5$ **** fitting ruined my entire block....
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 98
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From: Roseville
unfortunately I'm not qualified to internet diagnose the viability of your cracked engine block. Like I said though, magnaflux (magnetic particle)inspection is pretty common, I would expect most engine machine shops to be able to do it. There is also Radiographic inspection etc.... The person performing the test should be able to determine if its viable to repair or not.
It's simple really. There are two ways you can approach this and it's totally up to you. It's not the end of the world if the block fails later. You might get lucky and it could last a long time.
1. Cut the bolt hole off (the entire protruding part). Remove all the material within the range of the crack, and then a little bit more, to have the best chance of it not spreading later. You can do this by either grinding or drilling (or both). Either way you will need to clean the hell out of that oil galley and the engine will need to be disassembled. Last step would be to plug the hole by welding.
2. Clean the paint off the block and weld what you can see on the surface shut. Weld on a cap. This is risky and based on real data could result in the crack spreading. Just don't sell the car like this
and be prepared for any future issues. These cast iron blocks don't flex as much as the aluminum ones do, but a crack in an iron casting is sketchy.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Roseville
It's simple really. There are two ways you can approach this and it's totally up to you. It's not the end of the world if the block fails later. You might get lucky and it could last a long time.
1. Cut the bolt hole off (the entire protruding part). Remove all the material within the range of the crack, and then a little bit more, to have the best chance of it not spreading later. You can do this by either grinding or drilling (or both). Either way you will need to clean the hell out of that oil galley and the engine will need to be disassembled. Last step would be to plug the hole by welding.
2. Clean the paint off the block and weld what you can see on the surface shut. Weld on a cap. This is risky and based on real data could result in the crack spreading. Just don't sell the car like this and be prepared for any future issues. These cast iron blocks don't flex as much as the aluminum ones do, but a crack in an iron casting is sketchy.
1. Cut the bolt hole off (the entire protruding part). Remove all the material within the range of the crack, and then a little bit more, to have the best chance of it not spreading later. You can do this by either grinding or drilling (or both). Either way you will need to clean the hell out of that oil galley and the engine will need to be disassembled. Last step would be to plug the hole by welding.
2. Clean the paint off the block and weld what you can see on the surface shut. Weld on a cap. This is risky and based on real data could result in the crack spreading. Just don't sell the car like this
and be prepared for any future issues. These cast iron blocks don't flex as much as the aluminum ones do, but a crack in an iron casting is sketchy.
I assume you are going to have the block removed and reassembled? I also assume that hole has a straight thread fitting? You can take it to a machinist and have them mill that surface flat and hopefully remove enough material so you are machining out the cracks. If you have sufficient threads remaining then you can just plug it with a proper bolt that can accept a copper crush washer. If you don't have enough threads then you can have a plug inserted and have a welder TIG it with the proper rod, which will be something with a high nickel content.
If you're full rice you can grind it down yourself with a sanding disk on a 4.5" grinder to see if you can remove the cracks and then just drill/tap with an NPT plug. You really need to take down that hump somehow to see how deep the cracks go. Important the cracks are removed because they are stress risers and can cause the crack to continue to propagate.
If you're full rice you can grind it down yourself with a sanding disk on a 4.5" grinder to see if you can remove the cracks and then just drill/tap with an NPT plug. You really need to take down that hump somehow to see how deep the cracks go. Important the cracks are removed because they are stress risers and can cause the crack to continue to propagate.
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 126
Likes: 21
From: Florida
I might get **** for this but its still worth a mention.
I've been in a situation like this before. The right way of course is to pull it apart and weld it etc... But I can see if the engine runs fine where it is, why you wouldn't want to do that for a problem as 'small' as this.
Let me just re-emphasis that this problem is 'big' because it involves an oil galley. Oil orifice situations such as this can lead to devastating consequences for various reasons.
1. The oil system can become contaminated. Looking at the picture it looks like prime suspect grounds for tiny 'dust' particulate which may enter the oil system and create major damage
2. Any attempted fixes, even doing it 'the right way' could potentially lead to similar inclusions/contamination, so there is no guarantee that doing things 'correctly' will get it done actually properly, unless 1 person familiar with the essential character of a clean oiling passage is responsible for the entire job, and even then there is still some chance taking.
