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Im at a cross roads right now. After doing a leak down on my 416 I tore it down and found a few scratches on the bores but nothing too bad. The block is already 4.070 and I see it has some core shift of the sleeves.
im thinking two different thoughts, 1 say **** it and diggle ball hone the block and re-ring and bearing it and send it. Or 2, sleeve the block from someone like R.E.D and put new pistons and rebalance it.
I know the 5.3 048 block is the better option to sleeve but I dont have one, but i do have this LS3 block.
I dont have a ton of time as the car has to be ready by late Sept for SICK 66.
If i sleeve it, i think id go 4.125 bore so im not so sure the core shifte will matter as much, but i could be wrong in my thinking.
I think leadtime is going to be the major factor here. Maybe someone has a sleeved block already done you can finish machine, and sell your block or save for a future build?
Dingle ball won’t get rid of the deeper scratches, but you’d for sure make your race.
Why not a .005 hone and new pistons in this block?
I think leadtime is going to be the major factor here. Maybe someone has a sleeved block already done you can finish machine, and sell your block or save for a future build?
Dingle ball won’t get rid of the deeper scratches, but you’d for sure make your race.
Why not a .005 hone and new pistons in this block?
I messaged RED they said they are 6 weeks out. Thats not bad.
Problem is if i hone the block thats $1000 for new pistons and $300 for hone and $300 to rebalance. Im still dealing with factory short sleeves.
If i resleeve block i have to buy pistons, and balance rotatingassembly. It should be a longer sleeve to help with the piston coming out the bottom of bore along with being able to bore the engine .050-.060 more in future. Is it worth the extra money is the ?
I’ve got a 1048 RED sleeved block on the shelf, ready for final hone….AND i have custom built for ME, Wiseco pistons with every option, for this block. The sleeve length will help you at RPM, which helps with power, oil usage, and reliability. PM me if you’re interested.
I’ve got a 1048 RED sleeved block on the shelf, ready for final hone….AND i have custom built for ME, Wiseco pistons with every option, for this block. The sleeve length will help you at RPM, which helps with power, oil usage, and reliability. PM me if you’re interested.
Depending on the condition of your pistons, you might get away with reusing them in a sleeved block and save you some time and $$$. If you go sleeved, I would leave the whole 416 short together and sell as is. Get a 3.900 crank for the sleeve block and build to whatever bore size you want. I think the $$$ is better.
Last edited by DualQuadDave; Mar 3, 2026 at 08:25 PM.
Depending on the condition of your pistons, you might get away with reusing them in a sleeved block and save you some time and $$$. If you go sleeved, I would leave the whole 416 short together and sell as is. Get a 3.900 crank for the sleeve block and build to whatever bore size you want. U think the $$$ is better.
would you run a 3.9 stroke even with the longer sleeved block?
would you run a 3.9 stroke even with the longer sleeved block?
Ive built many sleeved block builds with a 4” arm. It works wonderfully, especially when the pistons are designed for the stroke, with skirt design being top of the list. Wiseco has the market cornered in that regard. Their big stroke skirt designs are working well for this stuff. I talk often with my friends in the industry and we all agree on this.
Good on Wiseco. Wiseco.....Now there is a company that has changed with the times!! They always made good stuff. But back in the late 60s/early 70s they were a small piston company that primarily manufactured 2 cycle engine forged pistons. Glad they're still around and doing well......
Good on Wiseco. Wiseco.....Now there is a company that has changed with the times!! They always made good stuff. But back in the late 60s/early 70s they were a small piston company that primarily manufactured 2 cycle engine forged pistons. Glad they're still around and doing well......
Funny you mention that. That's when I first heard about Wiseco. WAAAAY back in the day (68-72 give or take) my younger brother was messing with dirt bikes and in the course of Yamaha surgeries, the Wiseco name floated about as good pistons, priced right. My WayBack Machine almost spun a bearing here... LOL!
would you run a 3.9 stroke even with the longer sleeved block?
