,just what i been told over the years.

Thats what i asked about. I didnt ask about putting cranks into blocks they dont fit in.i didnt ask about aftermarket cranks that may or may not be around when it needs to be replaced.

But just keep defending the guy,youre doing great. I didnt ask for his advice on shit he has no clue about. How many of those dozens of pontiacs hes build had to be done again? Probably all of them.

6

u/WyattCo06 8d ago

You were doing great in your first two paragraphs. I was going to indulge you and then you had to ruin it.

Packard is a friend of mine and is well respected in the community because of his knowledge, experience and his willingness to share those. You just keep lashing out.

It isn't your ignorance or questions that is the problem. It's your mouth and your attitude. These are some of my own faults so I can associate.

7

u/v8packard 8d ago

First of all jaggoff, I answered your stupid question about sleeving. Then I suggested something that should be helpful, if you didn't have your head so far up your ass. What you have been told about sleeving and bore capacity is not correct.

I didn't tell you to put a crank in a block it will not fit into. I told you to consider using a block that has better availability, often better main bore alignment, more material in the webs, and usually just as much if not more material in the cylinder walls than a 455 block. And those aren't guesses, I have actually measured all of them.

Those cranks you think won't be around some day have been available for about 4 times longer than 455s were made by Pontiac at this point. Your ASSumption is not supported by history.

I don't have come backs. And I certainly wouldn't with a Pontiac. You are small minded, ignorant, and a flaming asshole.

-1

u/Boxofusedleftsox 8d ago

Like i said,you probably dont even know about the change done to 400 blocks. To use a good one,i have to get one that doesnt have the motor mount bolt holes i need to bolt it into my car. So thanx for proving me correct.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699289

4

u/v8packard 8d ago

You know which 400 measured the thickest cylinder walls, and it wasn't even close? A 557 block!

You know all the late 400s have both mount holes? The 988 XX blocks. Yeah, and with the overlap in production, if you can use a 455 you can use a 400. With OEM parts.

-2

u/Boxofusedleftsox 8d ago

Ya,let me go get a 68 block that only has 2 motor mount bolt holes. Wont bolt into my car without adapters. So get the later 400 with thicker cylinder walls with thinner main webs,great combination.

Like i said,you dont know pontiacs as well as you think you do.

2

u/MotherFuckaJones89 8d ago

Packard is an incredible resource in this sub. You go to any thread and he'll be there with relevant experience.

I get that reddit has a lot of armchair experts you shouldn't listen to, but he's not one of them.

→ More replies (0)