|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
07-31-2023, 07:44 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 6,192
|
Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Well, the rust bomb 99A I posted about before keeps on giving me gifts. Found this pan rail crack. I thought it was just a gouge and I keep scraping it with a pick. The more I sprayed it with brake clean, the more junk comes to the surface, so it seems to me it's a crack.
I read some archives from Walt D. and Mart in the UK. Once torn down, I'm going to clean it the best I can at home and pressure test it. My friend suggested adding a little light oil to the water jacket to see if the air pressure forces the oil through the crack. It will be some time until I get there, but I'll report back. In the old threads, Walt and Mart had suggestions of drilling either side, V'ing it out and epoxying over it. This is the third 99A block that I've had and the third with cracks. The other two have them both in the #3 intake valve pocket. Toying with getting those fixed. Here is a picture. |
07-31-2023, 10:46 AM | #2 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 8,220
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Quote:
__________________
The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
07-31-2023, 12:06 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Kerrville, Tx
Posts: 2,772
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
I would V it out and weld it. I had a car I let get low on antifreeze and it froze up. The side walls cracked from head to pan on both sides. I took nothing loose and arc welded it. Never leaked and was perfect when I sold the car
|
07-31-2023, 12:30 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mill Valley,Ca.
Posts: 1,509
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
1) magnaflux all around the center main... Cracks around there will weaken the block.
2) don't introduce oil anywhere, hard to get rid of. 3) I tried arc welding on cast iron when I was young, did not go well... cracked next to the weld. 4) I would try veeing out the crack and brazing. 5) OK, this should have been #1, Magnuflux the top of the block, pressure test the whole block. Karl |
07-31-2023, 06:22 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Charlotte NC KiWi-L100 available here
Posts: 2,966
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Scrap. I will not repair those for many reasons.
|
07-31-2023, 07:46 PM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wa.
Posts: 5,413
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Unless the engine is for a judging restoration, it would be much better to get a 46 to 53 block. |
08-02-2023, 04:23 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Germany
Posts: 204
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Laserweld it, no tension, no cracks
|
08-02-2023, 07:30 AM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,173
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Not sure how much that weenie little imperfection --- whether a crack or not --- could substantially weaken the block. I'd prolly smear the pan gasket with grease, snug the pan bolts up & see what happens. 8^)
|
08-02-2023, 09:32 AM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coral Springs FL
Posts: 10,965
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Save it. I would try repairing it using one of these methods shown in article below. Open and scroll down for helpful info. Be sure to read the entire article.
https://waterwelders.com/how-to-fix-...%20Cast%20Iron I would first try the afore mentioned laser welding if I could find a shop that does that kind of welding. I wonder if a local vocational tech school would have a laser welder and would do it for you for a donation. It sure looks promising. http://alphalaser.com/2019/02/05/cas...laser-welding/ Last edited by 19Fordy; 08-02-2023 at 09:44 AM. |
08-03-2023, 01:40 AM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 511
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
There’s a fellow on the HAMB that stated some guys add cement mix into the block to seal and strengthen pan rail cracks.
|
08-03-2023, 07:54 AM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 5,079
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Like most everything, the answer is "it depends". LOL. If the crack goes all the way to the center and there are any cracks around the center web/main area, then I'd not risk it.
I'd love to try laser welding, but I don't know enough about it. However, if you can identify the ends of the crack and drill them, then potentially aluminum-bronze braze it with TIG on AC, might be worth a try. I only have a DC TIG, so I'm sort of stuck with silicon-bronze rod. Some guys don't pre-heat the block, that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'd make a nice BBQ pit, get a bunch of coals nice and hot and put this sucker in there! I'd also have some thermal blankets to put around it when I pull it out and after welding - to cool it as slow as possible. Another option is a big steel drum full of vermiculite. The other real question is how much time/effort are you willing to put into it? I doubt I'd do a full-race type build - due to the number of hours of porting, relieving, valve work, special MAINs, etc.. I wouldn't invest that much into it . . . at least today! LOL Last edited by Bored&Stroked; 08-03-2023 at 01:03 PM. |
08-03-2023, 08:52 AM | #12 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 6,192
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Quote:
It has now become Man vs. Machine. I'm determined to at least get it apart so I can check things out. Always learning.... I wouldn't be surprised to find other issues. Here it is as it sits today.... |
|
08-03-2023, 11:01 AM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 8,220
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
__________________
The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
08-03-2023, 01:00 PM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 5,079
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
Hey Tim . . . that won't run worth a crap! The dang pistons are not connected to the crankshaft! You need to fix this now . . .
|
08-03-2023, 02:12 PM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 6,192
|
Re: Another pan rail crack thread- Save it or junk it?
|
|
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|