Installing Piston Sleeves (&Pistons)

[Anonymous]

I am just about to re start work on my ’55 11B (Perfo top end, D bottom end) project.

I have had the engine block surface skimmed as well as the head surface and replaced the valves and valve seats.

I have a new set of Pistons and Sleeves and need to install these. Has anyone done this and is there a walk through set of info for the job. I know I need a micrometer to adjust the height to the surface (where can I get one) and also what about the sealing of these sleeves etc.

Any info would be great

Cheers
Ian

[Anonymous]

Loosely fit the cylinders without the gaskets and mark them 1-4. They should stand proud of the top of the block by .002″-(but check the manual to be sure, it’s been a while since I last did this.)To check the height, use a surface micrometer or a steel ruler and feeler gauges. A lathe will be needed to achieve the correct height. Then install the “figure 8” gaskets on the bottom where they sit in the block, install the sleeves and then install the head and torque it. Then do the rest. The gaskets will come with an engine rebuild gasket set. Not hard to do but you do need access to a machine shop. If you’re in France there’s still a lot of old-timers in garages who will probably be happy to help you.

[Anonymous]

What is the lathe required for?

[Anonymous]

A lathe is required to adjust the length of the sleeves by removing metal from their upper edge. Both times when I rebuilt an engine, the length was nowhere near what was required. This step is best left to a machine shop since they would have all the required equipment.

[Anonymous]

I thought the height of the cylinder sleeves was adjusted with ‘shims’. Using a lathe to modify them seems rather excessive.

When my engine was rebuilt a lathe was not involved as documented in a recent edition of Floating Power.

There is also no need to use the cylinder head to hold the sleeves down. Bolts abd washers do the same jopb and give access to fill the block with water to do carry out a leak test to ensure the seals are good

[Anonymous]

When sealing the sleeves, did you use any “sealant” product or just the gaskets.

I am heading to the NEC for the Classic Car Show in November – do you think I will be able to pick up a surface mounted micrometer there or is it better online. I just like to touchy feely things when I buy them.

[Anonymous]

James Geddes actually fitted them so I will check with him and post back.

[Anonymous]

When I did mine I didn’t put anything on the gaskets. The manual does say to put the head on after the sleeves are installed but doing a leak check isn’t a bad idea. I’m not aware that there are shims to adjust the height of the sleeves but they normally are longer (higher?) than is required so lathe work would be needed.

[Anonymous]

OK, checked with the ‘experts’ (one of whom was actual in the process of building an engine) and unless your actual block has been skimmed there should be no need to machine the liners.

However the OP (tripyrenees ) says his block has been skimmed

The new liners should come with a paper gasket set that should, when fitted, leave the liner sitting at the correct height on a standard block. You can put a thin layer of a silicone type sealant on the gasket to ensure there are no leaks as the seat can be corroded if the old seals were leaking.

If the liners sit too low, so that the cylinder head doesn’t have the ability to clamp them down, Roger Williams used to produce different sized paper gaskets (thicker) to compensate.

If the block has been skimmed then you may have to either machine the liners, or the seats in the block to compensate. For future rebuilds it would seem preferable to machine the seats in the block so standard liners can be used again, plus it will leave a better surface for the paper gaskets to seal upon.

You can use a steel rule across the liner and feeler gauge to check the height of the liners, or, the way for those with years of experience, simply run your nail across and ‘feel’ the lip at the top when the liners are in :ugeek:

There should be no need to invest in any other technical equipment to measure the heights….

Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info – as soon as I have finished building my new workbench I will be starting on the rebuild of the engine.

Just hoping they machine shop did not skim too much off the surface.

[Anonymous]

@tripyrenees wrote:

Just hoping they machine shop did not skim too much off the surface.

Hopefully they didn’t take to much off and the liners will sit within tolerance.

My workshop manual says that the barrels should sit 0.43 – 0.5mm lower than the crankcase upper surface without the gasket fitted

Then choose joints of a thickness which make the barrel faces sit between 0.05 – 0.10 mm above the crankcase surface, with the joints in place before tightening

Fingers crossed time that it doesn’t require any more machining work.

[Anonymous]

You’re right, the manual does say that. I think it was my machine shop guy who told me about standing proud by .002″ In any event, I’ve never had a problem with distortion as it says in the book. It does seem to me that the sleeves would come slightly longer to allow for any variance in the height of the block and so allow for some machine work to fit them. I think it would be easier to skim the top of the block than to try to shim up the sleeves. I’ve looked at various parts suppliers and there’s only one set of the barrel gaskets that you can buy. Or am I wrong? ❓

[Anonymous]

@L.Lewis wrote:

I’ve looked at various parts suppliers and there’s only one set of the barrel gaskets that you can buy. Or am I wrong? ❓

The only place I know of that could supply a different thickness of barrel gasket was Roger Williams (Steam Car Developments) Tel: 01482 863344 e mail: rdrw@steam-car-dev.karoo.co.uk However I’m not sure if they are still available

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that- I’m looking to buy an available 49 11BL that is near Windsor, Ontario so I might have need. No rust, just needs every bit of chrome, a complete interior, rewiring, tyres. You know, all the cheap stuff. 😯 😆

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