Technical Need help, I think I got screwed

I bought this engine from a guy last night and I think I got screwed.

It's been a while since I've built a SBC and was on the lookout for a 4 bolt main block which I found on Facebook Marketplace.

After cleaning some of the surface rust and oil off today, it looks like this block had been sleeved in every cylinder.

Is this block any good or should I just chalk it up and look for another?

Why would someone spend the time and money to sleeve all 8?

 

If done correctly sleeves can be a better wall than the cast iron block, material, surface and thickness.

 

Sleves, in themselves are no problem, If properly installed. What are your plans with this engine?



Bones

 

Is that a 400?

 

No it's a standard 4.00 bore with 4 bolt mains and a cast crank. 217 heads which indicates a crate engine. It's been a while since I've done one of these (over 30 years).

Are they even sleeves? I've only ever seen one sleeved block and a step was left in the bottom of the bore.

Looking to build 350-400 HP for a project that I'm working on with an old tunnel ram.

 

looks like they're all sleeved. I got a 454 once that was like that, it did fine while I had it.

 

More pics. Someone has been grinding.

Is this normal and I'm just worrying for nothing?

 

Find a local machine shop and have them check it out, they'll be able to tell you more than we can with a couple pics.

 

Interesting. A lot of work to save a basically nothing special engine. Nothing wrong with sleeves.

 

Like said above, done right no problem. What exactly are you worried about? One of my street Hemi blocks has 3 in it, no issues to date.
The Wizzard

 

That's what I'm trying to figure out. I'm not sure if it's sleeved. It just looks kind of weird.

 

Those look like sleeves in your pictures but the naked eye in person is better than pictures. What do the cylinders mic out at???

Like others have said nothing wrong with sleeves if done right. Regardless before you spend any money on it you need to have it magna fluxed at the minimum. Your machine shop should be able to tellou what you have.

Ford in 39 had sleeved cylinders from the factory and I have worked on Alfa Romeos and they are sleeved from the factory as well. Actually pistons in an Alfa sit in a cast iron sleeve in an aluminum block and you can change out the sleeves with basic hand tools.

 

Was that grinding on the bottom of the cylinders done so a bigger crank would fit?

 

If done right/well that is not a bad thing at all. Check them for size/taper with a dial and you might be pleasantly surprised. I do remember that being done with 305s to make them 350 but I never did understand why considering the expense. I quick check of the casting number, crank damper might answer that question. Good luck.

 

Sleves are usually pretty clear. To tell you the truth when I first looked at this photo. It just looks like the witness mark left behind from the metal seal ring of the Old head gasket. I would have moved on and thought nothing about it.
The Wizzard

 

they are sleeves. The Target motors have a different block casting number, not 3970010, anyways. (except maybe the very early ones)

It's been too long since I put in a sleeve myself....don't they work better if you don't bore it all the way to the bottom of the block? I forget

 

I really don't see anything that would bother me. But it would be cheap insurance to have a machine shop check it out. Have them hot tank and magnaflux it for peace of mind. Have them tell you if anything's out of the ordinary. Money well spent as far as I'm concerned.

 

Yes, there is step left in the bore for the sleeve to seat against

 

That's the plan. I'm just baffled.

 

Personally I have never done the actual install. Over the years I've been blessed with Top Cabin machinists to do that for me. The ones done for me to date have had a shoulder at the top that required a step bore at the Deck. The block was bored full length and sleeve cut to given length then after installed the Blocks have been decked. That may not be how all sleeves are done due to water jackets, thin decks or different manufactures of sleeves. In fact I have never had a sbc block done ever due to plenty good ones to start with. May not be the case today.
The Wizzard

 

Just about every heavy equipment diesel out there is sleeved from factory, they run forever and when you eventually have managed to wear them out that makes it simple to restore them to as new condition again - unless you've had the block crack or rust away. So as others say, sleeves are not a problem when done right, quite the opposite.

 

We have repaired blocks with holes in the cylinders by putting sleeves in, measure it and run it if it measures ok


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I've been told all Bowtie blocks are sleeved, & I know my 400 Bowtie block came that way. Show us pictures of both sides of the block, please.

 

I think I recall my Dad calling them liners...lol.

 

Weren't the chevy diesels basically a sleeved 350?

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?

 

Could always be that the last guy planned on "big power" from that motor, and so had the cylinders sleeved rather than worry about potential off-center castings. Would also support the grinding for more clearance, Clarence.

As many have said up above, sleeves ain't all bad. 350-400 hp likely wouldn't tax it.

 

No. It's a completely different engine.

Sent from my Trimline

 

This is a 3970010 block, which is a normal 350 block, not a bowie block.

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What he said.

Ben