Basically my point is this. If the engine runs fine where it and all it's got is a couple spider web cracks forming in a non-load section of the block. Then I would suggest the owner who is NOT taking care of this issue themselves (pulling the block apart like a surgeon and welding it themselves) would stand just as high of chance of having a fix failure just by handing this job to somebody else, and ESPECIALLY if there is any bottom end / engine re-assembling involved. You would NEVER want somebody to take apart the rotating assembly for ANY reason, let alone an issue like this.
So honestly I would offer an improper solution. Something you may have been considering but told not to do. That for various reasons may actually be a better course, given that you will likely not perform the surgery yourself anyways.
I would suggest this then,
clean the oiling orifice using a method that limits metal inclusion/contamination. I.e. get a vacuum cleaner and use a high suction to remove all debris from that hole. Then maybe turn the motor over to get some oil coming out of there and vacuum it up a little more to make sure you get all the debris out.
Once its been cleaned of metal "dust" debris, next it must be cleaned free from oil.
Brake cleaner it and wipe it and vacuum it a hundred times. maybe use some acetone also. Solvent which break down oil and leave no residues.
Do this like your life depends on it until the area is super clean, and super dry.
Then find something to thread in gently, it doesn't have to be tight just take up most of the hole.
And cover that thing in some kind of high quality Epoxy. Maybe JB weld or similar would work. If the area is truly clean and dry it should. But it will be almost impossible to clean and dry in those cracks so watch out. Be aware it could take like an hour to evaporate solvents from the tiny cracks, with no visible indication of there being any solvent in them.
And once that thing is epoxied in, make plans to replace the engine at some point with a fresh block without cracks. Is my recommended long term 'solution'. This method is just to buy you time and avoid taking apart the engine.
<flame suit>
I've been in a situation like this before. The right way of course is to pull it apart and weld it etc... But I can see if the engine runs fine where it is, why you wouldn't want to do that for a problem as 'small' as this.
Let me just re-emphasis that this problem is 'big' because it involves an oil galley. Oil orifice situations such as this can lead to devastating consequences for various reasons.
1. The oil system can become contaminated. Looking at the picture it looks like prime suspect grounds for tiny 'dust' particulate which may enter the oil system and create major damage
2. Any attempted fixes, even doing it 'the right way' could potentially lead to similar inclusions/contamination, so there is no guarantee that doing things 'correctly' will get it done actually properly, unless 1 person familiar with the essential character of a clean oiling passage is responsible for the entire job, and even then there is still some chance taking.
Basically my point is this. If the engine runs fine where it and all it's got is a couple spider web cracks forming in a non-load section of the block. Then I would suggest the owner who is NOT taking care of this issue themselves (pulling the block apart like a surgeon and welding it themselves) would stand just as high of chance of having a fix failure just by handing this job to somebody else, and ESPECIALLY if there is any bottom end / engine re-assembling involved. You would NEVER want somebody to take apart the rotating assembly for ANY reason, let alone an issue like this.
So honestly I would offer an improper solution. Something you may have been considering but told not to do. That for various reasons may actually be a better course, given that you will likely not perform the surgery yourself anyways.
I would suggest this then,
clean the oiling orifice using a method that limits metal inclusion/contamination. I.e. get a vacuum cleaner and use a high suction to remove all debris from that hole. Then maybe turn the motor over to get some oil coming out of there and vacuum it up a little more to make sure you get all the debris out.
Once its been cleaned of metal "dust" debris, next it must be cleaned free from oil.
Brake cleaner it and wipe it and vacuum it a hundred times. maybe use some acetone also. Solvent which break down oil and leave no residues.
Do this like your life depends on it until the area is super clean, and super dry.
Then find something to thread in gently, it doesn't have to be tight just take up most of the hole.
And cover that thing in some kind of high quality Epoxy. Maybe JB weld or similar would work. If the area is truly clean and dry it should. But it will be almost impossible to clean and dry in those cracks so watch out. Be aware it could take like an hour to evaporate solvents from the tiny cracks, with no visible indication of there being any solvent in them.
And once that thing is epoxied in, make plans to replace the engine at some point with a fresh block without cracks. Is my recommended long term 'solution'. This method is just to buy you time and avoid taking apart the engine.
