Sleeving an LS1 block
Sleeving an LS1 block Search wasn't working so Ill go ahead and ask:
I wanna repair an LS1 block with a cracked sleeve, and resleeve for a 3.905" bore. I've talked to a few very knowledgeable individuals about it and got mixed results. From what I understand, it's not very reliable to just bore the aluminum block, leaving a ridge at the bottom and then installing just some $10 sleeve from Badger. Many have "dropped" sleeves this way when the aluminum expands more than the iron and compromises head gasket seal.
I hear the new method is to install a flange sleeve that will move with the aluminum as it expands maintaining head gasket seal. Is there anyone here that has had experience with this that could lend some advice or point me in the right direction?
I wanna repair an LS1 block with a cracked sleeve, and resleeve for a 3.905" bore. I've talked to a few very knowledgeable individuals about it and got mixed results. From what I understand, it's not very reliable to just bore the aluminum block, leaving a ridge at the bottom and then installing just some $10 sleeve from Badger. Many have "dropped" sleeves this way when the aluminum expands more than the iron and compromises head gasket seal.
I hear the new method is to install a flange sleeve that will move with the aluminum as it expands maintaining head gasket seal. Is there anyone here that has had experience with this that could lend some advice or point me in the right direction?
Well, I'm doing the labor myself, and since I got the block for free it's basically just the cost of the sleeve. It'll be a learning experience at the very least and it's not like this is gonna be a 900hp turbo motor, nor will it be a daily driver.
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Seriously man, your wasting your time. Sleeving a block correctly is a tedious process. The process needs to be done all at once to keep the temp of the block constant. And along the same line, you need to use a wet CNC machine to cut out the sleeve and do your cutting for the new sleeve to keep the bit from heating the aluminum. There's a reason 99% of the people on this board only trust one person to sleeve a block. If you'd like to try it for ***** and giggles, go for it.
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Originally Posted by Beast96Z
Seriously man, your wasting your time. Sleeving a block correctly is a tedious process. The process needs to be done all at once to keep the temp of the block constant. And along the same line, you need to use a wet CNC machine to cut out the sleeve and do your cutting for the new sleeve to keep the bit from heating the aluminum. There's a reason 99% of the people on this board only trust one person to sleeve a block. If you'd like to try it for ***** and giggles, go for it.
Originally Posted by Bo White
A stepped sleeve is the best way...which is why companies do them that way here lately.
Originally Posted by slt200mph
Your going to waist time and money repairing that junk that you got for free..the reason that you got it for free is because it is junk.. 
The people I do talk to that own shops, who are sponsors, who have experience sleeving blocks before anyone even thought to sleeve them, tell me I can do it! In fact, they're even telling me how to do it! Even if I don't do it correctly, at least I tried and I learned something new. That, IMO, isn't a waist of time.
Originally Posted by KCS
Seriously, how the hell do you know!? All you people that keep telling me I can't do it, I'm waisting my time and I don't see any of you titled as sponsors or machinists. You're auditors, and sales managers, and a lineman. Hell, one of you has "drilled rotors" and "!EGR" listed in your mods!
The people I do talk to that own shops, who are sponsors, who have experience sleeving blocks before anyone even thought to sleeve them, tell me I can do it! In fact, they're even telling me how to do it! Even if I don't do it correctly, at least I tried and I learned something new. That, IMO, isn't a waist of time.
The people I do talk to that own shops, who are sponsors, who have experience sleeving blocks before anyone even thought to sleeve them, tell me I can do it! In fact, they're even telling me how to do it! Even if I don't do it correctly, at least I tried and I learned something new. That, IMO, isn't a waist of time.
Earth calling..what people list as their occupation tells you absolutly nothing about what they know about hot rodding...If I were you I would check and see what a stock bore LS1 block can be purchased for and weigh that against what it is going to cost in time and $$$ to rebuild this fine free block you have...
...they only time I would be sleving a block would be for a increase in cubic inches..and RED is the only place that I would have do the work ..
Originally Posted by slt200mph
Earth calling..what people list as their occupation tells you absolutly nothing about what they know about hot rodding...If I were you I would check and see what a stock bore LS1 block can be purchased for and weigh that against what it is going to cost in time and $$$ to rebuild this fine free block you have... ...they only time I would be sleving a block would be for a increase in cubic inches..and RED is the only place that I would have do the work ..
...they only time I would be sleving a block would be for a increase in cubic inches..and RED is the only place that I would have do the work .. I did get to talk with Steve (from RED) and he is the one that gave me the info on how HE does such a task. He did not say I was wasting my time, nor did he say I couldn't do it. He gave me a darton part number and the supplies he uses. He was more helpful than I expected.
I have weighed the pros and cons of taking on a task like this and the pros heavily outweigh any cons. So if anyone else thinks I am wasting my time, you can save some bandwidth and not post. If anyone has anything positive or constructive to say, like Bo, I'm all ears.
Well, since you have "Engine builder" listed as your occupation, I guess I shouldn't speak. Your probablly a profesional who has far more knowledge than this lineman. Better yet, maybe I should change my occupation to engine builder, then we could both be one. You know, cause that's what the intronet says, right? Nevermind the fact that I own a sleeved block, and have owned a sleeved LS1 block as well. However, I probablly did NO reasearch what so ever before buying them.
Nor have I been working on/building these motors for over the past 10 years.
