[masantschi]

Agree with the above. Skip pinning the liners, it’s a bandaid and these engines will run for a good while with a slipped liner.

Pinning the sleeves is NOT for a backyard mechanic (no offense intended here - I am a backyard mechanic these days). It is very precise. I've "heard" nightmares on pinning the sleeves and as a hobbyist mechanic who takes pride in being able to tear a car apart and put it back together, I would never short-cut a repair that can cause you to be stranded.

Now, on that same token, I do have a close friend who is a competent [LR] mechanic and has rebuilt quite a few of these, including engine swaps and rebuilds. He has successfully pinned the sleeves on a non-04, on his first and only try. The truck has been running for over 2-years now as a daily, with pinned sleeves.

Personally, I won't even do this procedure myself and I would not recommend it. It's not that I don't trust myself. It's we are literally drilling into the block (causing irreversible repair) to stop something (already broken) from causing catastrophic damage. Honestly, IMHO, it's better safe than sorry on this, especially if you are on a shoe-string budget already...

 

[masantschi]

Thanks for the concern guys but I think we’ve got it, we’re planning on being one of the pinned ones that run. We already rebuilt/replaced just about everything up top except the heads (Crankshaft, timing chain, gears, lifters, rockers, and the rocker shafts). I’m not quite ready to give up on making this thing run the best it can!

+1 to V50's comment. Take precise notes and keep us posted. Always good to keep tabs on any modifications and their success.

I'm hopeful you are successful and I know more than 1 person who has successfully done this procedure.

 

[masantschi]

Good writeup. You'll know if it's worth it after driving for awhile.

But yes, I agree. Working on our trucks is a lot of laying on your back. I need a couch under my truck sometimes.