440 sleave

[flyinlow]

What type of sleeves are used if you need one in a 440. Dry? Pressed in?  Cost?

Does it effect cooling?

[Eldovert]

Centrifugally cast, dry , interference fit , $100 ish , no

[Challenger340]

And don't forget.... if just sleeving one cylinder ? because of the "press/interference" fit the sleeve will distort the adjacent cylinders.... best to Bore/Hone all cylinders to the next size after installation of a sleeve.

[flyinlow]

Not sure if we will sleeve it . One cylinder had FOD and there is a .020 projection into the bore. Put a nice gouge in the piston from the skirt to about one inch below the oil control ring. Machine shop technician said it might clean up at .030 over and mentioned a sleeve if necessary.

[AKcharger]

...One cylinder had FOD...

I know what industry someone used to be in!   

[Eldovert]

Bird strike?

[Kern Dog]

And don't forget.... if just sleeving one cylinder ? because of the "press/interference" fit the sleeve will distort the adjacent cylinders.... best to Bore/Hone all cylinders to the next size after installation of a sleeve.

Good advice.
I have a '76 440 that has a cracked cylinder. Bores are .030 with under 900 miles on them. A sleeve would be cheaper than to find a standard block and to have it cleaned and machined.

[flyinlow]

...One cylinder had FOD...

I know what industry someone used to be in!  

...One cylinder had FOD...

I know what industry someone used to be in!  

:
[I took early separation last fall after 38 years of the airline adventure to help with Covid staffing issues. I miss some of it.

[Kern Dog]

Posted in wrong thread, maybe?
This is still the 440 sleeve thread, right?

[tonyskala]

I can't imagine this being much different that a GM block. I have not had an issue with a Mopar block yet by when the machine shop was going .010 on my pontiac 389 they heard a ticking while boring the cylinder and then a chunk fell inward in number 2 cylinder. The inside water jacket had so much rust.

I looked it up and the sleeves are actually stronger and high end performance cars basically all have them so it is not really taboo. So I elected to do all 8 even though I only needed 1. My block had some rust in the water jackets and to be safe I just did them all. It was good because when they were boring them out to get the sleeves in another cylinder caved in. Some of my sleeves actually come in contact with the water in the water jackets. I drive really hard and like a jerk and have not had any issues with the car. I put like 5k on it a year. Not a lot but it doesn't sit in my garage either. As for cooling I don't have issues but I have a slick master cooler set up and the gto was know for overheating before I even did anything to it.

When the sleeves are pressed in they can compress adjacent cylinders. SO they should bore them anyway. I did dry sleeves and they were pressed in. And something you might not know after the sleeve is in they will usually bore it again to make sure it is perfectly straight. Even with sleeves I winded up .010 over. but if you want stock they can get thicker sleeves and get it to standard bore. In SF Bay area about 2 years ago I was 125 per cylinder and that was with parts and the labor to do it. My block was factory numbers matching and I had no choice. In my case it would have been far cheaper to get another block. But I would have destroyed the value of the car.

[flyinlow]

Still waiting on sonic tests results.  My first choice would be just bore block #1  .030 over if that cleans up the cylinder in question. Second choice would be to sleeve block #1.  Block #2 has main caps from an other engine and the machine shop technician said to buy new caps, studs and line bore it typically around $750 . So this would be my third choice, however , forged caps and studs would be a plus. We will see how the block clean up and check out.

[Challenger340]

Still waiting on sonic tests results.  My first choice would be just bore block #1  .030 over if that cleans up the cylinder in question. Second choice would be to sleeve block #1.  Block #2 has main caps from an other engine and the machine shop technician said to buy new caps, studs and line bore it typically around $750 . So this would be my third choice, however , forged caps and studs would be a plus. We will see how the block clean up and check out.

You are almost always invariably going to find one or more "thin" spots when sonic testing a BB Mopar Block.... the trick is to know when to worry about it based on where it presents in the cylinder.... Versus, the power output ? and expected usage of the engine ?
If it is NOT on the major thrust side ? and within 3" of the top of the hole on that major thrust side ?  IMO, NOT much of an issue.
Again here.... if you are attempting a 650-700 HP deal ? then yes, some serious consideration of angularity/load on the walls with shorter skirt Stroker Pistons is warranted.... however, if maintaining a "stock" 440 3.75" Stroke and the 6.76" Rods ? then the 1.81 Rod Ratio minimal wall loading is greatly reduced on the long Piston skirts = NON issue !

Installing Forged Caps with a Line Bore.... while a stronger option ? is IMO, neither required ? nor cost effective for most builds ? unless a max power... or close to it effort is being undertaken.

If you can locate a good selection of RB Main Caps off a bunch of "dead"/junk Blocks.... quite often through trial and measurement a set of Caps can be found to FIT close enough that are easy to correct back within specs with just a Line Hone.
That's why we maintain an inventory here..... of 10-20 sets of Main Caps in case needed for Blocks devoid of their Main Caps. I mean we can Line Bore as well.... but prefer to spend a little extra time "fitting" until we find some close enough to correct with just a Line Hone

[flyinlow]

Its my sons build , so he will decide. I have suggested that a 446 assembled with the correct parts would do fine for him. He has talked about stroker kits since  we did the 446 in my Charger a dozen years ago. Now that he is spending his money ,we will see. In either case this will be a pump gas street engine. maybe 475HP target with a 446 or 525HP target with a 500 cu.in.

[Challenger340]

Its my sons build , so he will decide. I have suggested that a 446 assembled with the correct parts would do fine for him. He has talked about stroker kits since  we did the 446 in my Charger a dozen years ago. Now that he is spending his money ,we will see. In either case this will be a pump gas street engine. maybe 475HP target with a 446 or 525HP target with a 500 cu.in.

Even XE268H Cammed / E-Street Headed Cast Crank 446's go 475 hp/510 Trq when built properly..... plenty for the street, good idle, trouble free.

[flyinlow]

Got the sonic test results:

 Primary block (1978 motor home ,disassembled by me a year ago, matching main caps, std. bore)  cylinder walls were very good, could go + .060 if wanted . Main  won't even need line honed ,unless  we switch to studs.  The cast crank and bearing we took out of this engine were the cleanest looking of any BB Mopar I have taken apart.
  OK that's only six so far.  

 Secondary block (1978 unknown, bought at swap meet without main caps)  Not so good . Std. bore now, but recommended not to  go more than .030 over and the is there is main cap issue. Said it checked out Ok on the vertical axis (thrust axis  ?) but Thin in other areas. It was almost closing time Friday when I talked to them .I will get the actual report next week. Maybe core shift?  Can just one or two cylinder move ?

They suggested doing  test bore on the primary block #4 cylinder to see if the object imbedded in the lower cylinder wall would clean up at + .025  Seams like the next logical step.

[flyinlow]

Block cleaned up at + .025 , so no sleeve required.