The 86 951 I purchased went from a runner to a headgasket job right quick, with milky oil and most of the coolant system clogged with sludgy gunk. I suspect some kind of sealant in a bottle used that lasted just long enough.
What's worse is when I finally got the head off I found cylinder 3 has some pretty serious bore score. Welp, might as well recondition everything in the engine bay!
I have two options within budget (shipping it to LN Engineering for Nikasil sleeves or buying a new engine being the ones out of budget). I have a friend with a NA short block I could use as the bottom end of my engine, would just have to get the balance shaft tapped for turbo oil feed, or I can get my block sleeved at a reputable shop here in Portland, OR.
Ideas I'm tossing around until I get the engine fully disassembled and see what else I might be dealing with -
Do I steer away from sleeving altogether and use my friend's block? What else might be involved with that?
Is sleeving one cylinder and getting it a new matched weight piston even on the table?
Is sleeving all cylinders and reusing my previous pistons with new rings on the table? I'd have to make sure to use rings compatible with iron sleeves, which is something I just learned two days ago. Is reusing 3 of the pistons if their bores are good and just switching the one an option to consider?
The most expensive option for me, and one I understand is the most "safe" is 4 cylinder sleeve with 4 new pistons. I wish budget wasn't a consideration, but if it wasn't I probably would've bought a sorted turbo rather than a project!
Anyways, looking for advice from people who have gone through this process, thanks!
Navigating a sleeve job on my 86 951...
You don't mix, it's all or nothing. Yes sleeves will probably make you get new pistons, rings etc. Even a new OE block will have a tolerance group for the bores and your existing pistons might not match.
Your most cost effective answer is to find someone that has a used short or bare block in good condition with matching bore tolerance to your pistons. LN does a reconditioning that doesn't need new sleeves if the block isn't too bad.
Your most cost effective answer is to find someone that has a used short or bare block in good condition with matching bore tolerance to your pistons. LN does a reconditioning that doesn't need new sleeves if the block isn't too bad.
Thanks for the nice summary of options...
You're right, if I sleeve I want to avoid shortcuts. With LA sleeves and Wossner pistons and labor and bearings that puts me 3 to 3.5 k for a working engine (assuming I do the actual rebuild).
I do have that late NA short block available for about $700 and would only need a machine shop to plumb an oil feed hole in the driver side balance shaft. I need to check the tolerance but even with new pistons that would be cheaper.
Again, I know that cheap has a cost, I'm intending to do this right, but still budget matters.
You're right, if I sleeve I want to avoid shortcuts. With LA sleeves and Wossner pistons and labor and bearings that puts me 3 to 3.5 k for a working engine (assuming I do the actual rebuild).
I do have that late NA short block available for about $700 and would only need a machine shop to plumb an oil feed hole in the driver side balance shaft. I need to check the tolerance but even with new pistons that would be cheaper.
Again, I know that cheap has a cost, I'm intending to do this right, but still budget matters.
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four0four
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If you're in Portland, you have easy access to Bearing Services. They did my block a couple years ago, and I cannot say enough good about them - You also may not need to sleeve anything. They're capable (or were) of refinishing Alusil properly. If that's not who you're already considering, it may be worth a phonecall. You will need new pistons, of course.
The NA short block will not have the turbo pistons you need. Before you purchase it, have the bores inspected and measured for taper and out of round. If you have four good turbo pistons, (not likely all four of yours are still good) the bores might be good enough to re-polish and re-ring it. Goetze is the only ring available for the factory pistons compatible with an alusil bore that I know of. This option has risks. After you purchase the block, and have the machine work done, find four good pistons, purchase rings, you may not save much if anything over the sleeve option. I tried to re-ring a nice block once without re-polishing the cylinders, and it was not a success. YMMV
The best and most reliable options are the LA sleeves with Wossner pistons/rings or, if you can find oversize factory pistons/rings, have your current block bored oversize and finished with the special Alusil paste and lapping procedure.
Melling makes sleeves too. I have them in my engine along with Wossner pistons/rings.
The best and most reliable options are the LA sleeves with Wossner pistons/rings or, if you can find oversize factory pistons/rings, have your current block bored oversize and finished with the special Alusil paste and lapping procedure.
Melling makes sleeves too. I have them in my engine along with Wossner pistons/rings.
Unfortunately they closed! I had someone else recommend them too as the only shop in the area capable of doing that.four0four wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2026 5:00 pm If you're in Portland, you have easy access to Bearing Services. They did my block a couple years ago, and I cannot say enough good about them - You also may not need to sleeve anything. They're capable (or were) of refinishing Alusil properly. If that's not who you're already considering, it may be worth a phonecall. You will need new pistons, of course.
Cruise98, what happened with the block you tried that didn't work?