Sleeving 340 for a Stroker kit

[Oldmanmopar]

The 348 and 409 engines have cylinder heads that don't have a combustion chamber, kinda like a diesel. The chamber is the top part of the cylinder. The way it's designed, it has to have a valve relief in the block.
Here's Edelbrock's version. The stock one is similar.
View attachment 1716342374

Here's a shot of the chambers in the block. You can see the reliefs for the exhaust valves.
View attachment 1716342375

Years back in 1971 I had a 61 impala conv. with a 348 Had the same valve covers. A friend had a 409 . Never saw one with the head off. Weird design

 

[RustyRatRod]

Years back in 1971 I had a 61 impala conv. with a 348 Had the same valve covers. A friend had a 409 . Never saw one with the head off. Weird design

It is unconventional to say the least.

 

[toolmanmike]

The crazy 409's. Some guys swear by them though.

Chevy's first attempt at a big block. Strange design for sure.

 

[mygasser]

Chevy's first attempt at a big block. Strange design for sure.

you can imagine the gm design meeting where one of them started with ''what if we....''

 

[Oldmanmopar]

My 348 Impala was faster then my Dads 62 poly 318 plymouth. I sold the 61 Impala Conv. I couldn't afford a new roof after the rear window fell in. The engine always ran perfect.

 

[RAMM]

I live in farm country, and have done a few 4 cyl Perkins diesels with protruding sleeves. They were straight sleeves, no flange or step . Some perkins do have flanged sleeves though.

Here is a pic. Not mine.

Edit, forgot to mention, these are dry sleeves.

View attachment 1716341911

What method did you use to get them out? J.Rob

 

[RAMM]

Sleeves don't protrude into the crankcase. They machine the bore for a sleeve leaving a step the bottom for the sleeve to stop against when it is installed. They bore almost to the bottom. Find yourself a new shop.

I had to sleeve this blown up DIRT engine last week. The DART SHP block has surprisingly short cylinders. I only left about .100" for the step on the major and minor thrust sides but the rest of the sleeve can be seen hanging below. It went surprisingly well--about .0025" interference fit. As stated heat the block/freeze the sleeve slides about halfway in nicely and then some light hammering with a thick aluminum puck drives it home. This is one of my least favorite operations-lol. J.Rob

 

[Newbomb Turk]

I had to sleeve this blown up DIRT engine last week. The DART SHP block has surprisingly short cylinders. I only left about .100" for the step on the major and minor thrust sides but the rest of the sleeve can be seen hanging below. It went surprisingly well--about .0025" interference fit. As stated heat the block/freeze the sleeve slides about halfway in nicely and then some light hammering with a thick aluminum puck drives it home. This is one of my least favorite operations-lol. J.Rob

View attachment 1716342512

When done correctly like this you can't even tell a sleeve was installed.

 

[toolmanmike]

In college we sleeved a Vega block. That was back in 73' and no one had done that yet, that we knew of. We went to the Aircraft shop and borrowed their big oven to heat the block and froze the sleeves with freon. Yep, R12. That was a long time before someone said it ate a hole in the ozone. Well if that was true, there is a huge hole right above the community college now. The sleeves literally dropped in to the stop.

 

[Mopar Sam]

What method did you use to get them out? J.Rob

I bored them till they were .015" wall, then used a small old dull flat screwdriver to start them peeling out. I have a block mounted VN 944 boring bar, so I had to use a file to level them with the deck first.