Is my block dead?

[psimet]

Originally Posted by HDowse

JB Weld as an epoxy adheres initially as a chemical as well as mechanical bond to the metal. If you wait until it is completely dry (24 hours) and sand it with rough sandpaper you’ll get a mechanical bond on your second coat. However, if you apply your first coat and then let the epoxy get tacky enough so your finger doesn’t pull up material when pressed into the epoxy, you can apply a second coat on top of the first and it will chemically bond to the first coat. Let it all dry for 24 hours and see what you get for results. This has worked for me in my boat restoration business for years in making fillets, repair of holes, or laying up fiberglass inside a hull.

Thank you. This is what I was looking for. Looking for a chemical bond in a second coat. What you've laid out makes sense.

[Certimafied]

Your block is cracked in just about the same spot as mine. Someone long ago had repaired mine with what looked like lead. They did a great job to drill the ends of the crack and v the crack as well. Corrosion over the years began pushing that repair out though.

I tried a few things without success before going to good old 2 part JBweld. I cleaned the crap out of everything with a wire wheel, emery cloth and a pick tool. I cleaned everything with heavy cleaners until I thought it was clean enough and did it a few more times being very sure that I got the inside as dry and clear as I could. Where the crack was paper thin I widened it just enough that I felt I could get the jb weld to creep into the crack. Knowing how runny the stuff can be at first I ended running masking tape along the bottom of the crack the entire length. Then I mixed up my JB and used a wide flat blade screw driver to try and fill and push the JB into the crack then I stacked it kind of high and pressed that tape up as smooth and flat as I could but still leaving some material pooched up on the outside of the block. Double the tape up or use a really wide roll if need be. Once you get the JB laid and the tape over it you can kind of work it into the block better with your fingers through the tape.

Did that 2 years ago she's been full of antifreeze and leak free since!

Good Luck with your repair!

[Certimafied]

Well I went back thru my photos I apparently didnt photo document the entire thing so well but here are a couple pictures during my clean up process.

I forgot there were several holes along the crack made in my block. Actually there were two cracks one for and one aft of the water inlet. I Felt like those holes and trying to push the jb into them really helped create a good mechanical bond. I figured even it didnt adhere great to the metal it would at least be mushroomed out on the backside/inside of the block and help hold the JB in place. I was willing to settle for a minor seep if need be lol.