engine builder f**ked my short block

I think..... it is a cast iron 4cil 1.8 turbo running 15psi/260bhp/7500rpm
it has don 65000miles and I wanted a rebore to 0.5mm with new pistons (I think I can have another 35000 out of it but because it is out and getting new gasket's and bearings for me it was the right time to do it)
my engine builder drilled out the third cilinderwall too much, he solved it by drilling it even bigger to 6mm (1/4") and pressed a liner in it redrilled to the correct diameter. but now I have one cilinderwall out of differend material on a hot turbo engine, am I right for not having any trust in this or is it a good way to solve things. (on a NA engine I feel safe to do it like this but I have no idea If it is right for a high output small engine where ther is lots of stress

please let me know what you think about it

thanks,rick
 

Jack Houpe

GT40s Supporter
Remember your sleeves are water cooled, that is not the hottest part of the engine, its the heads that are the hottest, most certainly if its forced induction. If the sleeve is made of same material I don't think you have to worry about thermal expansion. I would be more concerned about the piston than the sleeve.
 
pistons are brand new and up to the job, I think that the sleeve can not be from the same material, the block is cast ans I don't think the builder has a cast part to machine the sleeve from. also the sleeve is 1/10" thick (2.5mm) it just looks a little to small/thin to me...

thanks,
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Other folks here can answer better than I, but I've used a sleeved block before with no trouble. I'm sure the specific engine block/casting/type will have something to do with how applicable it is in your case.

My Ford biig block went down to my engine man some months ago and it was going to require two sleeves. We tossed that one since this particular big block is plentiful and cheap, and I got another block for $60 that required no sleeves at all. The economics of your engine/location etc. might not make this feasible though.

What sort of engine is it?
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
I've run many sleeved blocks in racecars with very few ill effects.. The specifics of your block and that block's history in terms of strength are important.
Some blocks require substantial main-bearing support to be born of the bottoms of the bores (Ford V8 289-302 in my opinion).. Removal of too much block material can weaken it.
 
What sort of engine is it?

nissan 1809cc turbo 4 cylinder "ca18det" perfect fit for the little lotus europa
stage2 chip plus bigger turbo 260-270 bhp. does 7500-8000 rpm (blue printed)

the wall thickness between the pistons is 8.5mm 2.5mm is now token by the sleeve. it is the sleeve thickness (2.5mm 1/10") I am worried about in combination with the ?weakend? block.
 

Steve Briscoe

Lifetime Supporter
Check with the block manufacturer for maximum boring. I would use the block if the bore\sleeve work meets manufacturers tolerances. Sleeves in cast iron are more predictable. I rebuilt a 427 Corvette engine with 12:1 compression. Two sleeves - no problem. If your block was aluminum and max RPM was up around 8500, you would need to do all cylinders. I had
a 3.5 liter aluminum engine rebuilt and used 8 sleeves. Neither of these was a turbo.

If the manufacturer of the block says you're within bore limits for that cylinder and the head bolt pattern is spec'd to the PSI your turbo is generating, go with the block.

Good Luck!
 
Sleeve material is 'usually' better than the parent material of the block due to being 'centrifugally cast' in most cases. Without looking at the layout of head stud boss's & material/thickness of casting etc its a hard call to make, but Nissan stuff is pretty stout as a rule.
 
Your right Jac mac The sleeve material is usualy a high nodular iron and is better than most block materials. Im not trying to defend a fellow engine builder but in any game everyone makes mistakes, only liars dont!
If your engine builder fixed his mistake at no charge and is usualy good at what he does then the sleeve won't give you any problems.
MY 2 cents, Before you ditch the guy give him a chance to recompense.
 
Is that an original 62 or the Banks version?
John
.................. a nissan engine in a original? no way, so yes it is a banks but I like the shape more then the original anyway.

had a little talk with the builder, I give him a block, he is doing the things he needs to do for free.
thanks for the replies
 
Isn't a sleeved block usually a good thing? Stronger, more reliable (if done properly) and can be bored/stroked signifigantly to make massive power? My LS2 is being sleeved, poked, and stroked to a 457....can't do that with any LS motor if you don't sleeve it.
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
Isn't a sleeved block usually a good thing? Stronger, more reliable (if done properly) and can be bored/stroked signifigantly to make massive power? My LS2 is being sleeved, poked, and stroked to a 457....can't do that with any LS motor if you don't sleeve it.

Alex - remember that the cylinder bores themselves are part of the strength and integrity of the main bearing saddles.. Some blocks are much more tolerant of this than others and a LOT depends on the power levels to be produced..
 
Back
Top