1950 F1 with cracks in the blck

[edhd58]

A neighbor has a 50 F1 with a 51 239 passenger car engine. He says the difference is the firing order?? I dont know.
ANYWAY, he thought he just had a bad head gasket as it will steam a little when it is first started, otherwise runs and sounds great.
He and his son pulled the engine today and found cracks in a couple of the valve area. One of the cracks does go down a cylinder wall. He wanted me to ask on here if the block can be saved or what to do.

Soooo, going by the pictures can it be saved. Also, one side has sleeves for the cylinders but the other side does not.

[tubman]

There have got be a lot better 8BA blocks out there than that. We can see two cracks in some low-res photographs; how many would a real crack detection process find? I shudder to think!

[Russ/40]

Curious, which cylinder has the crack that goes down the cylinder? Looks like just 6 & 7 are sleeved. The ideal would be to pressure test the block to see whats what.

[40 Deluxe]

"Different firing orders"? No way! They are all the same.

[flatheadmurre]

Someone has already sleeved it to save it from some of the cracks.
It´s amazing how cracked engines can be and still working just fine.
If it´s just to get it back on the road a new gasket and some blocksealer is the cheapest start....
Anything can be repaired...it´s just a question of what you want to spend and if you got another better block to use instead.

[dumb person]

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i have absolute confidence it can be repaired.

[1952henry]

Water pumps, heads (52-53), spark plug wire looms, carburetor airhorn, oil pan/pickup, and bellhousings are basically the only difference between car and truck engines.

[36coupe]

Originally Posted by flatheadmurre

Someone has already sleeved it to save it from some of the cracks.
It´s amazing how cracked engines can be and still working just fine.
If it´s just to get it back on the road a new gasket and some blocksealer is the cheapest start....
Anything can be repaired...it´s just a question of what you want to spend and if you got another better block to use instead.

Will it see 1000 miles a year? Put it back together with some block seal and drive it.

[edhd58]

One side of the motor, and I dont remember which side has all the cylinders sleeved. One of the cylinders does have a crack going down the cylinder wall. I will get some better pics, they said they were going to be cleaning it good this week.

36Coupe, I doubt it will see much more than 1000 miles a year.

Tubman, he has another motor that has at in a barn for 15 years, I tried to buy it from him several times but he wouldnt sell it because "you just never know when it might come in handy". He is going to get it out and see which is better

[big job]

Judging by the pics, It appears to be burning normal so if that crack went into the valve
seat the color would change, if so we would counter bore for a valve seat insert. After
machining that would show the intensity of the crack. Or possibly a sleeve. I am a
steel doctor unlike a people doctor tells you ya gonna die. I do all I can do to save
another one so I sleep good. Ford hairline cracks are as to Chrysler Prod. rubber
crankshafts. I see around $800 rering all bearings gaskets etc. drive it don't look back.......

[tubman]

This is all guesswork. Since this is an old Ford enthusiasts forum (and not a "Keep a Beater Running") forum, I would think the OP would be looking for the best solution. In 1961, I personally put a couple of used pistons and a set of rings from Sears in an engine with no less than 7 cracks like this. With the help of regular doses of STP and Barr's Leak, it got me through 2 more years of college. Would I do it again? No. Would I suggest it for someone else? No. The only thing I would do with that block is NOT scrap it.

[edhd58]

Well, here's the news.
The block was taken to a local machine shop, which wont touch it.
They told him its junk.
Here's better pics I hope.
The white lines are where it was magnafluxed and the white lines are cracks I was told
Now, he's open to suggestions for how to save it.
The cylinders affected are the second ones back on both sides.
We are close to Louisville,KY for those in the area that knows a machine shop with experience with this type damage

[JSeery]

While almost anything can be repaired, IMHO that block is not a good candidate. I would think finding a replacement block would be a much cheaper option.

[Ronnie]

Same ^^^

R

[Russ/40]

Finis !

[tubman]

[edhd58]

Well I guess now the question becomes how close is a good engine for this outside of Louisville Kentucky. Or at least a good block.

[mustangbrandon]

Originally Posted by edhd58

Well I guess now the question becomes how close is a good engine for this outside of Louisville Kentucky. Or at least a good block.

I have a good 8BA block that was cleaned and tested with a crank. I'm in Wake Forest but headed to Lexington the 26th-31st. I think I have room for it. PM me if interested...

[rotorwrench]

I've known a few mechanics that specialized in pinning cracked engine blocks & heads for engines that were obsolete. It takes a lot of time to pin one crack like those let alone two or three. Sleeves are likely still 100 bucks a bore maybe more and maybe less for one that is already sleeved but needs pinning too. That block can be repaired BUT it won't be cheap. You would also have to find someone to do the pinning since your last machine shop refused. Repairs like these can always be a throw of the dice and more of a gamble the more cracks you have.

Look for another block. It is a far better choice than playing with a tired old soldier like that one unless you just can't find one. You will be money ahead of the game if you can.

[edhd58]

I talked to him last night, he is looking for a different block