repair cracked engine block

is there anyone who has repaired an engine by stitching pins?
it looks easy watching on various sites but how can a hole be drilled through a crack in a cast iron block without jamming then tapped
 


Yes I have done several , Lock & stitch works best for

blocks , Iron tite works well for cracks in cyl heads.

george
 
Don't have and answer for that . Years back their were two brother that had Youngstown cold weld in a old run down old factory and they would fix any crack anyplace in and engine or head . BUT you never saw them do it , some people said they welded them , they did not own a welder . You would take a head or block up to them and drop it off on the UNLOADING DOCK then go into the office and they would take your name and what engine or head you dropped off and they would tell you to come back in four days and it would be done . You knew where thew crack was when you dropped it off and when you picked it up you could not see where the crack was or any different metal in the area of the old crack. Now how they did this was a better guarded secret then area 51 as they would never tell a sole .
 
Hi all I have seen is a couple of youtube videos on it and they seem to make it work out. Funny thing is there is an article in the vintage tractor and machinery magazine from the U.k(the one with low hour TW on the cover) that landed here in Canada today, about block welding.

Is says those lock n stitch pins are really only used for rare or real expensive blocks in construction equipment . it also says something like in some blocks, they don't work to well due to the different heat expansion rates of metals involved. I got a p6 E27N block here I wanted to do and try them but I can't afford to do it like that really, from what a local machine shop said. he figured welding might be a more viable option. I know thats a 50/50 go round of success to!. I'm thinking maybe higher success and price still with the lock n stitch pins.
Regards Robert
 
Yes, I have used Lock and Stitch on several blocks and have never had a comeback. Not cheap but very effective repair. The tooling is quite expensive.
 
I have had Chapman welding in IL. repair a number of heads for me with no problems. They heat the head in a gas stove/ furnace until cherry red. The crack shows up as a dark line. With a torch they work the metal out around the crack and weld it back with a cast rod. They slowly turn the heat down over a number of hours or days depending on the size. Their torches have tips over 2' long. I don't know if they can do a block. Shipping sometime can be an expense.
 
Ed,I think you meant,Chapin Cylinder Head & Block Inc.in Chapin Illinois.They have been in business for many,many years and have done quality work for me many times on different things years ago.
Chapin
 
I did a 6" long water jacket crack in an Oliver diesel block. Took about 45 minutes. I'd bet you wouldn't tell where it was repaired.

Ross
 
A lot depends on where and why the block is cracked. If the engine froze and cracked the outside water jacket you can probably repair it with JB Weld. We repaired a 350 Chevy that was frozen with JB Weld and raced it for several more years. I just vee'd it with a grinder about 1/4 " deep and applied the epoxy repair. If the crack is inside between cylinders then the lock and stitch usually works. You must drill a hole at each end or the crack,use the proper sealant and just tighten the plugs enough to seal but not so tight as to open the crack. Then proceed toward the middle with your plugs. If you need to weld around the back of the block where a bolt hole broke out then preheating and electric welding or brazing is probably the best option. If you aren't confident in your own capabilities then you will have to take it to a pro or one of the "wizards" on this forum. Sam Womer(PA)
 

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