About 3 years ago I built a 1969 351W block. This was a block I was already using in the racecar. I lost a few head gaskets and decided to make the change to copper head gaskets and O��ring the block, as most of you know I��m using a 125 shot.

I was getting water in number 5 cylinder. I had J302 heads on it at the time and couldn��t see anything wrong with them. The block was .030�� and I had it bored to .040�� and a host of other machine shot type work... to the tune of about 8 or $900.00.

I told the machine shop that I was getting water in number 5 and I had replaced head gaskets and couldn��t find a problem with the heads or gaskets. So, I instructed them to check number 5 cylinder out in every respect.

Well, lots of $$$ later and many hours of labor, the engine is in. I fill the cooling system up, hook up the pressure tester and leave it on over night. I check it the next morning and the pressure is still good, oil level is where I last check it and looks good.

Start it up and sounded very good. Just to make sure, I install the pressure tester on again. Guess what... water in number 5 cylinder. The only reason I can figure the gauge held the first time was one of the rings were over the pin hole, just my luck.

So, I get a bore scope and can see a pinhole in the cylinder wall. This is why I bought the SVO block.

However, I just spent a lot of money on this block and didn��t won��t to see it go to waste. I called the machine shop and told them what I found. They didn��t think they could install a sleeve in the cylinder because of the o��ring. I told them I didn��t have anything to loose, give it a try.

Three years later...
The machine shop was able to sleeve the block and now it��s done.

I went to the machine shop today to get the block. Now it has some rust in the cylinder walls, in the lifter valley and other hard to get places. They said they would hone the cylinders and take some steel wool to the lifter valley. But, that��s not going to correct the other hard to get places

What would you do?

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Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,&'03
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28
Professional Manwhore
The Barry of BarrysGrrl

OK, now that I have two blocks, the SVO and the 69. The SVO block is in the car now and runs. But, the camshaft is WAY TOO SMALL. My bad. I also have a new cam, maybe a little to big, lol, and a 3.850�� stroker crankshaft. I would like to install the new cam and crank in the SVO block. I also still have the .040�� pistons from the 69 block and the crank that��s in the SVO block is the one that was in the 69. They only have about 5 to10 minutes run time, if that.

I would like to build the 69 block with the SVO reciprocating assb. While I come up with the money to buy pistons, rings, rods, balancing for the stroker SVO block and a new set of rear tires too. I would have had the money this month to build the stroker, but the A/C in my house took a dump, $3,800.00, grrr. There went my racecar money.

Then I would run the 69 engine and hopefully fine a buyer for it. Then I would have the money for a set of Blue Thunder cylinder heads and a new set of headers. I would also like to make the 2 bolt SVO block into a 4 bolt block.

IMHO I don't feel that��s right. I had to spend a lot of money and time because of their mistake. Not to bring up the fact that it took over 3 years to fix it.

Keep in mind that when I brought the block to this machine shop, told them I was getting water in number 5 cylinder.

Am I wrong?

Before I sold my automotive business I overhauled a Mazda engine, well one of my guys did anyway. I sent the head to the same machine shop for a valve job.

After the engine was done, it smoked. It seemed that the problem was in the head. So, I had one of the guys remove the head, the valve seals were hard as a rock.

Sent it back to the machine shop and they said it still had the original seals and they made a mistake.

I had to pay a guy to R&R the head, I think it was about 10 hours labor if I remember correctly. Buy gaskets ect... with no help from the machine shop in any way.

It just seems that they don't want to take any responsibility for their mistakes.

One of the guys at the machine shop asked if I wanted the work for free and I told him that the machine shops mistake cost me a lot more then what he is charging me.

quote:

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Originally posted by Buster:
Well, I went to the machine shop to get the block and they wanted to charge me $260.00 to sleeve it...

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I don't think I have ever paid over $100 to get a sleeve installed and bored, and I have had A LOT of sleeves installed over the last few years.

Their work is really tops. A racing buddy of mine had a problem not to log ago too. He was using a press fit pistion and had them install the pistions. About a month later one othe pins came out damaging the cylinder wall... I don't remember if it needed a sleeve or not. But, they wouldn't work with him either, because it was a race engine.

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