<flame suit>
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Roseville
I might get **** for this but its still worth a mention.
I've been in a situation like this before. The right way of course is to pull it apart and weld it etc... But I can see if the engine runs fine where it is, why you wouldn't want to do that for a problem as 'small' as this.
Let me just re-emphasis that this problem is 'big' because it involves an oil galley. Oil orifice situations such as this can lead to devastating consequences for various reasons.
1. The oil system can become contaminated. Looking at the picture it looks like prime suspect grounds for tiny 'dust' particulate which may enter the oil system and create major damage
2. Any attempted fixes, even doing it 'the right way' could potentially lead to similar inclusions/contamination, so there is no guarantee that doing things 'correctly' will get it done actually properly, unless 1 person familiar with the essential character of a clean oiling passage is responsible for the entire job, and even then there is still some chance taking.
Basically my point is this. If the engine runs fine where it and all it's got is a couple spider web cracks forming in a non-load section of the block. Then I would suggest the owner who is NOT taking care of this issue themselves (pulling the block apart like a surgeon and welding it themselves) would stand just as high of chance of having a fix failure just by handing this job to somebody else, and ESPECIALLY if there is any bottom end / engine re-assembling involved. You would NEVER want somebody to take apart the rotating assembly for ANY reason, let alone an issue like this.
So honestly I would offer an improper solution. Something you may have been considering but told not to do. That for various reasons may actually be a better course, given that you will likely not perform the surgery yourself anyways.
I would suggest this then,
clean the oiling orifice using a method that limits metal inclusion/contamination. I.e. get a vacuum cleaner and use a high suction to remove all debris from that hole. Then maybe turn the motor over to get some oil coming out of there and vacuum it up a little more to make sure you get all the debris out.
Once its been cleaned of metal "dust" debris, next it must be cleaned free from oil.
Brake cleaner it and wipe it and vacuum it a hundred times. maybe use some acetone also. Solvent which break down oil and leave no residues.
Do this like your life depends on it until the area is super clean, and super dry.
Then find something to thread in gently, it doesn't have to be tight just take up most of the hole.
And cover that thing in some kind of high quality Epoxy. Maybe JB weld or similar would work. If the area is truly clean and dry it should. But it will be almost impossible to clean and dry in those cracks so watch out. Be aware it could take like an hour to evaporate solvents from the tiny cracks, with no visible indication of there being any solvent in them.
And once that thing is epoxied in, make plans to replace the engine at some point with a fresh block without cracks. Is my recommended long term 'solution'. This method is just to buy you time and avoid taking apart the engine.
<flame suit>
I've been in a situation like this before. The right way of course is to pull it apart and weld it etc... But I can see if the engine runs fine where it is, why you wouldn't want to do that for a problem as 'small' as this.
Let me just re-emphasis that this problem is 'big' because it involves an oil galley. Oil orifice situations such as this can lead to devastating consequences for various reasons.
1. The oil system can become contaminated. Looking at the picture it looks like prime suspect grounds for tiny 'dust' particulate which may enter the oil system and create major damage
2. Any attempted fixes, even doing it 'the right way' could potentially lead to similar inclusions/contamination, so there is no guarantee that doing things 'correctly' will get it done actually properly, unless 1 person familiar with the essential character of a clean oiling passage is responsible for the entire job, and even then there is still some chance taking.
Basically my point is this. If the engine runs fine where it and all it's got is a couple spider web cracks forming in a non-load section of the block. Then I would suggest the owner who is NOT taking care of this issue themselves (pulling the block apart like a surgeon and welding it themselves) would stand just as high of chance of having a fix failure just by handing this job to somebody else, and ESPECIALLY if there is any bottom end / engine re-assembling involved. You would NEVER want somebody to take apart the rotating assembly for ANY reason, let alone an issue like this.
So honestly I would offer an improper solution. Something you may have been considering but told not to do. That for various reasons may actually be a better course, given that you will likely not perform the surgery yourself anyways.
I would suggest this then,
clean the oiling orifice using a method that limits metal inclusion/contamination. I.e. get a vacuum cleaner and use a high suction to remove all debris from that hole. Then maybe turn the motor over to get some oil coming out of there and vacuum it up a little more to make sure you get all the debris out.
Once its been cleaned of metal "dust" debris, next it must be cleaned free from oil.
