Cracked Block - How bad is too bad?

[earntaz]

Sleeve it ... work good, go long way ... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

[ZLP955]

Not to hijack, but if a block has at least one sleeve installed, is it necessary to deck the block to true up the deck/sleeve interface?

[SuperNovaSS]

Yes, the top of the sleeve needs to be brought to deck height. Many shops will use a boring bar to true up the deck surface if numbers/broach marks need to be saved. Others will stop the surfacer before the numbers but after the gasket area.


Jason

[Henry D]

<span style="font-weight: bold">&quot;Welcome Henry - thanks for chiming in! Well done and congrats. Sounds like you have had your LS6 for a &quot;few&quot; years. What can you tell us about it?!&quot;
_________________________
Sam</span>

Sam:
I bought the car back in 1978. Black, white stripes, red interior. Original drive train, build sheet, and POP. Parked it in 1981, and only started to restore it in 2010. Registered on the National LS6 Registry.
.
I can say now that a damaged block can be restored successfully, but it was not a cake walk. In the early days this block was deemed junk and could not be saved, but I hung onto it anyway. Modern technology has changed all that. It took plenty of research and pre-planning to accomplish what I wanted. It took from 2010 to get the engine to where it is now. A competent fusion welding firm can take a piece of cast iron equipment like an antique engine broken in three pieces and successfully put it all back together and be as strong, if not stronger than the original. Along with the Fusion Welding process, a four (4) axis machining center would be the next recommendation I could make for the machining process. That equipment in the right hands can work wonders for this type of project. It can feeler probe the entire block and compare the existing dimensions to the original factory blueprints and allows the operator to make corrections to a blueprint level. We have come a long way, I just had to be patient.
.
Henry D.

[A12pilot]

It's great to hear this! Sounds as though it can be repaired (whew!) so I'm pretty excited! The only part that doesn't match right now on the engine is the distributor, but my Ford guys say that's no big deal to find.

Thanks for the leads on engine shops too. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Cheers [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Dave

[Tracker1]

This is a block I had from a '69 Dodge Daytona a few years back - I was given the name of Bob Himes to repair it. I sent him the pics and he told me &quot;No problem&quot;. I never did get it done as I sold the car later but he came highly recommended for cast iron welding - He was in Indiana - 317-831-8069

[A12pilot]

Awesome! That's good to hear. Thanks for the other lead!

Cheers [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Dave