atb

I'm prepping my block for nikasiling, and the only piece of steel left on it is the sleeve that is pressed in around one of the rear main studs. The stud is out.
Is there an easy way to remove it? Propane torch, heat gun, aero kroil, any combination of the above?

GregBBRD

Grab it with a pair of vice grips and hammer on the vice grips to remove it. You will need a new one. We usually replace all of the steel pieces with new, as they usually all come out damaged. We stock all of the pieces, although a couple of the dowels are now NLA.

Be aware that the block has two special steel inserts where the upper bolts from the bell housing mounts. These are very hard to remove and replace. Tell the people that are doing the Nicosil and they can plug these two holes with clay, so that the acid doesn't eat the inserts away.

gb

atb

Thanks Greg,

The other block that was sent to be nikasiled came back with the sleeve extracted but mangled, so I guess that's the way it has to come out.

I'm using aluminum tape to cover the bearing journals, etc., per U.S. Chrome's instrucitons, maybe I can just cover the bellhousing openings with the same stuff.

I'm a little concerned about the acid etching getting into the crank sprayer orifices and eating up the springs and valves in there. I'm covering them with aluminum tape as well, hope it holds.