engine bore sonic testing

[jason61c]

Hi, I've got an engine that i'd like to get the bores tested to see whats what.

Where in the UK? Roughly what would it cost?

Thanks in advance.

[jason61c]

just to see how thick the cylinder walls are so I can work out what size pistons I can use.

[jason61c]

Max_Torque said:

I suspect it will be cheaper to just buy a s/h block and section it up with a bandsaw (unless you have some sort of rare vintage engine of course?)

That would only tell me the thickness of the block I cut, also only where I cut.

[jason61c]

99hjhm said:

Have a couple of these at work, yes they are Chinese which is why we have two. But you can easily check the calibration on say a mounting lug on a block. The probe has to be radiused to work on a cylinder bore, which can be done with a small file as its enclosed in resin and your only filing the resin.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/GM100-Digital-Ultrasonic-...

It’s only relevant if you know what minimum thickness you think is required.... That varies on opinion.

I was looking at those, might be an easy way to try, just need to take a good amount of readings per bore

[jason61c]

Max_Torque said:

indeed, but you can makes lots of cuts for little money, and if it's a reasonably modern block (say last 30 years) core shift is actually well controlled and so wall thicknesses will really not be very different. if you are talking about 0.5mm being the difference between success and failure then:

1) Ultrasonic testing is unlikely to provide sufficient resolution either, especially on curved and complex solids

2) Chances are the engines going to go bang at some point anyway if you're cutting things that fine

Its a 48 year old block

[jason61c]

227bhp said:

This is going to be one of those threads where we get drip fed vital information bit by bit and we have to guess what it's all about. A bit like playing hangman.

Not quite right is it, I asked a direct question and got some sensible answers.

[jason61c]

Max_Torque said:

i guess the OP missed that bit ^^^

Its not a rare engine, just the original one(matching numbers).

[jason61c]

227bhp said:

Yes it is. Unless it's top secret (which is fair enough), post up all the info to begin with; engine type, what you're attempting to do and why etc, it's all relevant.
Aside from getting better answers, you never know, someone might chime in and say "I've done that, here's what I did".

Its a nissan L series block
P30 casting(1969/70 made)
on a standard bore
6 cylinder
83mm bore stock.

I'd like to see if I take it out to +3mm if i've got a room for a +0.25mm in the future.

[jason61c]

227bhp said:

So this is beyond normal overbore size? If so why and have you thought about what to do about a head gasket if it goes bigger than that?

Slightly over, been done a fair few times. Head gaskets are fine to get.