When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Would you guys run this block? I'd like yall's opinions
Hey guys, just unpacked a new block I bought about 2 weeks ago. Its scored up worse than I thought and I'm concerned about running it as is. Three of the cylinders have some pretty significant marks, and I'd like some opinions on it. All the marks below catch a fingernail, and all are up near the top of the cylinder where the rings would ride. Cylinder #1 looked pretty decent, no serious marks that grabbed a nail.
Cylinder #2
#3, which is the worst one
#4, which are the shallowest of the three marred cylinders
That's also my fear....this is the THIRD! block I've gotten trying to find one suitable for rebuild. I'm getting REALLY irritated that I can't find one in decent condition and I now have THREE blocks I can't do anything with. I wouldnt have gotten this block if I had known it was scored this bad, the pictures I saw were not nearly as sharp as the ones I put up.
Aluminum blocks don't chew up cast iron rings. If you can't go through or planned to do a re-honing process I would use it. it won't make a difference you could notice. If you are not going to re-condition the bores it will be hard to seat new rings anyway. I have seen much worse used with no ill effects. But.... the pistons are what you need to pay attention to. Make sure the coating is not worn off the skirts that is what will cause the bores / pistons to gall.
Aluminum blocks don't chew up cast iron rings. If you can't go through or planned to do a re-honing process I would use it. it won't make a difference you could notice. If you are not going to re-condition the bores it will be hard to seat new rings anyway. I have seen much worse used with no ill effects. But.... the pistons are what you need to pay attention to. Make sure the coating is not worn off the skirts that is what will cause the bores / pistons to gall.
I'm using nearly new factory pistons, they're absolutely perfect. I dont want them damaged and I want this motor to seal well if I'm going to invest 2k+ into building it and then take the time to drop it into the car.
Would sleeving have saved time and money?
Maybe I'm not sure what the goal is.
No, not really. I have a set of EXTREMELY clean factory pistons and rods, and I'm pretty hell bent on using them. I've not spent anywhere near what getting a block nikasiled or redone in alusil would have cost me, not even taking the cost of new pistons into account. I'm just looking for a block that's ready to run as it, if I wanted to spend 1500 bucks on prepping a block and getting pistons, I'd be a fool to not simply build a 2.85L stroker since I have 2 other spare blocks that have issues and 3 spare cranks. If I wanted to spend $$$ I'd have done that from the start
Asking for a 30+ year old block that needs nothing in terms of bore/prep work would be asking a lot if it were a well cared for cast iron block. Hoping to find that in an aluminum Porsche block that's been in the hands of penny-pinching 944 owners for the last decade or so at least is asking the nearly impossible.
Asking for a 30+ year old block that needs nothing in terms of bore/prep work would be asking a lot if it were a well cared for cast iron block. Hoping to find that in an aluminum Porsche block that's been in the hands of penny-pinching 944 owners for the last decade or so at least is asking the nearly impossible.
I disagree. My buddy is building a motor right now using an 82 block he sourced, it needed no work. I have another block that has clean bores with no marks, but the bores so happened to be tapered. I have the block from my 86 NA also with perfect bores (the 4th block I have laying around), but it has a crack by the water neck on the head mating surface. I am not looking for a perfect block, just one who's bores are straight and have no major scores. That is not an impossible order. Or even unreasonable.
In general, NA blocks will be in nicer condition than turbo blocks. This is almost a rule.