Need advice on 8.3 engine repair

[brazengoat06]

Pulled cylinder head thinking it was cracked. Found that number 3 sleeve is badly cracked and it appears to have cracks in the block around the sleeve. Need advice on if block is usable once resleeved. Will attach pics thanks.

8.3 6cta


Small cracks around two of the bolt holes.

 

[brazengoat06]

 

[brazengoat06]

View attachment 669609

 

[brazengoat06]

 

[Suprman]

I can see the cracked sleeve I dont see the block crack in the pic. Pull the sleeve and examine the cylinder wall

 

[74M35A2]

Sorry for your luck.

I see the crack around the bolt hole. Heard this was a Cummins known problem with blocks up through 90'. Most likely to appear once power level increased beyond stock. Wonder if the engine is older than the truck.

Member here was selling new 8.3L bare blocks for a reasonable price. Forgot who, but ask around.

Kind of rare for an 8.3L. They are typically 600,000 mile engines in on-road applications. I'm guessing the one you acquired was run with too much boost or timing advance.

 

[Smike740]

I would think at minimum you would eventually have antifreeze leaking up around the head bolt and getting into to the oil. With the sleeve cracked that badly i am expecting more severe cracking behind the sleeve. Probably need to replace the block.

 

[brazengoat06]

From the looks of it the head gasket seals to the top of the liner and then around all the coolant jackets. Also being that the liner is a "wet" type, a new liner would seal off any issues underneath. Is my thinking wrong?

 

[red]

For a block check with 98G. He used to have a few of them available

 

[brazengoat06]

Anyone have the lineup on the liner remover/installer

 

[WillWagner]

That was a common issue with early C's. I can't get on QSOL right now, but, IIRC, there is a head bolt repair sleeve available. Putting a liner in it will not fix anything, it will continue to have a coolant leak.

Here is a universal puller.....

http://www.usatoolwarehouse.com/usatoolwarehouse/OTC-PT-6400-C.html?gclid=CIibpo75wNICFUlNfgodeCgOzQ

I have one here, You are welcome to use it, PM me. I should be able to get back on QSOL tomorrow, I will look and see if there is a repair sleeve available.

 

[brazengoat06]

I appreciate you looking into that for me

 

[WillWagner]

Cummins has no thread repair kits. My advice is to find a local guy/company that cuts counter bores, cam bushing repair, cylinder boring on HD engines and see if they have a way of repairing the block.

I should also re state something. The cracking between liners was common, not so much the cracking between headbolt holes and the liners. That was early on in the C series. They were what was referred to as thin deck blocks. Why did the liner split?

 

[brazengoat06]

My guess is from water in the engine then freezing. I will attach some pics

 

[brazengoat06]

im not so worried about the cracks between cylinder liners as much as i am the one running to the bolt hole. Only problem i forsee is coolant in the oil. However i ordered a new piston and liner and will give it a shot.

please keep in mind there was no coolant found in said bolt hole during tear down

 

[doghead]

I'd say your block is no good and your wasting money trying to reuse it.

 

[brazengoat06]

I would tend to agree with you but let's just consider it an experiment. It appears that building a motor from a bare block and finding a used motor is the same $$. Any opinions

 

[74M35A2]

Looks like it froze. The only things I think you will waste by trying is upper gasket set and fluids. The new sleeve can be transfered to a replacement block.

It will start and run, but I would not trust it though. The cracks will continue along their length from force and vibration, and also heat cycling. Eventually, the block could literally crack in half completely, and only be held together by the single piece head. If you are going to try and use it, at least try to "stop drill" the cracks on their ends so they do not continue along their length easily. Drill a small hole at the head and tail of the cracks where reasonable to do so. I still don't think it is a good idea though. Nobody here will be buying the truck from you. The one crack I see goes to the bottom surface directly above the crank. This will nearly for sure leak coolant into the oil once the coolant is under pressure. Coolant acts like acid to bearing surfaces, then most everything will be toast.

Cheapest engine on eBay right now is $1900 with no bids and one day left and includes the entire city transit bus. I'd shoot him a note and offer him $1000 for it. May have a higher HP injection pump on it.

 

[brazengoat06]

Ya was just thinking about dillinger out the cracks. Not sure if I can weld some of those up or not. I didn't see that motor for 1900. Do u have a link

 

[74M35A2]

Cast iron is not easy to weld, properly.

Not allowed to post live eBay auction links. Just search Cummins 8.3 engine, then sort by price. They probably won't pull the engine. Ad is for entire bus. As-is, where-is.