My main reason to run the shorter stroke is to get the piston pin out of the oil ring land. My advice, in this case, is to bulletproof your bottom end as you put miles on it like me. If you look at every GM LS none have the pin hanging out in the oil ring land. GM plated with the ring lands and the rod length on every iteration to avoid that, including the LSX(they put a 6.00 rod w. 877 pin to get it packaged right). So there is more to it than the skirt length alone. It's a tough call, but you just have to decide what is best for you given your situation. Will the 4in stuff be better in a sleeved block? Definitely. yes. Is it ideal, no
My main reason to run the shorter stroke is to get the piston pin out of the oil ring land. My advice, in this case, is to bulletproof your bottom end as you put miles on it like me. If you look at every GM LS none have the pin hanging out in the oil ring land. GM plated with the ring lands and the rod length on every iteration to avoid that, including the LSX(they put a 6.00 rod w. 877 pin to get it packaged right). So there is more to it than the skirt length alone. It's a tough call, but you just have to decide what is best for you given your situation. Will the 4in stuff be better in a sleeved block? Definitely. yes. Is it ideal, no
THIS! a OE company doesn't change parts and incur more cost and extra part numbers if they didn't find out that it was needed.
Dave, my memory isn't as good as it once was. That said, with my 4" stroke Callies crank, I don't remember seeing the pin in my Diamond pistons oil ring groove, but I could be wrong. Its been 12 years, so there's that. If I remember correctly, my pistons had a compression height of 1.115"? This was using a 6.125" long connecting rod. However, this may be the reason GM used the 6.067" rods in the OEM LS7, to avoid the pin intruding. Not arguing with you, but can you verify what I'm saying? I may be full of, but I'd like to know for sure. If I am, I'll buy stronger deodorant!!
Dave, my memory isn't as good as it once was. That said, with my 4" stroke Callies crank, I don't remember seeing the pin in my Diamond pistons oil ring groove, but I could be wrong. Its been 12 years, so there's that. If I remember correctly, my pistons had a compression height of 1.115"? This was using a 6.125" long connecting rod. However, this may be the reason GM used the 6.067" rods in the OEM LS7, to avoid the pin intruding. Not arguing with you, but can you verify what I'm saying? I may be full of, but I'd like to know for sure. If I am, I'll buy stronger deodorant!!
here is my wiseco pistons 4" stroke 6.125 rod and a 1.115 ch
here is my wiseco pistons 4" stroke 6.125 rod and a 1.115 ch
There you go. I have seen some piston sets come with "oil support rails" to try to mitigate the oil ring flexing. How effective it is in reality, idk. I just know the longer I do this, the more I believe in what Hi-O said "Don't screw up what GM gave you". I'm planning my LSX build and I'm either going to figure out a better rod/custom piston combo on a OEM type LSX 454 4.125 crank or just put a 3.900 crank and off the shelf 6.125 rods in it and go. I won't build another LS for myself that has a pin hanging out in the ring land. Doing this is way too much $$$, I want to maximize my fun.
Dave, my memory isn't as good as it once was. That said, with my 4" stroke Callies crank, I don't remember seeing the pin in my Diamond pistons oil ring groove, but I could be wrong. Its been 12 years, so there's that. If I remember correctly, my pistons had a compression height of 1.115"? This was using a 6.125" long connecting rod. However, this may be the reason GM used the 6.067" rods in the OEM LS7, to avoid the pin intruding. Not arguing with you, but can you verify what I'm saying? I may be full of, but I'd like to know for sure. If I am, I'll buy stronger deodorant!!
You are correct, the OEM. LS7 is just slightly shorter to have a full ring land. It is possible your Diamonds had the pin below the oil ring, but they would have either been custom or Diamond themselves moved the ring lands up a touch to make it clear, or used a smaller dia pin. Many ways to skin the cat.
Having the pin in the oil ring is a non-issue, pretty much every stroker piston built today has it from 6" rod SBC's all the way to 632's.
Unless you've had a problem with a build that was like this that could be attributed to having the pin in the oil ring? If so, I'd sure like to hear about it, every build I have working right now has it...
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Dry sleeve LS3 block with core shift. 
, but I'd like to know for sure. If I am, I'll buy stronger deodorant!!
