Cracked block leaking water

[Hofty]

Folks,
Motor runs fantastic. No running issues. Recently water started to leak from intake/exhaust manifold. I pulled off the manifold and found a Crack. Small but leaks water into the engine bay.

Will some JB weld and drilling a hole on either end, then sealing it up prevent the Crack from spreading?

There does not appear to be a Crack in the actual piston block, but that cannot be confirmed. Any advice is welcomed.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Looks like a block swap to me…..It also looks like it’s got some splooge on it from a previous bad attempt at a repair. That thing is shot….times 2.

 

[Bondo]

Folks,
Motor runs fantastic. No running issues. Recently water started to leak from intake/exhaust manifold. I pulled off the manifold and found a Crack. Small but leaks water into the engine bay.

Will some JB weld and drilling a hole on either end, then sealing it up prevent the Crack from spreading?

There does not appear to be a Crack in the actual piston block, but that cannot be confirmed. Any advice is welcomed.

Ayuh,.... It'll work,....... til it don't,.....

 

[tpenfield]

Looks like the JB-Weld fairy has already been there fixing the cracked block. With obvious patches visible and signs of water seepage from the lower part of the engine block, why would you think the block is not cracked ?

 

[Scott06]

Typical cracked block from poor winterization. Yiu can slap more jb on it use it for years as long as water isnt getting into oil

 

[Scott Danforth]

in this pic it looks like it was cracked once, then patched with JB weld

then recracked

I would seriously look at how the block was winterized so that when you replace it with a new one the same issues are not repeated.

 

[Grub54891]

I personally had that same issue with a mercruiser 140. When I got the boat all the core plugs were popped out but it ran for a test of one minute. I removed the motor, replaced all the core plugs, patched the cracks with jb, used a sponge to roughen up the jb so it looked like the cast. Stuffed it all back together and ran it like I stole it. 5 years later and she's going perfect. Now I'm not saying it'll keep going for ya, but sometimes you get lucky.

 

[Scott06]

Sad part is that the 2.5/3.0 are the easiest in the world to drain and winterize.. two drain plugs and they are right next to each other...

 

[Redrig]

I don't understand why in this example you would even think of JB.

It's right there and and accessible .... if you're going to attempt a quick fix , at least do it with an actual weld.

 

[Bondo]

I don't understand why in this example you would even think of JB.

It's right there and and accessible .... if you're going to attempt a quick fix , at least do it with an actual weld.

Ayuh,..... Havin' welded alota cast iron over the years, I believe weldin' a busted block is the last option, rather than the 1st,....
Unless you can fit the entire castin' into an oven, to really control the temps, yer probably gonna have to smear epoxy all over anything ya welded, to seal the tiny cracks that the weldin' causes,....

I'm with grub on this one,..... I've saved a few with epoxy, so long as the leak is outside, 'n not into the oil cavities,.....
Never did the sponge trick, either used something like JB Weld, or epoxy resin, 'n glass,.....
Never worried 'bout the looks,....
The biggest draw back to either way is, if the head has to come off,....
It's done for,... the head bolts will never get to torque again,....

 

[Scott Danforth]

I'm with Bondo here. would be a pain to weld

in lieu of an over, you would need a big weed-burner head to pre-heat the area to weld it, and since there is paint and oil, it will usually result in a fire

Not to mention, you will get the weld to go ploink once or twice

 

[racerone]

These shops in INDIA weld blocks all the time.-----See the entertaining videos on U-TUBE

 

[topgun3690]

Looks like a block swap to me…..It also looks like it’s got some splooge on it from a previous bad attempt at a repair. That thing is shot….times 2.

"Splooge"......lol

 

[Scott06]

Ayuh,..... Havin' welded alota cast iron over the years, I believe weldin' a busted block is the last option, rather than the 1st,....
Unless you can fit the entire castin' into an oven, to really control the temps, yer probably gonna have to smear epoxy all over anything ya welded, to seal the tiny cracks that the weldin' causes,....

I'm with grub on this one,..... I've saved a few with epoxy, so long as the leak is outside, 'n not into the oil cavities,.....
Never did the sponge trick, either used something like JB Weld, or epoxy resin, 'n glass,.....
Never worried 'bout the looks,....
The biggest draw back to either way is, if the head has to come off,....
It's done for,... the head bolts will never get to torque again,....

Exactly no sense welding a common casting like this. We used lock n stich on a mill casting at work that is probably better than welding

 

[Redrig]

okay , fair enough. I stand corrected.

Luckily I've never had a busted block , so I haven't had to research it. I just assumed they were fairly easy to weld vs JB .

 

[Baylinerchuck]

okay , fair enough. I stand corrected.

Luckily I've never had a busted block , so I haven't had to research it. I just assumed they were fairly easy to weld vs JB .

Nope, it’s a long drawn out process that if not performed perfectly results in the classic “tink” when the cast starts to cool. I’ve tried nickel rods and braising without much success.