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Cracked Block

I am rebuilding my Ford 9N tractor engine after a series of unfortunate events. After replacing the cam and timing gear, my original block cracked along a corner stud hole all the way down to the water jacket while trying to put it all back together. Apparently this corner has been brazed before and after noticing several other cracks around the valves and cylinder walls decided to get another block. The engine was due for an overhaul anyway.

I found another block on the net that was cleaned up and had recently had two cracks "stitched" between the the valves and cylinder walls on the #2 and #3 cylinders. I took the block to an engine machine shop to have a valve job and sleeves, and they found another crack approx. 3" long in the water jacet between the freeze plugs. Machine shop was leary of repairing it, saying that it would cost upwards $150 to $200 to pin it and weld it up and even thin it might not take. They were also leary that the "stitches" would not hold up once the sleeves were installed.

question #1: Can I get by with epoxying or brazing the water jacket? If so, which would be the preferred method. If I epoxy, I have read about drilling out the ends of the crack, how deep should you drill them, 1/8" ? Or, should I just leave this to a machine shop? (I'm not going to spend $150 on this repair though). Some posts I've read seem to indicate that this type of crack is not that big a deal.

question #2: Concerning the stitches. The previous owner of the block touts the shop that stitched the block have been in business for over

35 years and know their stuff concerning these type of repairs. What is your take?

Thanks.

Reply to
BruceM
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The most permanent method is welding. The best type of rod to use is one with a high nickle content. We have just started using Cronacast and it is fantastic. The last block was a 1954 Chevy straight 6 with a 18" crack. This particular block had epoxy on it when we cleaned it from a previous repair.

I recommend welding for a permanent repair, but it can be expensive as the rod is expensive, and it is a time-intensive process since the welder will stop every 1/2" - 3/4" to peen the weld for several minutes. 1/8" holes at each end of the crack is adequate.

Reply to
AHS

Usually, we drill cracks right through to the other side. At work we have a Contractor do non-destructive testing to map the crack since it is tough to see the actual end where you should be drilling. In situations where the material is very thick and the crack is shallow we grind it out and the welder fills it in. When grinding, the Contractor re-tests until we have removed the cracked metal. There should be a welding shop in your area that will do this work for you.

- Regards Gordie

Reply to
The Nolalu Barn Owl

I know a couple of guys in the turbo Buick world who have used these:

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to fix cracks in cast iron six cylinder blocks making 800-1200 hp. Haven't used them myself but the examples on their website are mighty convincing.

-- Regards, Carl Ijames carl.ijames at verizon.net

Reply to
Carl Ijames

I work as a Millwright at the Bowater Paper Mill in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. (formerly Great Lakes Paper Mill). More than a few years ago now (before we sold #1 & #2 paper machines) we had a repair done just like this on some heavy cast iron combination side-plate/bearing housing for the dryer gears. Several of the plates had been cracked and a specialist was brought in to make this repair and it never ever failed. The talk was that he or the crack and that such a repair is very strong and reliable.

- Regards Gordie

Reply to
The Nolalu Barn Owl

I finished my fabricators apprenticeship in a smaller machine shop where the owner did stitch repair. He had learned it in a pulp mill and told me it was an Lloyds of London approved repair for insurance claims on machinery. I saw him repair a cracked water jacket. Nice job but it took him most of the day. Randy

I work as a Millwright at the Bowater Paper Mill in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. (formerly Great Lakes Paper Mill). More than a few years ago now (before we sold #1 & #2 paper machines) we had a repair done just like this on some heavy cast iron combination side-plate/bearing housing for the dryer gears. Several of the plates had been cracked and a specialist was brought in to make this repair and it never ever failed. The talk was that he or the crack and that such a repair is very strong and reliable.

- Regards Gordie

Reply to
R. Zimmerman

We had the early 20'th century air compressors in our plant rebuilt this way after having been weld repaired with nickel and braze repaired with low fuming bronze. They've held up perfectly for the last ten years. We had some down time so we sent the pieces out to some place in upstate New York. These compressors run 24 hours a day. They're probably better than new now.

Reply to
John Gullotti

there exists a nickel-powder blow torch. has a cup on top of the torch full of nickel powder. you grind the crack into a V groove, slowly appply heat with the torch until cherry red, the there is a lever on the torch to slowly release the nickel powder. the powder melts and bonds to the cherry red crack, you build it up slowly.

not sure if this is a option for you or not, but it exists.

Reply to
Kryptoknight

I have one of these torch units. Picked it up at an estate sale for $5 with a good selection of bottles of different powders. Ill have to try this trick on cracked cast iron. Ive so far built up a couple worn shafts with fair sucess.

Gunner

The aim of untold millions is to be free to do exactly as they choose and for someone else to pay when things go wrong.

In the past few decades, a peculiar and distinctive psychology has emerged in England. Gone are the civility, sturdy independence, and admirable stoicism that carried the English through the war years . It has been replaced by a constant whine of excuses, complaints, and special pleading. The collapse of the British character has been as swift and complete as the collapse of British power.

Theodore Dalrymple,

Reply to
Gunner

It's not welding, but i have used the Locknstich C series pins

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a few times on irreplaceable antique engine blocks with great results.

Reply to
Stupendous Man

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