Repairing cast iron block in California

[BillK]

SS,
I would take it over to the guys at Lock-n-stitch and see what they say. I would personally trust their system over welding. Looks like they are pretty close to you. Cant hurt.

http://www.locknstitch.com/index.html

[sidestep]

Thanks Bill, worth a look

[BillK]

Thanks Bill, worth a look

I have fixed some fairly big cracks on the outside of blocks using their pins and have never had an issue. If you look at their videos they have one where they are doing a patch in the side of a Cummins diesel block that is almost identical to what you have on your Ford.

[sidestep]

That is great to hear, there's hope yet..

[dfarr67]

I've been screwed over enough by now, there is no way I buy this stuff unless from a very trusted source. Pass on the 'deal'. Myself- I like to sleep at night so that would go for scrap or the buyer knows exactly what they are getting--no need for 'beware' here.

[PackardV8]

Have we forgotten the block is going to require boring to .060" over to clean up? IIRC, the 427"s don't have a lot of iron left to cut. Where's Barry, our resident FE expert on this?

[HDBD]

Dave Day was in Auburn, WA now in Spokane, Best I know. Aluminum Head Welders

[Keith Morganstein]

It’s a shame that it was already welded. That could have been easily repaired at a reasonable cost with metal pins.

You’re not going to pin all around the weld. Those pieces need to be cut out, a new pieces fit in and stitched with metal pins.

A couple of pin holes might be sealed with pins though.

A welder is probably going to grind all that out and start over.

The block below was welded and didn’t work out.
All the welded material was cut out, Then repaired with new pieces cut from cast iron plate and stitched in.

BD60E903-D506-4BF6-A891-D6E92544AECE.jpeg

C666010C-5FAB-424C-9A2D-9CCC063848B5.jpeg

[sidestep]

Have we forgotten the block is going to require boring to .060" over to clean up? IIRC, the 427"s don't have a lot of iron left to cut. Where's Barry, our resident FE expert on this?

Definitely a concern, and true, not advised to go 60 out. Maybe it can clean up at 40 over, and a sleeve in a bad hole. The block needs to be tanked and given a true inspection. The first shop simply measured the bore, gave a look over at condition of the block by eye. Bolted the plates down for a pressure test. One side has a few small weeps when sitting for some time, the other has a gusher that appears immediately.

It’s a shame that it was already welded. That could have been easily repaired at a reasonable cost with metal pins.

You’re not going to pin all around the weld. Those pieces need to be cut out, a new pieces fit in and stitched with metal pins.

A couple of pin holes might be sealed with pins though.

A welder is probably going to grind all that out and start over.

The block below was welded and didn’t work out.
All the welded material was cut out, Then repaired with new pieces cut from cast iron plate and stitched in.

BD60E903-D506-4BF6-A891-D6E92544AECE.jpeg

C666010C-5FAB-424C-9A2D-9CCC063848B5.jpeg

That came out really nice. Your probably right, if it gets welded, all the old patch is coming out.

[pdq67]

There should still be a place around Chapin, IL that furnace welds cast iron heads and blocks. You might want to check it out if it is still in business??

I was working on the RR tracks by the place and watched an old man weld on a head years ago! Way neat to say the least!

pdq67

[Keith Morganstein]

The guy I posted will likely do the job very well and way under the cost of the super expensive lock n stitch pins and drill fixture etc.
Not knowing for sure, but to completely redo both sides I would think would be about $2k in lock n stitch pins. I maybe way off, please correct me if so.
The welder guy is super reasonable price wise.

I can’t say what it would cost with Lock N Stitch brand.

It’s a reasonable and cost effective repair for me. $2k would be way off for sure.

[blwilliams]

If you can't find a welding shop in California there is a very good shop here in Phoenix.
Continental Diesel 602-278-7270. The owners name is Tony.
Tony specializes in repairing large land moving equipment cast iron parts.
I took a blown up Dart BBC block to him that I figured was junk and he made it like new.
He kinda laughed when I asked if he could fix my block cause it was so small compared to what he normally works on.
Best of success on getting that block fixed.

[1972ho]

BLwilliams do have any before and after pictures of your dart block, I’m just curious because I have a block that looks like a impossible task to repair.

[Newold1]

Put that block out to pasture where it belongs and write the loss off to to much trusting and unknowing exuberance! Don't dig the hole any deeper!

Contact the guys below and start with a much better block.

www.bearblockmotors.com

[blwilliams]

BLwilliams do have any before and after pictures of your dart block, I’m just curious because I have a block that looks like a impossible task to repair.

No sorry I don't.
Engine is still together. Had a wrist pin break, which knocked out part of the pan rail and part of the main webbing around the cam tunnel.
Send me some pics of what you got and I'll show them to Tony.