Now that my smart *** rant is over, I'll say this. If you wanted a sponsor answer, you should have posted in the sponsor section. I'm not sure which one your talking to, but if it isn't Steve, they probally don't sell many. Even the best sposors out there have leaking sleeved blocks. Steve or Katech are the only "trusted" sleevers on here. You can do whatever you want with the thing. If you feel it will make you better at what you do, have at it. Nobody on here knows what kind of tools and machinery you have access to, so how are we supposed to know WTF you can do? If you posted the question again, the people will give you the same answer. 99% of people do not trust repaired LS1's from average machine shops. It cost to much in labor and is unreliable. A new/used block is cheaper and 10 times more effective. However, yours was free and your doing it for the sake of doing it, at hardly no expense, so get after it.
Nor have I been working on/building these motors for over the past 10 years. Now that my smart *** rant is over, I'll say this. If you wanted a sponsor answer, you should have posted in the sponsor section. I'm not sure which one your talking to, but if it isn't Steve, they probally don't sell many. Even the best sposors out there have leaking sleeved blocks. Steve or Katech are the only "trusted" sleevers on here. You can do whatever you want with the thing. If you feel it will make you better at what you do, have at it. Nobody on here knows what kind of tools and machinery you have access to, so how are we supposed to know WTF you can do? If you posted the question again, the people will give you the same answer. 99% of people do not trust repaired LS1's from average machine shops. It cost to much in labor and is unreliable. A new/used block is cheaper and 10 times more effective. However, yours was free and your doing it for the sake of doing it, at hardly no expense, so get after it.
Originally Posted by Beast96Z
Well, since you have "Engine builder" listed as your occupation, I guess I shouldn't speak. Your probablly a profesional who has far more knowledge than this lineman. Better yet, maybe I should change my occupation to engine builder, then we could both be one. You know, cause that's what the intronet says, right? Nevermind the fact that I own a sleeved block, and have owned a sleeved LS1 block as well. However, I probablly did NO reasearch what so ever before buying them. Nor have I been working on/building these motors for over the past 10 years.
Nor have I been working on/building these motors for over the past 10 years.
Originally Posted by Beast96Z
Now that my smart *** rant is over, I'll say this. If you wanted a sponsor answer, you should have posted in the sponsor section. I'm not sure which one your talking to, but if it isn't Steve, they probally don't sell many. Even the best sposors out there have leaking sleeved blocks. Steve or Katech are the only "trusted" sleevers on here. You can do whatever you want with the thing. If you feel it will make you better at what you do, have at it. Nobody on here knows what kind of tools and machinery you have access to, so how are we supposed to know WTF you can do? If you posted the question again, the people will give you the same answer. 99% of people do not trust repaired LS1's from average machine shops. It cost to much in labor and is unreliable. A new/used block is cheaper and 10 times more effective. However, yours was free and your doing it for the sake of doing it, at hardly no expense, so get after it.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 14,620
Likes: 17
From: BFE
Originally Posted by KCS
Maybe you shouldn't speak! I mean Steve tells me one thing, and you tell me another. Steve is not only a sponsor, but one of the trusted few to sleeve a block. You, well...you just bought a sleeved block. Oh wait, you've been working on these engines for 10 years, my bad. I guess Steve is the dumbass right? My knowledge vs. your knowledge is irrelevant at this point. You're probably alot older than I, therefore you probably know more things than I do, and you should. I'm no dummy, though, if I'm not at work I'm either at school or a bookstore learning more about high performance engines.
For the third time now, I talked to STEVE at RACE ENGINE DEVELOPMENT. I have also talked to Erik Koenig, and Judson Massingil. I didn't ask for a sponsor to post, just someone who has had experience. I believe I said that in my first post. I didn't ask for someone's opinion whether or not I'm wasting my time, I asked for help on HOW to do it. Instead I get negative feedback from everyone who thinks they're qualified to give their advice just because they have over 1,000 posts. Like you said, none of you know how long I have been building engines, who I've built engines for, nor do any of you know what machinery I have access to, so why do you automatically think I'm wasting my time? Honestly, if I were you, I would have sent the link for this thread to whoever you got your sleeved block from in hopes that you would get the info you were looking for. But what was your response? Nice work.
For the third time now, I talked to STEVE at RACE ENGINE DEVELOPMENT. I have also talked to Erik Koenig, and Judson Massingil. I didn't ask for a sponsor to post, just someone who has had experience. I believe I said that in my first post. I didn't ask for someone's opinion whether or not I'm wasting my time, I asked for help on HOW to do it. Instead I get negative feedback from everyone who thinks they're qualified to give their advice just because they have over 1,000 posts. Like you said, none of you know how long I have been building engines, who I've built engines for, nor do any of you know what machinery I have access to, so why do you automatically think I'm wasting my time? Honestly, if I were you, I would have sent the link for this thread to whoever you got your sleeved block from in hopes that you would get the info you were looking for. But what was your response? Nice work.
What did they say?
I personally know Kent and his situation. This whole process of sleeving the block is just him testing himself as a machinist. He is not trying to break records or do something new. Just testing the limits and seeing what works.
He actually IS an engine builder AND he actually went through SAM. He has a full machine shop to use, and he just wants to try this stuff out.
I gave him my opinion, you all gave him his. He just needs to try it now. Thread Done.
He actually IS an engine builder AND he actually went through SAM. He has a full machine shop to use, and he just wants to try this stuff out.
I gave him my opinion, you all gave him his. He just needs to try it now. Thread Done.
