I have a 98 LS1 that I was building for my 84 z28, thought the bores would clean up with a hone and boy I was wrong. I need all 8 sleeves, and if I can do it my self it will be cost effective. Speed pro makes a replacement sleeve for $33ea and melling for $55ea. Ive done my fair share of engine work and feel good about it but would like to hear from someone who has done it. Can I heat these and knock them out like the land rovers? I don't want to ruin a block that I can sell if they HAVE To be bored out. I could buy a brand new LS1 block from summit cheaper at that point. Thanks in advance!

 

Why would you think a ls1 has sleeves ?

 

To my knowledge, they are dry sleeves. That means the block is bored out large enough for the sleeves to fit and then them are pressed in, the top are milled off and finally bored out for the pistons you are going to use.

For cost effectiveness, it depends on the block. For a basic production engine, getting 1 or 2 sleeves done isn't bad to repair a block. By the time you need 8 sleeves, it's better to just buy a new block.

If it's some exotic aftermarket block or an old block that can't be replaced, having 8 sleeves installed to bring the cylinders back to stock specs is cheaper than buying a new block.

My Dart big M block is $3000 before any machine work is done. My old block had a couple of sleeves in it but when I finally cracked the block above a main bearing, it was time to buy another Big M.

 

You might want to do a little resherch, but I remember reading an article in a car mag (can't remember which one) back when LS engines were brand new that GM had a "new" patented way of putting sleeves in the block while the aluminum was being cast and they weren't pressed in, also they had a pic of an uninstalled sleeve and it had horizontal ridges on the length of it for retention.

On the question as to y we think the LS blocks have sleeves....they have to, it's an aluminum block...you can't have an aluminum cylinder walls it would wear out in nothing flat, so you have to put in sleeves

 

Thought its just the early blocks are "cast in" so you cant re-sleeve.First couple production years i think.

 

Lol i thought I was going crazy I couldn't find the article on it...so all the later ones are just pressed in?

 

Thats what ive been told, but im not positive what years are & are'nt.Maybe move this to the LS forum.