semi finished sleeves

[4 bottem]

I have a ford 7000 in the shop (voc school) looks like a engine rebuild is in order. Ive been looking at engine kits and run across semi finished sleeves in some kits. What is the difference in these compared to a regular sleeve Thanks Ed

 

[Brian Allen]

4 bottem
My understanding is that; the semi-finished sleeves allow you (shop) to fit the sleeves to the piston/rings.
Brian

 

[Keith Williams]

I hope you know that the 7000 is a parent bore block (no sleeves). Unless you pin holed the block you should be able to just clean up the bores and use new pistons and rings.
Keith

 

[Fordfarmer]

That's true that it is a parent bore block, but personally, I wouldn't go to the expense of a rebuild without sleeves. Way too high a risk of one or more cylinders pinholing after the rebuild - especially if it's bored oversize. Sleeves are a lot cheaper than the labor to re-do a rebuild.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

7000 did not come from the factory with sleeves... The sleeves that are available are what are called a "service sleeve", your block must be rebored, and then these sleeves are pressed into the block, and then the block is often decked (resurfaced)... The semi-finished sleeve part now comes into play; the sleeved cylinders are then honed to achieve the proper skirt clearence... Whether or not the engine SHOULD be simply rebored or rebored and sleeved depends allot on the care the cooling system has had in previous years... If that tractor has been a victum of "car" antifreeze,, then definitely go with the sleeves... I agree with Fordfarmer, it is better to be safe than sorry, and go with the sleeves.... And, use the proper antifreeze. I would definitely run a borescope in the waterjackets where-ever possible and look for pitting or electrolysis damage before thinking about not going with the sleeves.

 

[RodinNS]

Personally I'd just send the block out and have it bored and sleeved back to standard... and let the machine shop worry about the sleeves. Give them the specs and have it done. It's too expensive an engine to rebuild to not do it right and buy a bit of 'insurance'.

Rod

 

[3000OH]

Slightly OT, but does this same advice hold true for 2000/3000/4000 3-cyls? If so, I"ll be sure to remember it when finally do a rebuild on ours. Thx.

 

[Ultradog MN]

As several of the others have said I would not bore one of these blocks without sleeving it.
With known potential for cavitation I would as Rod says, buy the insurance.
I have a set of NOS Ford sleeves here for a 4000.
As rough as the insides are I wonder if they could be honed enough for a piston to fit. My impression of them is that you;d have to bore the block and press in these sleeves then bore the sleeves to size. Would take a lot of honing to finish these bores.

 

[Fordfarmer]

Yes. Any of the '65-up Fords...although I don't know if it holds true beyond the Series 10 II's.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Yes Jerry, After the sleeves are pressed in, the machine shop will bore the sleeves to your specifications. The machine shop will also finish hone and fit the pistons if requested... If you do not have a Sunnen rigid hone, this is the best approach...

In the dealership I worked in, we specified the bore size, then honed and fitted our own pistons.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Rod, good point to bring up about letting the machine shop worry about the sleeves... Our dealership left it up to the machine shop to furnish service sleeves.

 

[3000OH]

Thanks. Very good info to know. I suspect we"ll be looking at an overbore. We also don"t know how this tractor was treated in the years between "65 and when we bought it a few yrs ago - sure wasn"t a cream puff.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Thanks for the info.
I was pretty sure you couldn't run pistons in these sleeves without some boring/machine work.

 

[kyhayman]

When I had my 7610 done you could hear where around 30 degrees of one cylinder just didnt sound right. Evidentally the whole section of wall was honeycombed with pits. It was leaking compression into the radiator anyhow so I was already planning to sleeve. It added 600 bucks to the overhaul for sleeves and the machine work but its worth it to know its done for probably as long as I need it.

 

[4 bottem]

Thank you all. This was a good lesson for my students on both costs of rebuilds and matters to consider when buying equipment. I had foolishly assumed that the engine was sleeved, Yea Ford!!!! Better stick to red, green and orange.

 

[RodinNS]

I believe you'll find that 90% of engines today in that category are parent bore.
Deere may be the exception....
But Cummins, Iveco, I think Perkins, all the Jap stuff... it's all parent bore.
You don't see sleeves in a Cummins today until you hit mabey an ISM or ISX.
Most times, you never see the inside of most of those engines anyway and parent bore (with the possible exception of the problems Ford had) engines are generally more reliable anyway.

Rod