G'Day Guys, Mick, thanks very much for that mate, I'll chase up total seal for some rings. Mich, (Mike) Mick in Darwin very generously sent me some sleeves and I've just about finished machining and boring one of them to install in your old RC block. It was a pretty easy job, once I realised that 50 RPM on my lathe was the ideal speed for turning a cast iron sleeve, my very first attempt.
I've turned the OD down to 76.30 and bored it to 71 mm, chamfered the bottom and cut a groove for a copper wire "O" ring on top, beadblasted the block again and re-installed the sleeve. (it's been in and out two or three times this week) Today I'll hone all the sleeves, wash it all in hot soapy water, then paint the block with hi-temp silver engine enamel and highlight the "RC" logo in red.
Then it's going back on EBay. Sadly (and quite surprisingly) I couldn't use your sleeves in my other block, they're actually 1mm smaller in the OD than the ones in my other RC block (with 73mm ID sleeves) so I couldn't use them with my 1060cc pistons. I couldn't bore your sleeves out to 72mm to suit my other set of pistons either, as that would have left the sleeves a tad less than 2mm thick, which I wouldn't be comfortable with. 71mm (1000cc) pistons are available from APE, so whoever buys the "reconditioned" RC block can buy a set of APE pistons, base and head gaskets, and will be right to go.
One set of sleeves that Mick sent me will be perfect for my other RC block, they're 78mm OD and 72.5mm ID, so once again, I'll machine them down to fit my block, and bore them to suit my 73mm 1060cc pistons, then chamfer them, "O" ring them, etc, your block was the "dress rehearsal" for this one. I'll use that block on my engine, I don't want to sell it as there are hairline cracks between 1&2 and 3&4 cylinders, possibly because the original sleeves were too tight in the block. I was assured by the seller that this cracking wouldn't cause it to leak oil, so I'll leave the block alone and just fit the new sleeves and use it, but I don't feel comfortable selling it, just in case it's a dud.
Here are a couple of early pics, I'll post the updated ones of the completed block in the "What did you do to your bike today" thread later today. Cheers, Terry.
