Re: Cracked block

Posted by JD on April 09, 2002 at 06:50:41 from (65.169.84.67):

In Reply to: Cracked block posted by Shank on April 08, 2002 at 19:45:30:

Slag is right, welding on an assembled and cold cast iron block will get you in more trouble than you want! You can always find some clown to "weld a bead" along the crack, but I've done this as part of my job for nearly 20 years, so I know a little about welding CI blocks. To weld it PROPERLY, the block HAS TO BE disassembled completely and heated to 500+ degrees, welded, then returned to the oven to be cooled slowly. We actually bury the block in heated sand and use a "cooling" oven that gradually lowers the temp from about 450 degrees to room temperature over a period of 48+ hours depending on how much welding we had to do. Of course this much heating usually requires machining and a complete rebuild and gets very expensive very quickly.
Anyway, I've rambled on this long to tell you this... Go to a good autoparts store and get a ceramic engine sealant. There are several brands out there. I usually use "CeramiSeal" but they are all about the same. If you shop at a good autoparts store that knows its stuff, they will have one of the brands in stock or able to get it quickly. This is not just a different form of "Silverseal" or some sealant you pour in your coolant. To use the ceramic sealants, you need to drain and flush your block with a good coolant system flush (I usually use twice the recommended strength and run the flush 2-3 times as long as they say to just to make sure its clean in there) Then you flush it a couple more times with water, and follow the directions on the sealant. You will have to be patient, because most of the sealants require you to leave it set for 24+ hours after you treat the engine, before you fill it back up with coolant.
The ceramic sealants coat the interior of the engine completely and will seal most cracks. I've even tried it on an engine with a crack large enough to slip a piece of paper through it and it worked.
And before you ask, no, I don't work for one of the ceramic seal companies or get kick-backs from them. I'm also not trying to put myself out of business. I have plenty of engines to weld that are cracked or broken too badly to repair with the sealant. As long as rods keep breaking and going through the sides of engines, I'll have a job!

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