block crack in oilpan rail

3W Hank

Well-known member
Picked up a block, a 59A and it was bored 1/8" over and not bad cylinder and no cracks in exhaust to cylinder.
Its in the hot tank now.
Clean I can inspect better.
But its a crack in the oilpan rail, se picture.
I heard of this, but how critical is it from experiance.
Weld or pinn it or grind out and chemical metal ?
Ideas.
 

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One of the worst places Not worth repairing period. Way too much work for the return and risk. It froze. Very weak there with so much water jacket thin from studs. Too many good blocks over here plus it costs a fortune to build a great flathead so why use any part that’s questionable.
 
This is not my block and I'm not incharge as enginebuilder and allot of money in it.
I will se tomorrow if I can se crack going inside, well then its over.
If not, its might worth a try drill end holes, grind and JB weld and a pressuare test.
I’ll just did like to hear experiance on this type of crack.
 
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This is not my block and I'm not incharge as enginebuilder and allot of money in it.
I will se tomorrow if I can se crack going inside, well then its over.
If not, its might worth a try drill end holes, grind and JB weld and a pressuare test.
I’ll just did like to hear experiance on this type of crack.

I would pressure test this before any thing, Looking for other freeze damage.
I would be tempted to braze this, then pressure test again. Magnaflux the top end.

Karl
 
If that is the extent of the crack it is not too bad. If there are multiple cracks along the sides of the pan rail, then it is normally not worth trying to repair. I have a block that had a crack just like that. I used special high nickel rods in an arc welder and welded it up. I had to do it slowly so the block did not get hot. I then applied a smear of jb weld to ensure it was sealed. It has worked ok since.
 
Thanks guys, lets see what the he like to do.
I think as he is on his own I think it might be worth a try.

Today I saw a brand new 8BA industrial engine on a pallet, for sale.
15 minues from me… so its still parts around no cracked etc etc etc.
 
Thanks guys, lets see what the he like to do.
I think as he is on his own I think it might be worth a try.

Today I saw a brand new 8BA industrial engine on a pallet, for sale.
15 minues from me… so its still parts around no cracked etc etc etc.

Be careful of stuff like this; there may be a very good reason that it is still strapped to a pallet after all of these years. New is not always good.
 
I'm not into that pallet 8BA, just said there are parts around, owner will fire up just for fun.

The oil rail cracked block is up at tank, and I can't see anything in cracks on outside or inside block.
It was not 'that' rusty inside water jackets anyway.

-I don't know what will happend to it.

But as its allready a sleeve in it and its really rusted inside cylinders and bored 1/8" over ( 3.3125" ) so I don't know how much it need be bored or its even needs a sleeve in that next dimention.
I only found Egge #910192 at 3.375", maybe they dont sell bigger ?

Look at the picture, its drilled holes in the lifter bores, the other cracked block I has here has not got that holes.
 

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Hank the lifter bore holes are common. A pin placed in the hole is used to hold the adjustable lifter from turning so the lifter can be adjusted for the correct clearance to the valve stem. The adjustable lifter has four oval shaped recesses in the outer surface the pin when placed into the recessed area holds the lifter so adjustment's can be made. The pictures of the oil pan rail crack are not that bad over all easy to fix. As long as no other cracks are found by pressure testing the block.
Ronnieroadster
 
I had a 90 Olds 307. I hated that car. Seat belts were powered, but the engine was not. I let it freeze up. It split both sides of the block from deck to pan. I got it up and vee’d the cracks. I welded both side with no preheat and one continus pass. Engine ran fine and never gave any problem at all. I think the trick was that I only slightly vee’d the crack. I had a nice 99 block with both rails split. I sold it before I did the Olds. I would now weld it without hesitation.
 
Its become a 50/50 on this.
Me when I see this crack, well a mild weld job or grind/JB and a pressuare test.
When it comes to crack like this, well then its a crack and its over. Se picture.
How many blocks I seen welded, pinned over the years peole leave in for bore, resto.
Me, I had only bad experiance on block sold on pallets..
One 440 I bought ( customer payed big bucks, stroker etc etc, dyno ) but the ’nice’ block I found on a pallet was cracked, saw it at dyno….so I had to give him a new Mopar Performance block to had him happy ( and me = learning ! )
In business I never do it, but this guy, well its his way.

I brought in now 6-7 blocks all ruined.
Bad luck or should I bought a complete running car :- ))

Note. Block on pictures is NOT a block I got…a example only ( Merc 41 )
 

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