I would sleeve it. After all, it's not in the car yet and it's winter🤓

Best Machine suggested not sleeving and to fill instead. short block is already together, not backing up now. thanks

Do not fill the block now unless you want to take it apart and have it rehoned after letting the fill cure
I don't like or use block filler due to the block having to different heat zones when running, one above the fill and the other one where the fill is, the cylinder walls expand differently with fill due to that is what I have seen

The fill was done before any machining. I looked around my area for some time trying to find someone with good rep that could sleeve the block. I found 1 place, but they were booked for 6-9 months, so I called Best Machine in Detroit. Best told me to fill it instead. Most places don't install those sleeves correctly. It is now filled above the soft plugs.

Doesn't Muscle Motors sleeve blocks?

I thought the same, but when I spoke to them it didn't sound like it. They were not big on the idea of sleeving this block.

I wonder why these Mopar shops don't want to sleeve blocks?? I thought sleeving blocks was a common procedure with the lack of affordable aftermarket blocks out there.

sounds like a tricky process as you want to press the sleeve in without moving the other cylinders over. I'm not a machinest so I only know what iv read on the subject. I hear a lot of stories about leaking issues.

We busted our block #2 and it was half filled .. Had it sleeved and is still living .. Heck I have seen a buddies 400 all but one need sleeves so he did all 8 half filled and 12 years later still running 9 flat .. Street driven a lot .. My 2 cents

YEP and Pettis does em all day long...........

I have installed literally hundreds of sleeves.

If a machine shop can't or won't do a sleeve it's time to move on.

It's a very basic machine operation.

Interesting... @ what weight was his car? The reason I'm asking is cause as the saying goes weight kills parts ,so curios of the weight at 9.0's.

Just curious but how much would it cost to buy, install, bore, and finish hone 8 sleeves?

I used to charge 25-40 for the sleeve, depending on the sleeve and 85 dollars for the first hole.

To do a V8 total was 450 plus the sleeves. I save at least 6 different T/A blocks plus I can't say how many fork lift engines plus all the 1 and 2 sleeve deals I did.

When done correctly, you'd be hard pressed to even see the sleeve.

It is right around 2950..

My local shop (now retired) did a couple of sleeves for me on different blocks 35-40 years ago and he did a GREAT job. I just can't justify the money some guys are throwing at stock blocks. To each their own I guess

ok....Thaxs

Friend of mine has done literally dozens of sleeves in his home shop with one of these. He bought it from a shop that my Dad worked at in the '40s. Dad used to bore motors in chassis with it.

My buddy used to charge $40 for the sleeve and $40 to put it in and finish boring it.



It amazes me that any shop with modern equipment can't/won't do a sleeve.

Luckily, I've only had to do a few sleeves with a boring bar like that.


It works fine, it's just slower than newer tooling.

Dave I told you not to sleeve it because its a waste of money. Do the math, after its bored for the OD of the new sleeve and finished bored you are right back were you started or less. A Melling CSL269 sleeve has a OD of 4.5950 that a over bore of .253 or .1265 per side. How much is left in the block ? About .0175, install sleeve and bore for 4.375 and you have a cylinder bore thickness at .127. Most shops do not have the equipment to bore the cylinder straight and the sleeve will not sit square at the bottom. We have a Rottler F68 Block CNC machine and it will bore straight, we do sleeves when it makes sense to do it. Hard block will help to support the thin spots found on many stock blocks.