Cylinder / Jug Identification

[Rotary FP46]

I have a wealth of cylinders to ID, sort, and move along.

Aside from the 1960 version with its fully-enclosed stud holes, I'm not sure how to tell each version apart.

What is there to know about identifying these?

[Lane66Monza]

I wouldn't worry about sorting those jugs. You can't sell them, until you hone and size each one. Doesn't take much wear to be an oil burner jug. Then it is a gamble if anyone wants used jugs. Heavy items when sent. If you still want to store them, discard any with damaged fins, previously bored, & not perfect gasket surface.

Myself, I just scrap them. I just sent 12 to junkyard. It was the best ones I kept for5 years, but I no use for them.

The only thing with a little value are LM piston rods, if someone is wanting some. Hard items to sell or use up. Clark's doesn't buy them up now. They only want core returns. You spend $20 to ship the 6 rods back and you get $7 each for core returns.

[jimbrandberg]

1960 has the full fin cylinders in a 3 3/8 bore. 61 and later are 3 7/16.
61-63 cylinders have the partial fins. I've seen a few 61 engines with full fin cylinders bored to 3 7/16 so they could use up remaining inventory.
64 have the relief notch in the bottom needed for the longer stroke crankshaft. They stayed with the same OD on the top so 64 and earlier use the smaller OD head gasket.
65 and later they made the top OD bigger so the head gasket could be wider.
There's a few cylinders around where the factory put a sleeve on 64 cylinders to fit the 65 head registers. They did such a good job that it's hard to see and they did it to use up remaining 64 inventory.
Some days it's hard to see the difference between a 64 and 65 cylinder by looking at it. You can hold the tops together to see the difference but it's probably easier to have a head sitting there. With a 65 head you can tell a 64 and earlier because of lots of play. With a 64 and earlier head a 65 cylinder top won't go in.

I've got a 63 turbo engine to put together. I bought .030 pistons and I'm using 60 full fin cylinders because they're more stable. I would not throw away fairly good full fin cylinders.
I have stock cylinders bored a lot, especially LM because the stock pistons are suspect.
I have cylinders bored locally with the piston in hand rather than buying pre-bored cylinders but that's just me. Part of that is the accuracy and part of it is the high cost of shipping cast iron back and forth.

[66vairguy]

Good comments Jim.

I'll add having a bunch of rods lets you "cherry pick" them for closest weights when doing an engine balance. Better than trying to grind rod for balance. I had one engine I bought were half the rods were so ground down there were unreliable.

Note in early 65 Chevy used up left over 64 cylinders by putting a band around the top for the bigger gasket O.D. on 65 and newer engines. I have a NOS 65 cylinder with the band. Good paperweight

[Wagon Master]

A nos 64 jug with the factory band wouldn't scare me.

[Frank DuVal]

Right. The banded 64 jugs work just fine!

And you know they are 65+ cylinders without measuring or trying them in a head.

[66vairguy]

Right. The banded 64 jugs work just fine!

And you know they are 65+ cylinders without measuring or trying them in a head.

I'm sure you are correct, but nobody wants it. So it sits in a box.

[Wagon Master]

I'll step up and pay shipping!

[66vairguy]

I'll step up and pay shipping!

It is buried, but in a month (well hopefully) I'll be cleaning out were it is. So you are on my list.