Broken block, need opinions

[73RRSunroof]

I have a matching number 383 from a Road Runner. I am tearing down the engine and two cylinders are all messed up. One has a hole and both are chewed up at the bottom. Can this be repaired with a sleeve? I know the hole can but I am not sure about the bottoms? Any advice from your experience would be appreciated.

 

[Mixed-up XP]

Did this engine sling a rod or two? Looks pretty much like my original 383 did in my '68 Charger. What year is your RR?

 

[73RRSunroof]

Two rods, one ended up jammed in the other cylinder. My Road Runner is a 1969 4 speed. It is numbers matching so I really want to try to get it fixed.

 

[Mixed-up XP]

Mine had the #5 & #6 rods come loose and it destroyed my block to the point where the cam was broke in four pieces. All this happened with the previous owner. At some point in time someone replaced the nylon cam sprocket which had sheared the teeth and they neglected to drop the oil pan and remove all the fragments. Doesn't take long for that to collect around the pick-up tube and starve the motor of vital oil.

 

[70chall440]

Take it to a machine shop and get their opinion, perhaps a new sleeve would fix it. Personally I'd slide it under the bench and replace it.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Take it to a machine shop and get their opinion, perhaps a new sleeve would fix it. Personally I'd slide it under the bench and replace it.

Yup... If someone in the future is hung up on Numbers matching point & say "here's the original block" but build a different engine...

 

[Curiousyellow71]

Definitely took a blow. Its hard to see the damage or cracks in the pictures. We've done some pretty serious repairs w some muggy cast iron rod and patience. You may want to consider a longer rod and a shorter piston so the skirt doesn't come down as far into the damage and stays up in the bore, after it's sleeved.... You could use a 440 rod or a hemi rod. Sleeves generally aren't a big deal if the shop knows what they are doing. There lots of hemi's out there w sleeves, some w all 8. It's going to be hard to see how bad the damage is w a picture. Some repairs are too costly to hire done. Sleeves are about a 100 a hole to get done.

 

[70chall440]

Mine had the #5 & #6 rods come loose and it destroyed my block to the point where the cam was broke in four pieces. All this happened with the previous owner. At some point in time someone replaced the nylon cam sprocket which had sheared the teeth and they neglected to drop the oil pan and remove all the fragments. Doesn't take long for that to collect around the pick-up tube and starve the motor of vital oil.

Talk about a coincidence, I just pulled a 383 apart today and found all this in the oil pickup. The motor is a bit locked up but I don't think from this, more that it sat too long and had some moisture. It looks like the timing gear got stripped off and then they replaced it and kept going bc the engine had a steel timing set on it.

 

[R413]

Take it to a good shop. They will know based on what they see. Nothing wrong with sleeves. Nothing wrong with fixing it.

 

[73RRSunroof]

Talk about a coincidence, I just pulled a 383 apart today and found all this in the oil pickup. The motor is a bit locked up but I don't think from this, more that it sat too long and had some moisture. It looks like the timing gear got stripped off and then they replaced it and kept going bc the engine had a steel timing set on it.

View attachment 1099936

I think this one was parked in 1980 as it sits, somehow mice got in the oil pan and made a huge nest.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

I am not an expert on this, but I think you can sleeve it as long as it's cylinder damage. Maybe just have your shop take an extra, extra hard look for cracks up in the cam journals or anywhere outside of the cylinder. I would be very tempting just to use another block, but if your car is truly numbers matching, I get it.

 

[snakeoil24]

Junk the block! One missed crack after sleeving and your toast.

 

[F4R/T]

Have it checked out, if it checks ok sleeve it and move along. I wouldn’t hesitate at all especially if it’s the original block.

 

[70chall440]

I think this one was parked in 1980 as it sits, somehow mice got in the oil pan and made a huge nest.

There were mice on this one but fortunately not in it. There was a some moisture, not super bad but we will see.

 

[70chall440]

Junk the block! One missed crack after sleeving and your toast.

It can be repaired, the question is how much is it going to take and for a numbers matching engine I guess it may be worth it, however given its a 383 car I'd personally just keep the block and put a 440 in it. A good machine shop will sonic test it and/or magnaflux it to make sure its good.

 

[F4R/T]

My last sleeve job ran 280$ It now is on the road in my good friends dart and runs great.

 

[Bighouse]

I agree with storing it and building something killer!!

And you don’t have to worry about breaking the numbers matching engine!!

But hey- your car do what you want

 

[73RRSunroof]

That is a good idea, I will get it sonic tested and machined and store it aside in case i want to do numbers matching in the future.

 

[PRHeads]

I'd personally just keep the block and put a 440 in it.

Good plan

 

[Challenger340]

Junk the block! One missed crack after sleeving and your toast.

These days..... this may be good advice simply because of the remaining 'competence' left out there in the Machine Shop Industry(what industry anymore).
And really here ?
what's the point when there are 440's available ?

that said....
if... and that's a very big if.... you can access a competent Shop that is able to Clean, Y5 Flourescent Mag and/or pressure test the Cylinder casing for patent water jacket integrity ?
then a couple of thin wall sleeves is no big deal when 'stepped' correctly for retention at the bottom, then bag it off to the side.