Frozen block

[BIZMANRACING]

in 24 hours i got alot of useful information. some of it makes me sad and has me feeling that i'll be spending another summer making money to replace a motown block and the cost of all the machining. others give me hope that thanks to the plugs the metal never got stressed enough to crack. but, if it did the magic of JB weld could have me racing in a month. question is would it be "wise" to risk the thousands of dollars invested if i physically see "a crack". with a sick mother and father in and out of nursing homes my time is truely not my own.

as for the questions that referrrnace "why would i do that". i have no answer. i could give one only to find myself in the forest gump catagory. life gets in the way of living sometimes and we make wrong, poor or late choices that cost us money, time and unhappyness/stress.

so with that said, i got what i asked for in this forum. maybe i'll know something on sunday then maybe it will not be until next sunday or the one after that. my time is not mine. this is a hobby and is at the mercy of the time i can give it. the good news is that i just love working on cars. sitting behind a desk all day i get real excitied to turn wrenches.

hope the news is good for my concern. thanks

[buzzinhalfdozen]

Carlos, didn't mean to sound sarcastic in my post I hope you find no "real" damage. This may be helpful in the future, I made up a check list for my car one for the fall and 1 for the spring time, just list all the things you need to do and check them off as they're done. I know all about getting busy at times, this check sheet saves me from having to remember what I have and haven't done. Good luck Joe

[BIZMANRACING]

its ok joe, its just my turn to be a dumb ***. **** happens and its my turn. i just have to deal with it.

i do have a question based on one of the posts. now my freeze plug came from the back. now assuming that when it hit the fan the water in the block was frozen then it would not of leaked out until it was warm enough to melt the ice. if that is so then all the water and antifreeze would come out of that plug hole. my trailer floor is painted and alot of that paint was peeling up thanks to the antifreeze i think. but, if it was cracked then some of the water/antifreeze would drop into the oil pan.

i have 2 plugs on my pan. one up top and the usual one on the bottom. if i open the top one and something comes out (oil) then i'm up **** creek. means product of unwanted form (water) made it into it. god i hope i open it up and its dry. then that leaves the bottom one. i'll just dump it into an open pan and see if the polar water molecules separate from the not polor molecules of the oil.

funny thing is what good is knowing this bull**** about molecules. you gotta laugh, it looks like **** when men cry.

[kenny v]

Before you scrap your block , I have seen some blocks get welded but you need to find a welder that welds cast iron. Can't hurt to ask someone.

[BIZMANRACING]

i called scharioff about the "concept" of welding. cost of pressure testing through them was 200. then if a crack was there. then it depended on if the crack could be reached. the worst case of a block that "could" be welded was an addition 500. then there is shipping to and from. probally a 100 on each side. so assuming that it can be done the bottom line is something just short or above 1000.

called my engine builder and asked for a bottom line worst case. block 2000, machining small block and clearaning for a 427. 600. gaskets, bearings, rings another 600. then 1000 for him. total 4200.

i'm as sick as i can be. in these times this could kill someone. thus my statement. whats life going to be like after drag racing.

during better times i would say "its only money, just go make more of it" but, it hurts to much to think that way. so since tomorrow will come, i'll just do my best to get through today.

after i do a shady tree mechanic pressure test on the block. (block intack with new freeze plugs in, water pump still mounted, cponnect the rad and the hoses, then pressure from the rad cap to 13 ppounds any hope she might be ok.

[Rich Biebel]

If the block is freeze cracked it is usually easy to find. It probably left a rust trail that would lead you to the crack. You can dry powder mag the crack area to confirm it if it was all apart. It is pretty easy to pressure test a block yourself as you described. Put water in it first and then pressurize it with the oil pan off. Drain it out when your done though..... Welding a cast iron block is not a good way to go in my opinion. There is also a process called stitch welding and that is also not a good way to go. Any internal crack is going to leak water into the oil. I have actually seen an epoxy repair work better than a welded repair......but I wouldn't recommend it especially if the crack is internal. You would be better off parking your car and waiting until you had enough money to get a new block rather than risking all your parts on a block that had a crack and was repaired. I have seen to many failures of supposedly properly welded race engine parts.....Being out of racing is not a big deal as it is usually there when your ready to return and it's like you didn't miss a thing.....well almost.....I have had 2 freeze cracked blocks in my many years of messing with cars........It's not fun....good luck

[Ron Finney]

Ask your machinist about filling the block with block filler, depending on where it is cracked. You may be able to stabilize the crack (drilling the ends, etc.), and the filler would seal it from any water. Might be an option..... Also, there is a process for crack repair that the remanufacturers use called lacing. They actually drill and tap a hole in the crack and then put in a special bolt that the head breaks off of. Then they drill another, then another until they overlap, filling all of the crack. Once the repair is done, they shot peen the casting and you can't even find where it was laced. Not sure where you could find anyone who does that procedure, but you could contact an engine remanufacturer that might be close, they might do it for you. Just a couple of options that hopefully might help.

Good Luck, keep us posted.

Ron
33 S/C

[buzzinhalfdozen]

Carlos, very sorry to hear of your fathers passing, it really brought back some memories. My dad passed a couple years back and though he and I really never got along, watching him die was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. I just hope you and your dad were on good terms as their deathbed is not the place to reconcile. Joe

[X-TECH MAN]

[QUOTE=BIZMANRACING

"why would i do that". i have no answer. i could give one only to find myself in the forest gump catagory. life gets in the way of living sometimes and we make wrong, poor or late choices that cost us money, time and unhappyness/stress.



Its kind of like getting MARRIED......lol