Conquest

Quick question for you engine guys out there...

First of all this isn't about an LS1 motor...It's just a basic 1972 350 4-bolt main question...I wasn't sure where else to post, so here goes...

My dad's looking at '68-'72 Chevelles and he's come accross a 1972 Chevelle that's got a 1972 4-bolt 350 bored .030 over. The question he has is that the car only has one cylinder that's had a sleeve put in it...Cylinder #5. Why would this be?

Is that normal procedure when boring out a motor?

It just doesn't seem right. According to the owners, the motor's been in the machine shop 3 times in the past 3 years. Recently, the heads were taken to the shop because the valve guides were wore out. The guy told my dad the reason the valve guides got wore out was because the motor got hot.

Have any of you guys heard of only inserting one sleeve into a bored out 350 Cast Iron Block motor?

Should he stay away from this motor?

What do you guys think? Really curious about this cylinder sleeve business...

Thanks,

Mike

Paulz2820

iTrader: (1)

they probably magnafluxed it and found a small crack that was caused by the heating up. probably down at the bottom of the bore where it gets really sharp angles. any corner on any block is a place where a stress crack can form and if it over heated enough to wear out/melt the brass valve guides then it pry got hot enough to cause a crack. if the sleeve is done correctly though it should be alright.

FASTONE

If the car is decent and if its not the original engine,then I"d buy the car and change the motor out.The motor don"t sound too great.The sleeve might be OK,if the body and chassis is good I "d say buy it .350 Chevys are easy to find and cheap.

Conquest

Hey thanks for the replies fellas...

Talked with my dad today and he decided to pass on the car.

He even got to drive it after it was all put back together...He said he could tell the motor has seen it's better days...Someones run the dog **** out of it and he said he wasn't too impressed with it...He said it was a pretty car but that's about it.

He thinks in order to get the kind of power he's looking for he's gonna have to find one with a big block 396, 454 or maybe a 383 Stroker.

Plus he was a little leary about it being taken to the machine shop 3 times in 3 yrs.

Thanks for all your guys' replies...Definitely made dad and I both a little smarter about boring out engines and sleeving

Take care,

-Michael

slow trap

iTrader: (22)

if you want big block power you can get it from a small block 406.11.0 cr,sr cam,good heads.good idea to pass on the sleeved block.

Paulz2820

iTrader: (1)

no offense but a big block with the same stuff your talking about will wear a 406 out. whether its a 454 or a 496 that's apples to oranges...400 will wear out a evenly modified 350 though any day.

slow trap

iTrader: (22)

everyone has their own opinions,but you will not wear out a 406 with a 454.i can 60' in the mid 1.5 with a p o s 3500 stall and 3.70 gears. i'm making around 500 hp 500 tq on pump gas for now 600 hp on the way.