Sleeving a 289

[Lindy]

Can this be done?

[blykins]

Sure it can.

[Lindy]

Any major downside in terms of reliability?

This is a street-only motor that is at .040 over. I would like to rebuild the engine and continue using this block.

Thank You

[Rick Parker]

Done right, it will be fine.

[Jerry Clayton]

How many cylinders need sleeving and why?

Is it a 5 bolt block?

Where are you located?

Jerry

[Lindy]

Jerry,
It is a five bolt '65 block, and I am considering sleeving all 8 as part of a rebuild, as I do not really want to go out to .060.

I would like to keep this block in the car in the event that I ever sold it (which I am not planning on). It had already been registered in CA by the original owner, but I have been told that a prospective buyer in CA would prefer the block that was originally in the car when registered (in CA).

[blykins]

I don't think I would advise sleeving all 8 cylinders...it can be done....and is done...but I wouldn't have it done myself. Just don't feel right about it.

Have you measured the cylinders? Is there a bad ridge at the top? Do you think it would need an extra .020"?

You may be able to just clean the cylinders up and go with it.

Or, have the block sonic tested and it may be able to go .060" with no problem.

[Jerry Clayton]

Well, if it hasn't been blown up( rods out the side or broken cylinder walls)
Just have it honed until it cleans up and get custom pistons made--you might only have to go to .043 or 045---custom pistons are cheaper that sleeving it

Jerry

[Rick Parker]

Lindy: blykins & Jerry both make valid points. Sleeving all 8 bores would seem to compromise the integrity of the block too. Get a professional opinion from an engine builder such as Keith Craft, Gessford, or Southern Automotive, or FE Specialties. These guys do this sort of thing each day and can give you the best opinion.

[Jerry Clayton]

I am a professional engine buider--I have done things from Top Fuelers, funny cars, prostockers, late model dirt cars, stock block indy cars---have held National records in everything except the indy cars

I also have had a car with the very rare 5 bolt block and know the importance/desire to preserve it

Jerry

[kris-kincaid]

I would call George at Gessford. They do excellent machine work and they know how to sleeve a block properly. www.gessford.com

[Lindy]

Thank You - I will call the people that were mentioned. In particular, Gessford keeps coming to the top of the list.

[Jerry Clayton]

And the decision is????

Jerry

[Lindy]

Jerry,

We used new head gaskets, ARP head bolts, etc. and still have a coolant leak into the exhaust on the pass. side. The heads and cylinder walls looked good, however in the interest of time I contacted Keith Craft and have ordered a new 331. We will have the 289 block checked out, and will keep it with the car.

The next decision is whether or not to transfer the current Weber 44 IDF's to the 331, or instead to go the 4 barrel route...

[mickmate]

If it was me I'd sonic check the walls. Base your decision on that and only sleeve what needs it. These motors are compact lightweight powerplants revolutionary in their day because of the precision thin wall casting methods employed. As a result of the thin walls if they sat around for a long time or were left partially filled with coolant they would eat the walls through from the jacket side. I went through radiators, motors and head gaskets till I discovered a vertical split in a cylinder wall due to this. I wasn't sonic checking, I'd start there. Good luck.

[mickmate]

Take a look at the bottom of the cylinders. You can see if the block had a core shift problem where the bottom of the cylinders project from the underneath of the valley. Any thin cylinder skirts look closely at them.

[Lindy]

Thanks - Will do!

- Hope that the problem is ultimately with the heads and not the block.