Any help (hope) for a cracked block???

Last weekend I scored?? a complete 235 full pressure engine with bell housing, 3 spd., carb, starter,generator etc. That's the good news. The bad news is it's been frozen and the water jacket on the right side of the block is cracked. Is it junk or can someone out there help me? I figured it was worth 75 bucks for all the parts for my '48 Chevy P-U, But if the full pressure engine can be saved I'd sure like to. Thanks

 

I have seen people fix cracks with good results but that would depend on how bad the crack is. I would ask a machine shop about it and if they think it's worth fixing then have them magnaflux it to see if there are any others.

 

I have been experimenting on welding cast. I have had excellent results using TIG and SS safety wire.

 

Common for the sixes to crack in the water jacket.
I sold a 54 Chevy 8?(or more) years ago that had JB weld on the block.
Ol' Jeff is still driving it around.

 

http://www.lockns***ch.com/AboutCSeries.htm Check this link out, I've used these on a couple cracked flathead blocks.

 

I have a SBC in my 52 chevy. I bought the motor ***embled for dirt cheap. I later found out why...the oil started looking like a tan milkshake. yeah, a cracked block upon inspection. I bought some liquid gl*** and have not had a problem since.

The trick is you HAVE to flush your cooling system of all anti-freeze and then follow the instructions on the product...then flush the system of all liquid gl*** and you are good to go.

It did not mess with my heads or anything else for that matter. Everything is fine and it has been around five or so years.

I figured what did I have to loose...either the block was junk and the liquid gl*** would not work in which case the block is still junk. If it worked great i am getting more miles out of the engine.

I do not think I would spend the money to have block work done and then put the engine together and then try the liquid gl*** though as that could be pricey.

 

Where is it cracked? If the crack is on the outside in the water jacket area then it can be saved. Had a v8 in a 50 chevy that had a water jacket crack. Took it to a machine shop and they welded it up. never had a problem. Drove it for about 2 years that way then sold it. Thanks, BOBBY FORD

 

some engine rebuilders have a process that works well i had it done a few years ago on a 340 ta block very rare its still good very happy . also the tig or a mig works very well i have welded as long as six inches inside and outer sides of engine blocks, stay away from exhaust ports on heads and the top inch of the block deck good luck

 

if it has external crack your in luck, go to www.freedomalloys.com and type in copperhead. if you have gas setup braze it shut plus their is tons of epoxies out there that will seal it up, just clean the area really well before you apply it.

 

About 20 years ago i buoght a 56 packard when i picked it up with my wrecker one side of the block including the (freeze plug) was laying on the ground in about 6 parts. I put it back together with JBWELD it took a lot of time and patience but it held antifreeze. I had no other options because V8 packards are as rare as hens teeth OldWolf

 

I had a '47 truck with a 216 that had just that sort of crack. Somebody had epoxied it before I had it & I drove it for about 10 years with no problems. The new owner is probably driving it like that too.

 

My brother and I used to fix boat cooler exht manifolds with pretty good results, dress the crack real good and preheat and keep it hot when welding and cool it as slow as you can.

http://www.brazing.com/Pdf/castiron/RCI.pdf

http://www.brazing.com/Pdf/NickelAlloy/NR55&99_Comparison.pdf

 

I had a 350 crack between the freeze plugs about 5" long and popped one plug, I bought a rubber repair plug, and used sand paper to rough up the area around the crack then JB welded it and drove it from NC to CA and three years later it started to drip again and I repeated the process, it worked till I sold it 2 yrs later

 

sounds hokey but jb weld works very well on this if you prep it right.did this on a hopped up 327 after the jacket cracked around the freeze plug ground the area cleaned it and jb welded the hell out of it and its still going strong after 7 years.

 

Thanks a ton!! The crack is on the outside of the block, left side, and runs horizontally most of the length of the engine. It is just at the bottom of the vertical part of the block, just above where it flares out. Right in line with the pet**** at the back of the block. It runs from about 4" in front of the pet**** foreward to near the front of the engine. The oil is free of coolant and the engine turns over so I think it's probably all external.?.
I got this from a guy who is rodding a '49 truck so I figured it was probably a babbitted 216 like the one in my '48. When I got it unloaded and looked it over the first thing I found was a br*** plate rivited to the block which says "Strout Automotive Engine Rebuilding, San Bernadino, Calif." And gives the bore at .030" and rhe rods and mains at .010" plus #4036 and the date of 3/66. I thought --cool! Then I ran the numbers and found it was a 235 from a '53 car with a powerglide. This apparently was the first full pressure engine chevy had. Got a really good 216 in my truck whick is all orig. but if the 235 can be saved, I can probably find something to put it in. Thanks for all your help, You guys are a WEALTH of info.!

