Correct cylinder sleeve installation?

[asstor]

Hi all.

I am refreshing my tired T245 from my '51 M37. When I pulled the head I saw that the engine had cylinder sleeves installed. (Military depot rebuild in Septembet 1973) What I also noticed was that the sleeves are not flush with the top of the block - they extend about .05 above the top of the block. Is that correct? Surely this would cause a problem with the head gasket?

I was under the impressing that if sleeves were installed they had to be flush with the top of the block. Any advice on this?

Thanks for any replies.
Louis

 

[zak]

Put the old head gasket on the block and see if the sleeves extend above the gasket. I'm guessing they don't.

 

[asstor]

Larry, The sleeve does not extend above the head gasket - as a matter of fact the head gasket sits on top of the sleeve, so that section of the gasket between the top of the sleeve and the head is really squished down.

Also, I measured the distance that the sleeve extends above the deck - it is not .05 as I originally stated, it is only .02 - so my bad for providing inacurate information. Still, the gasket is squished more between the head and the top of the sleeve.

Thanks for your reply.

Louis

 

[Bill W]

I'm no expert but yes the sleeves should be flush with the deck., Your block must have been in pretty bad shape to get sleeved being ( if I remember correctly) you can bore the cyl's out to .60 over

 

[Roller]

Hi all.

I am refreshing my tired T245 from my '51 M37. When I pulled the head I saw that the engine had cylinder sleeves installed. (Military depot rebuild in Septembet 1973) What I also noticed was that the sleeves are not flush with the top of the block - they extend about .05 above the top of the block. Is that correct? Surely this would cause a problem with the head gasket?

I was under the impressing that if sleeves were installed they had to be flush with the top of the block. Any advice on this?

Thanks for any replies.
Louis

I had an M37 engine that was govt. rebuilt in 1973 and it had been sleeved. The sleeves were machined flush with the top of the block.

Frank

 

[asstor]

Thanks for your replies guys. I am going to take it in to have the sleeves and top of the deck machined for $85.

Thanks,
Louis

 

[Oldfart]

It's my guess the sleeves had to do with repairing cracked cylinder bores or oval bores due to offset rods. Usually the sleeve is only used on the cylinder needing repair. Yes, they should be machined flush with the block deck. If you have your engine torn apart enough to consider a balance job, that can do a lot for making a longer lasting engine. These Dodge flat heads were not highly balanced to begin with and depot overhauls are notorious for large differences in pistion weights. Factory builds they sorted through the bin o' pistons and rods for 6 that were fairly close.

Oldfart