Engine block madness!

[DeetFreek]

Finally after a good two years after I pull the engine out of my A1, it went to the machine shop where all was well, or so I thought. Initially a boring was going to be the ultimate question of whether or not I had a good start to my project. It was an untouched block, never having any internal machining done, but needing it done in a bad way. #4 piston had galled at some point and wore a nice groove in the cylinder wall, boring out +.030 took that out. Fast forward a week and half and I receive a call from the machine shop, I'm told that a crack has been found between the #3 cylinder and the valve boss.

Has anyone had a block repaired, or is easier to turn it into a boat anchor now? Leads on a donor block are welcome too lol.

 

[tstone]

I don't recommend using a block with a crack in any location; with expansion and contraction the crack could migrate. I'd see if you can find a good rebuildable engine or block, you'll be glad you did in the long run.
Good Luck

 

[just me]

Block welding USED to be a common repair. But finding someone who can correctly do it in today's throw away and buy new world might be difficult.
All those experienced have retired or died and kids these days never wanted to learn the skills. It is now a lost art.
Finding a good block, however shouldn't be too hard. Just maybe pricey. And always a pig in a poke until you magnaflux it.

 

[dmetalmiki]

Not that you would want to do it(?). But, years ago I bought an M38A1 (for less than) 'sold as scrap' cracked block jeep.
I was young and enthusiastic..wanted to drive it. Got it home, put two eggs and a can of block sealer in it..Drove it for 8years no problems, and sold it to a chap who is still running it to this day....

 

[just me]

Flax, Waterglass, ginger and pepper can all act as sealants for radiators and block leaks with varying results.

 

[M543A2]

We do not run pressure on all of our older vehicles. If the rest of your cooling system is in good shape you can do that and lower the risk of coolant leaking along with using a sealant.

 

[DeetFreek]

I know it used to be done on many ag implement motors, and tbh, I need to call the machine shop back to find out exactly where the crack is to determine whether or not I even want to entertain the idea of block filling.

 

[DeetFreek]

Update: After calling around, searching ebay and CL to no avail (I had some good leads but nothing panned out) I had pretty much resigned myself to putting it on the back burner again. When I get a text from a buddy telling me there's a block not even 20 miles away in a barn. SCORE!!!! And to top it off, the gentleman says to make sure it's in good condition before I pay him, DOUBLE SCORE!!! Now, almost 5 months later, the block has been to two different machine shops (had to get farmed out for the line bore) and received the once over more than once. It's good, had to sleeve one cylinder, fresh cylinder and line bore to bring it back, valve seats re-worked, rebuild kit ordered and on the way and I will be soon working on getting a powerplant back together over the winter.