 

P.S. I can usually weld most anything steel but I don't know form s--- about cast so the JB Weld method is what I'll probably try.

 

I have seen engine block cracks brazed with an oxy/acetylene rig.

 

I've fixed them with good results by drilling and plugging. Drill and tap a hole (5/16 seems best) right where the crack starts, insert bolt with a good sealer, cut it off flush. drill the next hole next to the first catching part of the first bolt, tap it, insert bolt, cut, move on till you reach the other end of the crack. A little time consuming on a long crack. I alway throw some Barr's leak in the coolant afterwards just for a little extra help.

 

Around here in South Mississippi there's a guy who does a lot of cast iron repair work. He works with one of the junk yards repairing engine blocks taken from wrecked cars (broken motor mounts, etc.) and does a great job. I took a couple of engine blocks to him to be repaired...one was cracked, one was broken. I asked about having the cracked one brazed and he didn't recommend it...said that thermal expansion would cause it to crack later down the road...so I had him weld them up. Pre-heat is necessary.

 

It will be worthwhile to have it tanked so you can see everything clearly or even better have it magnafluxed, because the ice was pushing in all directions...it PROBABLY blew out the weaker flat outside of the block before doing anything to the cylinders behind it or the floor of the jacket, but you need to be sure about that before you put in much effort.
Also, you need to be able to be absolutely sure you have found the ends of the crack so you can drill holes to prevent spreading.

 

If you want to take a ride to north jersey I bought all the pins and jigs to lock n s***ch .It is the right way to deal with this.

 

If you can lay down a good weld on steel, you can weld this crack.

Take a grinder and clean up the crack. Vee it out and smooth off the surface where you are going to weld. This will get rid of any impurities in the surface of the cast. If you stick weld, pick up some nickel rod. You will find that the nickel rod flows very good on clean cast iron. Take your time. If you weld too much at once, the cast will get too hot and the cracking from welding cast happens from the stresses when cooling. I peen the weld while hot to help relieve the stresses. If you mig weld, the regular wire works but not as forgiving. I use the mig when I am lazy and the weld is not that critical. On what you are doing, the mig would be fine. But I would peen the weld if mig welded.

Peen = Take a center punch and tap it with a hammer all over the weld.

The feedback of the JB weld sounds like it works but since the block is out, I would weld it.

Neal

 

here's what i have for that kind of stuff...the cold crack repair method has been around for a long time and is still used today.

http://www.iron***e.com/crack.htm

 

Old school repair
My grandfather was a welding artist but his favorite repair on a cracked block was drilling the ends of the crack to prevent further expansion and driving in a few thousandths oversize br*** plug cut from rod stock. Drill an overlapping hole and repeat until done. Done with care, guaranteed to last the life of the motor.

Ted

 

that's the cheap iron***e method. they use tapered, threaded plugs and peen them in place and have several methods to fix differemt types of cracks.

 

Neal, Sounds like I need to get to Haun welding supply for some nickle rod. How far is ok to weld at a time and how much time between welds? Should I s***ch around or keep going in line? Jim

 

If you plan on fixing it take it to a machine shop and get it magnafluxed to see if there are cracks you don't see. My opinion. If it's an engine you plan on boring and sticking money into I'd s**** it and go looking again.. If it's a good running engine now you just plan on using as is, still get it magnafluxed. You will be able to see where the crack stops that way. I've used Lock-N-S***ch pins to repair cracks before http://www.lockns***ch.com/. Threaded pins work good on flat surfaces.
Jeff

 

this is a great method that will work every time if you can find the materials and have the patience.
if you have a torch and a welder you can clean it,drill the ends othe crack,grind a v, heat the area, use nickel rods to weld it up, cool it slowly to avoid new cracks from rapid cooling.
whatever method you choose the block should be repairable.
rember it's just metal.
enjoy the adventure.

 

just another thought.
if you decide to weld it up be sure to leave the head on or bolt one on if its already off. this will help to elminate the chance of warping the deck if the crack is at the top of the block.

 

I totally agree with vee grinding the crack and stick welding with a nickel rod. Several years ago I even rebuilt part of the block where the water pump bolted up on a Nissan engine. It had been broken off in a wreck. After repaired it gave no problem, although I`ve also used JB Weld on EXTERNAL cracks with no problems. Lee