Hi all, just got the call from machine shop after maggin'. 40 cracks... is this common for that many cracks, the screwed up thing is i looked for cracks before i gave it to them and i thought i got lucky with just a few i couldnt see with my eyes. Do they all need to be fixed? seems like even a runner that is torn down has cracks. like to hear your experences on your Ford Flathead V8 rebuilds... this is for a 52/53 EAB fyi thanks!
Cracks between the head bolt holes and the water ports are fairly common. If the block has ever been frozen with water in it, there are places prone to freeze cracks; water pump mounting surfaces, the lower rails of the crank case where the oil pan mounts. Did they say if any were into the cylinders? I left the bolt hole ones alone on mine, there were only a few, but welded up a long crack at my right water pump mount up to the top of the block. Flatman
All or should i say most have the bolt to small water p***age as mine did... he said one had it into the cylinder. Was a southern motor as it had a GA tag on the motor (rebuild tag), and i purchased it off a HAMBer in central FL. But its still possible it froze, who knows. I'm a welder but not cast iron, i have done a cast fin on a motorcycle. He has his "expert" welder comming in to take a look at it. I cant wait to hear the price on this...LOL
Bolt holes to water holes are common and usually not a problem. The one to the bore is. Probably will need a sleeve. Don't think welding is the way to go. How much experience does this machinist have with flatheads?
If the cracks are big enough at the head bolts than you can pin them. Hell, I left mine alone and I have 5 years and @ 10,000 miles on it with no problems. I had a total of five cracks about 1/4 inch each. If it is cracked in the cylinder, flatjacks right just sleeve it. Now ones in the valley area and webbing are another story. Not easy to repair and if bad enough can result in a trashed block. H&H can fix almost any of these. Just call and talk to Herman he is a wealth of knowledge.
Thats the ticket. Find a machine shop that is FAMILIAR with Flatheads. Just because they can build a 400 horse smallblock doesn't mean they can build you a Flathead. Sleeveing them is not a big deal. I have 2 sleeves in mine, and havent had a problem with it.
Agree with the sleeve, really the only way to fix it. Sleeves are also not something you should be worried about for a flathead. If your machinist thinks welding the cylinder is a good idea, he should be your former machinist.
Call H&H Flatheads and ask for Mike. I was just over at their shop a week ago to pickup a shortblock. They have a whole parkinglot full of flathead V8's and 4 banngers. They could set you up with a good block and all the machine work to boot!
My experience has been that 4 out of 5 flathead blocks you find today are cracked. Bolt holes to waterjacket are noty usually no problem. Cracks in valve seats and into cylinders are problems Cracks in mains or pan rails big problems. Also have had cracks in exhaust ports which couldn't be seen. Always have block pressure tested befor beginning any serious work.
i'm going to see what this guy says, and look at the mag report. I agree, i was expecting a sleave or two before i started as well as hardened valve seats since it a EAB. I didnt want to send it to H&H til i knew what the story was with the motor to save the freight if it was junk. I'll be back to share the story, thanks again, I'll take all the input i can get as i'm on somewhat of a budget.
If it has any problem cracks I would just look for another block. Sleeves are OK. cracks in the combustion area into valve chambers are not. Check main webbing and pan rails. You can repair them in some cases but it would probably be cheaper not to bother. I usually figure 2 out of 3 blocks are junk. If you are going to build a flathead you are going to spend 2 or 3 times as much money as you would a SBC. I'd personally go over the block with a magnifying gl***. Totally agree with finding a machinist with flathead experience. Ask him if he knows that the valve angles are different from side to side as the cam is not in the center of the block. If he doesn't know that go somewhere else.
Find our WHERE those are. A few up top are one thing...if there are any at bottom rails or around bottoms of cylinders, or into valley, that means your block has been FROZEN and cracked to hell. AND if it has frozen, it probably has even more in place like the exhaust p***ages wher they cannot be found. That is, until you start your motor for the first time... 40 cracks means either: A. The shop is looking at casting ridges and cosmetic flaws that have no meaning. B. Block has been frozen, and those 40 are the visible ones of 100. If only real cracks are the up top ones, block is salvageable and should not be s****ped...but another block will likely be cheaper to build right now. Blocks are becoming the rare part of the flathead, and I think more crack repairs will be common and acceptable soon.
I have a similar problem with a 40 mercury engine. I just started dis***embling the motor yesterday its not cracked as far as i know. It is chipped. I had the heads off and was moving it and noticed one of the head studs was gone. I got to looking and the stud had came out and chipped the block. the area around were the stud goes into the block just chipped away. There's no hole just a dime sized chip around the threads for the head stud. From looking at it, it looks like the hole wasn't threaded deep enough from the factory. I know I will have to get the block resurfaced but how do you fix a chip I really don't want to trash this engine. But I can't metal s***ch it because it isn't a crack. Any body have any Ideas let me know Thanks
Different animal, but Ford flathead i.e. 8N tractor. Had loose head bolt that was in an enlarged hole in the block deck, so no fastening hold. I took a die grinder, rounded the hole and used a pipe tap to thread the hole, installed a steel pipe plug and had deck machined. I used the head as a guide to drill the plug before using machine tap to rethread block for head bolt. Been in use for approximately 18 years, no problem to date. Hope this helps.
Legend has it, when Ford first cast the Flathead he and old inspector at the end of the line to inspect the blocks, his job was if you found no cracks, hit them with a hammer and make some! most cracks are not a problem, bolt holes etc. cracks in the valve seat, or cylinder can be fixed. I have pics of when I cut out the side of a block that some ***hole ran a forklift thru, cut out a block that was no good, fit it and welded it in, did this for Flathead Jim Trundle several yrs ago he built the engine for his customer and they put it in a 40 woody, over 20.000 m's and no trouble to date, so anything is possible, I have 2 with freeze cracks in the side, and am about to repair them using the same procedure that I did for Jim.
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