Cracked Engine Block

[MAXIMUS]

Has anybody ever patched a crack in an iron block??? This is kind of a unusaul situation. I had my mustang up in a lift & was looking under it for any problems... Well I couldn't help but to notice about a 3" crack in the water jacket on the side of the block. I thought about some JB weld & then some stop leak???j The idea being not having to remove the engine from the car! Also its worth saving as it is a 429CJ!:)

[UBFJ #454]

Iron blocks can be welded in alot of cases (Depends on location and extent of crack(ing)) ... Welder has to know what their doing (Most Don't) ... Prep ... Welding equipment to use ... Material to use ( Depends on material used to cast the block) ... Penetration ... etc..
The motor should be taken out and torn completely down in order to do it right.

[Blown 472]

Originally posted by MAXIMUS
Has anybody ever patched a crack in an iron block??? This is kind of a unusaul situation. I had my mustang up in a lift & was looking under it for any problems... Well I couldn't help but to notice about a 3" crack in the water jacket on the side of the block. I thought about some JB weld & then some stop leak???j The idea being not having to remove the engine from the car! Also its worth saving as it is a 429CJ!:)
Does it have screw in freeze plugs? if not I dont think the block is any thing special.

[Fiat48]

If you can find it (and it hasn't been outlawed because it works) use Devcon industrial cast iron epoxy. It has cast iron right in the stuff, 2 part process. Grind the crack clean, then drill a small hole at the each end of the crack. Then Devcon her up.
JB weld..maybe. Nowhere near what Devcon is. You might find some Devcon at a shop that seriously ports cylinder heads. They use it in the ports. Nothing bothers the stuff.

[MAXIMUS]

Originally posted by Fiat48
If you can find it (and it hasn't been outlawed because it works) use Devcon industrial cast iron epoxy. It has cast iron right in the stuff, 2 part process. Grind the crack clean, then drill a small hole at the each end of the crack. Then Devcon her up.
JB weld..maybe. Nowhere near what Devcon is. You might find some Devcon at a shop that seriously ports cylinder heads. They use it in the ports. Nothing bothers the stuff.
Thanks fiat I'll contact my amigo that does porting & see if he has some!
Blown it is a 429 4 bolt main block. Out of the car which is a 429cj Mach 1

[Razors Edge]

Like Fiat 48 says Devcon is really good shit. We have had some success with Belzonna also, they have a range of glues and putties that you maybe able to find if Devcon is no longer available like Fiat suggested. I have repaired rotten exhaust housings and megaphones on old outboards with both products and find that the Belzonna works better, my cylinder head guy uses Devcon all the time on intake ports and has had great success.
Like any adhesive, it is only as good as the preparation work you put into the article to be glued. Must be well keyed and free of any dirt. Good Luck!
Kent

[MAXIMUS]

Thanks again guys...

[GofastRacer]

Iron blocks can be welded no problem, you just have to find a place that does cast iron welding because the block has to pre heated to a certain temperature prior to welding. I had a block once that I got and it was a blown deal and for some reason a bolt went thru the blower and it ended up knocking a 2" hole in the valley area, when they got done with it you culdn't hardly tell it was welded up!..:cool:

[quiet riot]

If you can't find the above recommended stuff, you can try marine-tex. Many marine places carry it and I've used it on many cracked blocks/manifolds etc for a cheapo repair and it lasts pretty good if applied like fiat48 suggested. It can be drilled and tapped/machined once cured also.
jd
ps, cast iron brazing could be done by a competent welder if there is room to fit a torch head in there.

[v-drive]

Mcfadden-dale hardware carries the real devcon...v-drive

[victorfb]

you can also weld cast iron with an arc welder, but you have to use 99% nickel rod. a tig welder is probably recomended. on an engine block id say no problem. on an exhaust manifold id toss it and get a new one. it allways seems to crack again just outside the weld. in your case since its an engine block i would have no problem in having it welded. the putty's and such may be good and even work, but if you can, id say weld it.

[Fiat48]

A welding story:
Long ago before I had my own machine shop equipement, I took a BBC to a local machine shop for line hone, bore and hone. Somehow, the dropped the block and broke the entire front area just above the timing cover area. This was the area the intake manifold sits on and seals the lifter valley.
Only thing I could figure to do was JB weld the front piece in place. But just for kicks, I took my wire feed welder and tacked it. It held pretty good..so I welded the entire thing with my wire feed (Miller 110 volt wire feed welder) in little short bursts about 1 inch at a time and letting it cool a little between the 1 inch bursts. There was no cracking when welding and worked perfectly. Ground her down a little and she is still alive today.
I'm not big on welding and no expert by far. But it did work.

[victorfb]

i dig stories like that and especially when its still in existance. way cool. in a pinch i had to weld the intake manifold (stock cast iron) on my 454. the water heater line coroded it so bad and broke the aluminum fitting inside. a friend helped and tried to armstrong the easyout and broke the manifold. all i had at the time was my lincoln 110 wire feed and did the same thing. little welds at a time. but the damn thing worked awsome. never leaked so i never replaced it untill i upgraded to a musti port fuel injection manifold a couple years later. but i still have the stocker (junk collector that i am) sitting under the bench.