Guest Rhentsch55 Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I have a 1966 Wildcat with a 425 which unfortunately was diagnosed with a cracked cylinder and oil journal. The shop is advising that the cylinder can be sleeved to fix the crack. Wondering if this is a recommended and reliable repair? I understand it is fairly common but will it hold up in a high compression engine like the 425? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I have 3 sleeves in my 425 and while it doesn't have a lot of miles on it yet, it doesn't affect it at all. It gets up and goes just like the old engine. They sleeve a lot of motors including drag race motors, so I wouldn't worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rhentsch55 Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 Thanks, Bill. I found a lot of online chatter about repairing a cylinder with a sleeve but for scored or pitted cylinder walls to deep to fix by boring. I didn't find any discussions about using a sleeve to repair a crack. Seems it should work but wondering about long term. Is the crack likely to continue to grow even with the sleeve in place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZRIV Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 Need more detail on size of crack and location. You also mentioned an oil journal crack. That's odd. Where is that located. Any idea what caused the cracks? Successful sleeving is highly dependent on the skill of the machinist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rhentsch55 Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I'm waiting for more details from the machine shop on Monday. It appears that the engine was not maintained well by a previous owner and probably driven very hard. There was at least one bent pushrod and there's a lot of sludge throughout. It was swapped out for a 401 so I'm trying to decide whether or not to sink $ into the 425 since it's the original engine, or stick with the 401. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenugent Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I lost #1 piston that left a hole in the cylinder wall,had it sleeved with total rebuild,over 3000 miles with no problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 2 hours ago, Rhentsch55 said: I'm waiting for more details from the machine shop on Monday. It appears that the engine was not maintained well by a previous owner and probably driven very hard. There was at least one bent pushrod and there's a lot of sludge throughout. It was swapped out for a 401 so I'm trying to decide whether or not to sink $ into the 425 since it's the original engine, or stick with the 401. Rather rare to find a `66 Wildcat with a factory 425, especially if the car in question is not a GS model which came standard with the 425. Tom Mooney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lapham3 Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 Tom-you'd be the one to know best, but I recall that for the '66 the 425 was a $59 option from the 401. My 225 has it and my dad was one who always ordered cars to his wants and would check the largest engine option! I've not seen a crack involving the oiling system either. Dan Mpls. Mn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 6 hours ago, Lapham3 said: Tom-you'd be the one to know best, but I recall that for the '66 the 425 was a $59 option from the 401. My 225 has it and my dad was one who always ordered cars to his wants and would check the largest engine option! I've not seen a crack involving the oiling system either. Dan Mpls. Mn. Hi Dan, I have the production totals and based on memory I recall the 425 being rarely ordered without the GS option. This is very similar to the `65 Riv Super Wildcat equipped cars WITHOUT the GS package. Very unusual compared to the # of GS cars built. I suspect back in the day it was a better value to order the package instead of just the single engine option, especially considering the increased utilization of the extra cubes thru a better rear gear, etc... Usually the middle cast oil passage gets clipped by a rod with piston pin attached when the pin gets ripped out of the piston skirt. I was burned by this once.... Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 If the 401 is running well keep it an make other repairs. You won't notice a difference in normal driving. My '64 had a 401 out of an Electra when I bought it, but the internet didn't come along until after I had owned it for 15 years. Prior to that it didn't make much difference. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rhentsch55 Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 The car is a Wildcat GS convertible. That's mainly why I'm interested in saving the 425. It's the original engine. If all the cracks can be reliably repaired I hope it would be worth saving. The shop where it's sitting seems experienced with these repairs but I'm trying to understand what I can expect from such a repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 Go back and read Tim's post #6. He has one of, if not, the earliest documented 425 '63 Rivieras. He was faced with the same sort of predicament as you are. Ask your machinist for some referrals. You'd be much better off talking directly with some of his previous customers rather than polling a bunch of us who've never had direct dealings with him. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 6 hours ago, Rhentsch55 said: The car is a Wildcat GS convertible. That's mainly why I'm interested in saving the 425. It's the original engine. If all the cracks can be reliably repaired I hope it would be worth saving. The shop where it's sitting seems experienced with these repairs but I'm trying to understand what I can expect from such a repair. I also have several `66 Wildcat GS converts. I have much info related to the `66 models. Sent you a PM, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivdrivn Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 2 hours ago, 1965rivgs said: I also have several `66 Wildcat GS converts. I have much info related to the `66 models. Sent you a PM, Tom Wow! So, Tom, how many old Buicks do you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rhentsch55 Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 I just got back from the machine shop and had a chance to see the block. #4 cylinder is cracked where the broken connecting rod tried to escape. #6 cylinder has pieces broken off the bottom of the cylinder. The machinist says the cracked cylinder can be easily sleeved. The one with the chips at the bottom may not need a sleeve since the pistons are full skirted so won't wobble at the bottom of the stroke. If it does need a sleeve that can be done. Also, the main oil galley has one section bent and cracked where the broken rod made contact. They say the galley can be drilled oversize and a tube inserted and ported to match the galley. There are no other issues with the block. The heads are in good shape, just needs push rods and valves. The shop has done a number of 401s but this would be there first 425. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 No difference other than a 1/8" larger bore on the 425. So the diameter of the piston is the only difference in the two cubic inch displacements. That along with some casting lugs that help align the block for the original boring machine which, once the engine left the machining process, were no longer of any use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 GET THE BORES SONIC TESTED Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rhentsch55 Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 what will that tell me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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