White block cylinders

Ram · Post by **Ram** » 19 Apr 2019, 11:51

Hello MVS,

I pulled my cylinder head off, about a year ago, due to burned exhaust valve. When I did that, I felt down the cylinder, to see if everything was okay. When I did that, I could feel an increase in diameter - smooth, not rough.
Looking at the picture, the "egde" was below the black line in the cylinder.
It also looks like the block is fitted with sleeves. Is this factory?
It failed MOT due to smog test, burning too much oil.
I want to keep the same block, if posible and was wondering if it posible to install new sleeves.
I called a machineshop, and they said I should bring the block, so they could meassure it. However, I'm currently deployed and unable to.
I don't want to install the DARTON sleeves, since that is too expensive.

Does anyone know if is posible to install new sleeves in a White block engine, or are the walls too thin from factory?

Best regards,

Ras

Post by **abscate** » 19 Apr 2019, 12:36

I still see cross hatching in the cylinder bore, which is a good sign. The Volvo design is cast iron sleeves in an Aluminum block but I don't know anything about if the sleeves can be replaced routinely.

If compression is good, I would just try a new set of pisting rings after measuring everything.

Post by **jimmy57** » 19 Apr 2019, 16:12

The sleeves have what looks like coarse threads, they are in fact just a spiral ridge, on the outside to assure the aluminum bonds and holds the cylinders. They can't be removed. Oversized pistons and rings are available. The cylinders pictured look to have little wear. A rotary brass brush chucked into a drill will remove that carbon ring to let you know what you really have. Oil consumption on these engines is often crankcase vent blocked and valve stem seals more than ring issues on the ones made in the 90's.

Ram · Post by **Ram** » 21 Apr 2019, 07:18

jimmy57 wrote: ↑19 Apr 2019, 16:12 The sleeves have what looks like coarse threads, they are in fact just a spiral ridge, on the outside to assure the aluminum bonds and holds the cylinders. They can't be removed. Oversized pistons and rings are available. The cylinders pictured look to have little wear. A rotary brass brush chucked into a drill will remove that carbon ring to let you know what you really have. Oil consumption on these engines is often crankcase vent blocked and valve stem seals more than ring issues on the ones made in the 90's.

I had the head completely rebuilt at a machine shop, and the crankcase vent has been changed and upgraded.
This leaves me with one possiblity: blow by.
I did a compression test, and although I lost the numbers, it didn't look bad.
What worries me, is the wear i felt in the cylinder - smooth edge, increase in diameter.

tardcart · Post by **tardcart** » 21 Apr 2019, 07:38

its odd that only the very top of the bore is worn. lower its like new. Do you run very high rpm or boost? induced pinging?
the piston does a little dance at the top as it changes direction. are all like that? what is the milage?

Ram · Post by **Ram** » 21 Apr 2019, 09:28

It's a 850 T5-R with 190k miles on the clock.
I rarely take it above 5500 rpm - but she's an old Lady, and not sure how she's been driven.
The engine has plenty of power and sounds healthy.