engine crack

[reggiedog]

HI: Can any body tell me how to fix a little leak in the front water way of the motor. It was fixed years ago but when the motor gets hot it will seep water a little. Is their a fix to this or should I or just leave it a loan or have the front re-casted the motor????. But would that even fix the problem and how much would that cost. Someone told me to just use J.B. Weld grind a " V " in the weld and put J.B. Weld in the " V " and let in dry then run the motor to the norm temp. But to me that sounds like it won't do it but doing the re-casting thing would cost a lot more then J.B Weld but does J.B work????. Does any body know what the re-casting would cost to do if I did go that way and where can I get that done. Or does J.B. Weld really work????. Thanks let me know reggiedog

[James Rogers]

No such thing as Recasting. I would drain the water and dry it and sand the area with some 80 grit paper and use some JB Weld to stop the leak. This method has been used for years and sometimes engines come into my shop that have been done for many years that don't leak. The only way some of them show any indication of this fix is when the block is cleaned in a caustic tank. Caustic soda cleaning will turn the JB Weld brown and sometimes loosen it from the block. I have never had even caustic soda cleaning to totally remove this kind of repair.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Be sure to use the slow set JB Weld, as it does a better job and is stronger. V the crack and use wax paper to press the JB Weld into the opening.

By "recasting" I wonder if you mean the process of metal spraying to fix a crack. The block needs to be heated very high, then it's metal sprayed and cooled slowly, but you will also need to get it rebabbitted, so the cost is high.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Just curious, why not add BarsLeak (-or equivalent) to the coolant and let that cure it?

[kenparker]

I have run an engine - Model A - for 20 years with a crack in the area under the water pump. To make a patch that will stick permantely, as Brent said clean the area throughly. Drain the water and let it dry overnight. All evidence of paint or rust or dirt MUST be removed for JB Weld to stick to bare, clean metal. Using a Dremel with a grinding wheel clean area 3/4" on either side of crack and 1" from either end of the crack. Grind slight V down middle of Crack. Then using a small sharpened punch lightly center punch dimples on every square centimer of cleaned area. The rougher the better.

Using the 24 hour dry JB Weld force the JB Weld into the roughened area Thin layer no more than 1/16" thick. The JB Weld will tend to run. After it sits for 1/2 hour, using your wax paper finger push it back where it needs to be. Let it sit for 24 to 48 hours. Using your Dremel, again, rough up the JB Weld surface -Dont grind it off - just rough it up. Then mix and apply another layer of the JB Weld.

The crack on Tillie's engine was first cracked 30 years ago. I patched it and ran for about 10 years and it began to leak. The area was cleaned the second time and the hole - crack - had opened up to wide enough to get a screwdriver through to the inside of the water jacket. The second patch was done as described above 20 years ago and still holding. The engine has been replaced for other reasons. Might get around to photo the area and posting later today.
kp

[Chris in CT]

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Reggie,

Have the crack metalstitched and then seal the block. Metalstitching will cost one heck of a lot less than a theoretical re-casting of the block, and is a right and permanent repair. Happy Motoring!

[reggiedog]

Chris: That is what I told the guy to do when we took the motor to him. But he just welded it with a tig or mig welder and just put a bead on the outside of the motor. I don't think he even drilled holes in the motor to stitch weld it. I just have a single bead about 4" long down the water way. Or is that stitch welding I thought stitch weld would look like a shoe lace when done. Or am I wrong reggiedog

[gwhite]

I'd drill a hole on each end of the crack to keep it from spreading and solder it up. This was the recommended method in the 1920's from the "Ford Owner & Dealer" magazine.

[Bob C]

Here is a video on metal stitching. It's not welding but a series of screws that overlap each other.
Video link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq0wfU4ZaKk

Bob