99 Teksid block cylinders distorted

[geardriven74]

I found out today that 2 cylinders on my block are oval or egg shaped. No visible ring groove. It looks like the cylinders have stretched. #3 is .007 loose one way and .005 less than standard the other way. Anyone else run into this?:shrug:

 

[black4vcobra]

I haven't run into it, but when rebuilding these engines, it is common to overbore the cylinders by .020" to correct out of round cylinders and scuffed cylinder walls.

 

[SlowSVT]

Aluminum will do that

 

[geardriven74]

I haven't run into it, but when rebuilding these engines, it is common to overbore the cylinders by .020" to correct out of round cylinders and scuffed cylinder walls.

Is it common for the bore to be 0.005 smaller than standard ?
I'm concerned that my sleeve is going to be thin after boring with so much distortion.

 

[geardriven74]

Has anyone else run into this?
If so did you just bore it. And did it hold up ok

 

[na svt]

Is it common for the bore to be 0.005 smaller than standard ?
I'm concerned that my sleeve is going to be thin after boring with so much distortion.

It's common and the cylinders will be fine when bored .020", in fact they are fine when bored .040".

 

[itSSlow98]

I just had one built and they took it .030 because that's what they felt wound be best. Block only had about 55k miles on it and the walls looked perfect by eye.

 

[MrBrain]

You'd need to measure with torque plates installed (i.e. same as the heads being there). I recently bored my block 0.020 with torque plates to get the bores round. The block flex is crazy, same thing with the main caps.

When I removed the crank I first removed the outer bolts and then the crank didn't turn freely anymore but with every thing torqued down to specs it runs smoothly.

They are interesting these aluminium blocks

edit: Some have said that Ford also didn't use torque plates when building the motor, hence the oval cylinders. I am not sure about that though but to the question "do I need to bore my block?" the common answer is yes you do, no matter how little milage is has.

 

[Modular Racing]

I found out today that 2 cylinders on my block are oval or egg shaped. No visible ring groove. It looks like the cylinders have stretched. #3 is .007 loose one way and .005 less than standard the other way. Anyone else run into this?:shrug:

If this measurement was taken without torque plates the readings mean nothing, this is because they are machined with torque plates (to simulate the cylinder head preload). Likewise it should also be remachined with them. If you need them we have them for rent or for sale.

MMR
1-877-MOD-POWR

 

[geardriven74]

Thanks to everyone for the good info.

 

[geardriven74]

Torque plate rental

I ordered the torque plate from MMR today. I plan to send it back when I'm done and just pay the rental fee.

 

[olgreydog7]

Any machine shop worth a damn should have some. Unless you are planning to somehow bore it yourself, you just wasted your money.

 

[SlowSVT]

Any machine shop worth a damn should have some. Unless you are planning to somehow bore it yourself, you just wasted your money.

Not unless they have bored that type of block before.

In an iron block you could probably get away without a torque plate but it's best to use one regardless. To take it a step further you could seal the block and run 180 degree water thru it while your boring the block but few shops are set-up to do that.

 

[olgreydog7]

Not unless they have bored that type of block before.

In an iron block you could probably get away without a torque plate but it's best to use one regardless. To take it a step further you could seal the block and run 180 degree water thru it while your boring the block but few shops are set-up to do that.

The ones I have seen were not engine specific. If they don't have some that fit, how much experience do they really have?

 

[CJK440]

The ones I have seen were not engine specific. If they don't have some that fit, how much experience do they really have?

Not engine specific? The plate has the head bolt pattern and large holes spaced over each bore. I don't know how you could get one to work on just two different blocks let alone one being "not engine specific".

 

[SlowSVT]

Not engine specific? The plate has the head bolt pattern and large holes spaced over each bore. I don't know how you could get one to work on just two different blocks let alone one being "not engine specific".

+1 :shrug:

 

[olgreydog7]

Not engine specific? The plate has the head bolt pattern and large holes spaced over each bore. I don't know how you could get one to work on just two different blocks let alone one being "not engine specific".

Maybe I brain farted, but I swear it had multiple bolt holes to cover multiple patterns. Obviously you can use a BBC plate on a SBF, but among same engine families it worked. But again, if they don't have it, I'd be weary of their experience. There are a lot of modulars out there. I'd at least ask them how many aluminum blocks they have done.

 

[geardriven74]

Any machine shop worth a damn should have some. Unless you are planning to somehow bore it yourself, you just wasted your money.

I'm gonna take that risk.