I have a cracked cylinder wall in the #7 cylinder and a very reputable machine shop is suggesting to sleeve it. I have no doubt that they know what they're doing and do it well, but I have my doubts that a Buick big block can be sleeved like any other manufacturer's big block. Is the alloy buick uses suitable for sleeving of the block? Are the cylinder walls thick enough to endure the sleeving?
A compentent machine shop should be able to sleeve it. I would make sure it is a good block otherwise before spending money on it. Bob H.
Provided you have enough host material behind it, it will be fine as long as you addresse a couple things. I would use a ductile sleeve like a Darton or similar. Something with 100,000psi tensile strength material. This way the sleeve does not need to be as thick. A Darton sleeve at .070" wall is stronger the cast block's .200" wall cylinder. Melling also makes an HP series sleeve, but it is nowhere near the Dartons material strength. Tiger Power also has a line of ductile sleeves that are an overseas version, and licensed through Darton. I just used one, it worked well. They even say Darton on the box. If you use anything less than a ductile iron sleeve, you must fill the block, plain and simple. If not, the cast sleeve will more than likely crack as well. Once the host material behind the sleeve allows it to flex, it will break. I sleeved a 340 Mopar recently with the Melling HP sleeve. I did not fill it, at the customers request. Originally, it had a cracked cylinder. The guy ran it all year in a bracket car and it started losing a little water again at the end of the season. On tear down, he found the sleeve to be cracked in exactly the same spot... It will be getting a flanged Darton sleeve and a fill in the next month.
TA sleeved my block in '98. I've driven it very hard ever since, including some big nitrous hits. -Bob C.
Block's undergone mag testing so it's worth salvaging. Thanks for the education on the ductile sleeve. Darton's website has a great education on sleeving options. Thanks for the responses... I feel more comfortable with the sleeving now.
We just had a sleeve put into a '71 block last month by Automotive Machine and Performance in Philpot, KY. I have no problem running with a sleeve if installed properly.
