can you buy a bare block?

[HANK1948]

My brothers 95 6.5 burb has the infamous #8 cracked cylinder uses alot of coolant but runs fine so everything should be alright internaly if so, all we would need is a new block but I cannot find just a bare block everybody seems to just sell a short or long block. I would like to get a new AMG block that has the lastest updates

[rjwest]

How can you tell the cylinder is cracked ?

I thought this was only a 97 through 99 problem.

Not being a smarts a**, just wondering how you know it's the block and not a head gasket...

I have a 96 and thought I was immune from the dreaded .' cracked block'

[TurboDiverArt]

Originally posted by rjwest:
How can you tell the cylinder is cracked ?

I thought this was only a 97 through 99 problem.

Is this because of the oil spray jets? I'm not sure where the jets are but I think it's to cool the bottom of the piston or something like that? Based on these blocks having a cracking problem, I assume the oil jets are in the cylinder walls? Hope mine stays put, I need another 150K out of it

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
The oil spray holes are in the web of the block through the mains. It gets it's oil from the main journals. Originally the holes were small and then to try to fix a cooling problem they were enlarged in 1996 (I think???) This still didn't fix the cooling problem so then the 1997 cooling system was put in. Well, low-and-behold, if you put in a proper cooling system it will cool properly! The oil jets were never shrunk down and it became a weak spot in the block. After looking at my engine and reading the posts I think there was some seriuose engineering problems along with fact that this engine was made to run at about 190max HP. If you have problem block to start with and then do things to weaken it more and then crank up the power you are gonna see some problems.
I think the if you have a blown head gasket or any other malfunction that would allow coolant into the combustion chamber you will have a pressurized coolant system. What happens with the typical cracked block is a coolant leak into the crank case. Normally the water will boil off and you get the residue in differnt places. Sometimes maybe a sweet smell in the exhaust if the leak is bad enough. I never considered sleaving as I think the block walls are too thin as it is. When I talked to AMG GEP they told me that they will only sell blocks to certain manufactures and NOT to just anybody as it takes a certain special somebody to put these things together. :D
This is all just my .02 and I'm sure that If I'm wrong somebody will correct me!
Hope this helps!
L8r
Conley

[Kennedy]

AMG does not sell the blocks. The only way that the free world can get a block is if someone buys an engine and strips it down. That or if a shipment gets hijacked.

I'd beware any that you may find as there may be some rejected units out there...

[grape]

they are assembled about 20 minutes from my house at powerbilt products, with new blocks, new pistons and valve train, however everything else is recycled such as cranks, rods, etc. The most stripped you can buy one is a shortblock for about $3K over the counter.

[Kennedy]

Originally posted by grape:
they are assembled about 20 minutes from my house at powerbilt products, with new blocks, new pistons and valve train, however everything else is recycled such as cranks, rods, etc. The most stripped you can buy one is a shortblock for about $3K over the counter. Franklin is where the 6.5 is said to be built. I suggest long block for better warranty etc. The Powrbilt is the only reman engine that I will sell.