I purchased a 351w engine from a junkyard. The engine had a great deal of rust in the cylinders, but I took it to a machine shop and they felt that this could be boared out 30 over and this would remove all of the rust. After they started to boar the first cylinder, they realized that this engine was at 30 over even before they started. They took one of the cylinders to 60 over and they stopped, called me and told me that they thought this engine would require sleeving in several of the cylinders. At this point I had them stop and I paid for what they had in the engine, basically hot tanks charge and took it home.
I called around the area and found a machine shop that told me to bring it in and they would take a look at Block to see if it could be salvaged. The guy I spoke with at this second machine shop wanted to see if it could get by with going 60 over on all of the cylinders without having to sleeve.
I brought it in and as he was looking at the block I told him even if it needed to be sleeved, id rather sleeve several of the cylinders if that was what it would take to get it right.
Long story short……I just picked up the block and their looks like there are several pin marks or stains in the block cylinder wall. I pointed this out to the machinist and he told me that it was nothing to worry about. I just didn’t trust what he was saying. I have several pictures of the spots, but they are kinda blurry. Keep in mind that this is a freshly honed block that I will be reassembling. My questions are :
Is the machinist right, will this not affect the life or performance of this engine?
Will this cause me to burn oil prematurely?


I have several pictures of the pitting or maybe its rust can send them if your interested. thanks for any help

 

Where are the pics?

Wiz

http://www.clubfte.com/users/thewiz427/index.html

 

Assuming it can be done, won't boring and sleeving the cylinders cost you more than finding a different block?

-Bill in Colorado

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 06-Sep-02 AT 09:18 AM (EST)]This is what I was going to post, but my browser kept dying trying to load a 'response'. The money is spent, I expect. If you have little bitty pits, dots more specifically, and there are few of them, they will do little to HELP you, but they probably will not hurt you too much. If you were depending on this to get you to the moon, or the south end of South America, and were not allowed to add oil ever, then I would have more concern. What are the alternatives? Get them to put more sleeves in---- AT YOUR COST. Bore is larger? NOT. I think you asked your question too late in the process. *I* think. Me.
Anyway, below is what I would have said if you'd asked before spending the bucks..
tom


If you haven't paid for this machine work yet, why not dump this block an get another. 351W's are not that rare, are they? I would not put the money into this type of labor and parts. They just get THIS block back to where OTHER blocks are from the get-go. You know, if this block had some sentimenal value, it would make sense, or if it were the only one ever made, or matched your serial numbers or some other esoteric nuance, BUT, come on, why not just get another? Simplificate your life. Pay attention only to the things which matter, ignore the rest. Dump and go and let this decision rest at the bottom of the lake... or scrapyard at 23cents a pound.. Decisions like this are just so much added drama for nothing of significance.
My opinion, and not much more...
tom