Brake cleaner it and wipe it and vacuum it a hundred times. maybe use some acetone also. Solvent which break down oil and leave no residues.
Do this like your life depends on it until the area is super clean, and super dry.
Then find something to thread in gently, it doesn't have to be tight just take up most of the hole.
And cover that thing in some kind of high quality Epoxy. Maybe JB weld or similar would work. If the area is truly clean and dry it should. But it will be almost impossible to clean and dry in those cracks so watch out. Be aware it could take like an hour to evaporate solvents from the tiny cracks, with no visible indication of there being any solvent in them.
And once that thing is epoxied in, make plans to replace the engine at some point with a fresh block without cracks. Is my recommended long term 'solution'. This method is just to buy you time and avoid taking apart the engine.
<flame suit>
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 126
Likes: 21
From: Florida
well a little bit of block dust gets inside that engine and it could be short lived. Be sure whatever you do that you treat it like surgery, the blood of a human being. I can't stress that enough.
Dont even touch it with your hands. Be sure to clean and use gloves.
Its a damn shame something like this is even possible. Maybe that's why they updated the thread in later years.
Every engine has stuff like this though. LS engines have starter bosses that break. SR engines have annoyingly easy to strip turbo feed lines from the factory. 2jz engines have crank reluctor wheels that fly apart unless welded. Its always something lol.
JB weld might be fine but be aware, there are MANY higher quality epoxy type of sealants out there. Theres probably one good one for this exact type of thing (oil residues). Maybe do some research on a superior quality adhesive since this seems like a very important fix for an expensive engine.
Dont even touch it with your hands. Be sure to clean and use gloves.
Its a damn shame something like this is even possible. Maybe that's why they updated the thread in later years.
Every engine has stuff like this though. LS engines have starter bosses that break. SR engines have annoyingly easy to strip turbo feed lines from the factory. 2jz engines have crank reluctor wheels that fly apart unless welded. Its always something lol.
JB weld might be fine but be aware, there are MANY higher quality epoxy type of sealants out there. Theres probably one good one for this exact type of thing (oil residues). Maybe do some research on a superior quality adhesive since this seems like a very important fix for an expensive engine.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Roseville
well a little bit of block dust gets inside that engine and it could be short lived. Be sure whatever you do that you treat it like surgery, the blood of a human being. I can't stress that enough.
Dont even touch it with your hands. Be sure to clean and use gloves.
Its a damn shame something like this is even possible. Maybe that's why they updated the thread in later years.
Every engine has stuff like this though. LS engines have starter bosses that break. SR engines have annoyingly easy to strip turbo feed lines from the factory. 2jz engines have crank reluctor wheels that fly apart unless welded. Its always something lol.
JB weld might be fine but be aware, there are MANY higher quality epoxy type of sealants out there. Theres probably one good one for this exact type of thing (oil residues). Maybe do some research on a superior quality adhesive since this seems like a very important fix for an expensive engine.
Dont even touch it with your hands. Be sure to clean and use gloves.
Its a damn shame something like this is even possible. Maybe that's why they updated the thread in later years.
Every engine has stuff like this though. LS engines have starter bosses that break. SR engines have annoyingly easy to strip turbo feed lines from the factory. 2jz engines have crank reluctor wheels that fly apart unless welded. Its always something lol.
JB weld might be fine but be aware, there are MANY higher quality epoxy type of sealants out there. Theres probably one good one for this exact type of thing (oil residues). Maybe do some research on a superior quality adhesive since this seems like a very important fix for an expensive engine.
Evolved Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,110
Likes: 320
From: Croatia
You need to take the oil pump off, gearbox off, thake the rear oil gallery plug out and then you can clean it... Taking the crank out is also good to clean the oil feeds to the crank...
at that point you can just as well weld the crack with bronze filler and be done with it.. I used bronze filler with TIG to weld a stainless AN fitting to the block and it works perfectly..
I would not **** around with drilling/tapping that hole without completely disassembling the engine.
It sounds like a pain now. But it's way better than a clump drill shavings finding its way into a main bearing..
It sounds like a pain now. But it's way better than a clump drill shavings finding its way into a main bearing..
This^. Do it right the first time. Plus it’s a MAP built block, I’d get it verified anyway.