So I have destroyed #1 cylinder. I will take a picture of it just for show, but it's GONE! ok well half gone. I think it cracked on the out side near the freeze plug (thats the part of the block I can see from inside the bore) sucked in a lot of coolant and tried to compress it. needless to say I need a new rod, piston, valve, and maybe a new crank. (haven't gotten that far into it yet) I'm having a heck of time finding an lt1 block around here.

can this be sleeved? or does a sleeve just go inside the current bore to resize/reinforce?

 

Keep looking. I've seen several blocks in the For Sale section in the last few days for cheap.

 

sorry I ment around here as in Washington state, I did forget to mention that. I would even take one shipped but that is hard to find as well.

 

Sure, it can be sleeved. It's a job for a good machine shop though.

Rich

 

well that is good to know. Obviously I would prefer a replacement block but if worse comes to worse-er.

 

Like Rich said a GOOD machine shop. A friend with an LT1 in a 91 RS had a stroker built and they did not tell him it was sleeeved so he thought it was head gaskets when the cooling system overpressured enough to pop a radiator hose. They ended up just starting over with another block after that.

 

If you resleeve, just resleeve them all 4.120. 400ci LT1 w/3.75 crank. Just kidding, that would be very $$.

 

why would the coolant system overpressure. Sorry I really know nothing about how sleeving works.

Also what is a good estimate on a sleeve? right now I'm looking anywhere from 300-500 to get a block shipped to me. Would you expect cheaper or about the same for a sleeve. If it's more than that here comes a new block

 

In the incident mentioned above, it appears the sleeve was not installed correctly, and leaked combustion gasses into the coolant, overpressuring it.

Why is the shipping so heavy? I had a block shipped from Arkansas to NJ for $80. Just needs to be on a pallet.

 

it seems that all the blocks I find are no closer than ohio most in the south east, GA, FL area. Shipping from there to SE washington is expensive.
But then again I've never shipped anything large like that so maybe I'm being taken so they can get a little extra $$$.

what is a good price for a block or short block?

I was thinking 100-200 range for a stock virgin block. is that too cheap?

 

Correct on the overpressure.

Good point on the shipping.

 

When do you need it and where are you? I am a little North East of Everett and have a running motor out of my 96 Impala but am not ready yet to part it out. It is sitting on a stand though and if the price was right I might be willing to tear it down.

Craigslist also yielded these results:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/pts/633253721.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/pts/632458977.html

TOM B

 

Contact a couple local machine shops and tell them what you are looking for. Chances are they can locate a block for you. Also check on having it sleeved to see what kind of $$ you'll be looking at. Also figure in that you'll have to have it decked and even more work if it messed up a main(possible).
I paid $120 to have a complete engine shipped from chicago to houston and I picked it up at the freight terminal, they loaded it in the bed of the truck. w/ a block you could go pick it up in a car w/ a decent sized trunk if you had to.

 

If there is an actual *hole* or visible crack in the cylinder wall, that block is scrap. Replace it, or you'll be throwing good money after bad rebuilding it.

 

hole. more like a cavern. like I said I can see the freeze plug.

Who did you use to ship that thing from chicago to houston? I was just quoted 400 for shipping from lackomotorsports.com

I never thought of checking craigslist in the seattle area :doh: thanks for those heads up

I'm 30 mins north of oregon and 2 hours west of spokane. as for when I need one. the sooner the better but no rush really. i've got the money to drop on a block but a whole engine is iffy. I'm thinking that 550 looks like a smokin' deal.