Beefin' Up The K-Series
"Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster." This opening narration to the '70s television classic The Six Million Dollar Man becomes much less farfetched with every dawning decade. While we have yet to embark down the path of robotically enhanced humans, the revival of Honda engines has become a specific science. When a semi-catastrophic failure renders K-series cylinder walls unusable, there are only two choices: toss it or sleeve it.
Of course, sleeving is not just for the revival of bloodied and scarred powerplants. The process of replacing a Honda block's relatively weak aluminum inner structure with specially designed ductile iron inserts is classically used to allow for greater power. Stronger cylinder walls can hold more compression, more boost, or more nitrous-induced bang. Snapped connecting rods or DVS (dropped valve syndrome), thereby grinding up any surface of the engine that sees combustion beyond the point of machining, happens. Sleeving is often the only option for making something useless useful, and like Lee Majors, this time around it'll be better, stronger, faster.
 Torque plates are important...  Torque plates are important when sleeving, boring, or honing lightweight aluminum blocks so as to mimic final assembly and prevent cylinder distortion. |  The first step in removing...  The first step in removing the OEM cylinders is to remove material from the bore. |  The sleeves are machined flat...  The sleeves are machined flat where they'll be mated together. This cut must be precise if the sleeves are to properly nest in the block. Lubricant is applied during the cutting process to keep the cutting bit cool and carry away chips. |
The Same, Only Different
When it comes to the K-series, engine replacement versus sleeving costs are competitive concepts. Replacing the engine is easier but never as strong. Naturally, one might ask what the major differences are between sleeving a K-series engine and the tried-and-true methods of sleeving the more commonplace D- or B-series. Remarkably, the processes are similar. Special considerations, like machining dimensions, and other application specifics aside, Honda engines are Honda engines. Newer models have the same anatomy but with a bit more spit and fire. Sure, the blocks have advanced but true evolutionary changes lie within the cylinder heads. Still, block sleeving is not something to be taken lightly. Newer engines have higher performance potentials that require tighter tolerances. In short, just because sleeving a K is not much different than a B doesn't mean a more specialized procedure needn't be followed.
It's Who You Know
For such an invasive operation, experts like those at Golden Eagle in San Dimas, Calif., must be at the helm. Golden Eagle has been in the sleeve installation business for nearly 10 years. The process is handled by a single technician-one internally trained and capable of the company's specialized methods. Note: Golden Eagle sleeves are not for sale. They are only available through the machine shop's professional installation services. There are a number of factors to consider when installing sleeves so don't trust the job to just anyone.
 The surface finish after milling...  The surface finish after milling is luminous. Such smooth finishes are testaments to the quality of tools used. |  After boring and notch cutting,...  After boring and notch cutting, the OEM cylinders are removed from the block. Remember, this is only half the cylinder, the other half is cast into the block's base. |  Farther down, a larger bore...  Farther down, a larger bore is made to accept the new iron cylinders. Notice the block's empty shell-the cylinders are gone and the casting has been prepared to accept new iron sleeves. |