W-400 Block repair sleeve availability

Red John 2 · Jan 21, 2011

I have a 7" vertical crack inside block cylinder wall; (not a crack in the liner, but a crack in the block cylinder wall). 1955 W-400 Gas. I need to install a repair sleeve with ID 4-1/4" and OD just over 4-1/4"; (OD something like 4-5/16", 4-3/8", 4-7/16", 4-1/2").
The engine currently has 4-1/8" pistons and I want to reinstall another set of 4-1/8" pistons and liners. The new liners (and old liners) are 4-1/8" ID and 4-1/4" OD. I want to bore the cylinder hole slightly, then install repair sleeve with 4-1/4" ID into the bored cylinder hole, then slip new piston liner into the repair sleeve.
My question is where to get such a repair sleeve? I have the block at the machine shop. The machinist wants to talk with Tech Support at Case IH. I called C&G for Ken Updike for his guidance but he is not in today. Any suggestions about how to get in touch with any technical support people will be greatly appreciated.
Note: I want to save this particular block if at all possible.

pete 23 · Jan 21, 2011

Good luck talking to CaseIH. I can just about tell you what they will say. Nothing. I think your machinist will have to confer with other engine rebuilder shops for this answer. I know our local machine shop gets some special order sleeves made out of california someplace.

RegulaRog · Jan 21, 2011

Your absolutely right about caseih. I am a partsman in Indiana and I can vouch for the fact that their tech guys know absolutely nothing about the older stuff and very little about the newer stuff either.

Red John 2 · Jan 21, 2011

Thanks Pete. I'm just hoping to find a repair sleeve with these approximate specs, then machine my bore accordingly. If I do find such I'm sure the expense will be much less than having to have one custom made.

Bob · Jan 21, 2011

LA Sleeve Co.
Website

Red John 2 · Jan 21, 2011

Thanks Bob. I'll check 'em out.

D Slater · Jan 21, 2011

Its not uncommon to have them repaired like that. The Machine shop I used to use had a list and sizes of repair sleeves to chose from. They bored the block for a press fit of the repair sleeve OD, then bored the ID for the original sleeve fit if wanted. If the crack is above the bottom of the cylinder. Leave a ledge at the bottom of cylinder for the repair sleeve to bottom out on.

bgreer · Jan 21, 2011

I used NAPA repair sleeve part # 226-8066. It is 4.220 inside bore. After that sleeve was installed, I bored it a little bit to get the standard sleeve in it. I was thinking the sleeve was like about $40 in 2006 when I did it.

Red John 2 · Jan 21, 2011

Thanks to all. I will pass this info along to machinist. Hopefully before long, we'll be crankin'.

greyfoxxca · Jan 23, 2011

I heard that the original w6 with the small bore were much more reliable than the later bigger bores.

I also have a 400 with number 2 cylinder with a very large vertical crack. i was wondering if anyone with a similar problem just replaced the 4 1/8 pistons and sleeves with the old 3 7/8 pistons for a repair of the cracked sleeve?

Will the older smaller bore sleeves fit in the 400 block? I do think the 400 could have gone too thin on the cylinders as I have not seen the block splitting as much on any older smaller bore engines.

Is it possible? As my 400 has a very good fel it would not be worked hard. If I cannot patch the engine I have a couple of super w400 blocks to replace the 400. I will not be putting the larger bore sleeves in it. If I can I will go with the smaller bore for reliability.

George

W-400 Block repair sleeve availability

Red John 2

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pete 23

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RegulaRog

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Red John 2

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Bob

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Red John 2

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bgreer

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