Vortec Build Cylinder

Scrutinizing our bores shows no visible wear ridge, and the near-perfect finish was obtained with only a hone to renew the surface texture of the cylinder walls. This is common with late-model engine cores, as better rings, fuel injection, and overdrive transmissions have dramatically reduced the toll the bores take in service. We had a few surface stains on the cylinder walls where the rings were parked while the engine sat in the core pile, but we judged that to be acceptable. Plan on spending some bucks on machine work to freshen a stock block. We spent a total of $455, which included honing, jet washing, new cam bearings, deck resurfacing, and later on, cylinder head milling.

447 HP Vortec Small-Block Build - Budget Sledgehammer

Scrutinizing our bores shows no visible wear ridge, and the near-perfect finish was obtained with only a hone to renew the surface texture of the cylinder walls. This is common with late-model engine cores, as better rings, fuel injection, and overdrive transmissions have dramatically reduced the toll the bores take in service. We had a few surface stains on the cylinder walls where the rings were parked while the engine sat in the core pile, but we judged that to be acceptable. Plan on spending some bucks on machine work to freshen a stock block. We spent a total of $455, which included honing, jet washing, new cam bearings, deck resurfacing, and later on, cylinder head milling. View Related Article