Can this be fixed ??

[Healey Nut]

So I was moving parts around today trying to clean up the place and find some stuff I needed to work on the 64 .
I decided to mount the 62 Tri-Carb block on my engine stand to make it easier to move around . I found a big crack in the block on the cylinder head end .
I bought this 62 Tri-Carb a while back , it was all in pieces when I bought it and didnt examine all the parts thoughly . Its definatley cracked I took out the freeze plug below the crack and put fogging oil on the crack and it did penetrate all the way through I could see inside through the freeze plug hole .
I really would like to use this block if possible . When I got the car the seller had no BHMIT cert and I took a chance on it as it had an original factory hardtop . I had the car searched and its a full matching numbers 62 BT7 . If the car wasnt matching numbers I would have just sold it for parts and made my money back easily .
Has anyone had any luck repairing this kind of problem . I know the crack would have to be ground out and a hole drilled at each end to halt its progression but can it be welded ?

This maybe a dumb question but why would the block crack and not push out the freeze plugs ?
It must have been cracked when I got it as it was all open and dry when I bought the car . :eagerness:

 

[TFR1]

It may be expensive, but I have had great success with a company
called Lock-N-Stitch.
It is an old school, tried and true, method that has been around for many years. Not welding, but a series of tapered pins drilled and interlocked to form a perfect seal.

I am sure there are other companies that do this. There are also do it youself kits, but I chose to let the experts do the repair.

TFR1

 

[Randy Forbes]

I concur; I believe that more repairs turn out successful with metal stitching (as described above) than by welding, mostly due to inadequate pre heating and post heating (controlled process to bring the temperature up slowly and down slowly).

 

[LarryK]

Freeze plugs are a false name. They are not made to pop out when frozen. They are there to plug the holes after manufacture of the block. These holes let out the casting sand which is used in the molding of the block. Someone back in the early years named these core plugs freeze plugs and from then on most assumed they would pop out when freezing as some have done. I've seen them let loose when overheating too.

 

[Keoke]

Well it sounds good Randy . However, I would look for a good spare block first

 

[Brinkerhoff]

I'd look for another block . Oh , wait ! I found one yest. out in my shed. Its out of an early 3000 and disassembled. I'll sell the short block for $500 , its good.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Anybody notice this comment in the original post?

"... If the car wasnt matching numbers I would have just sold it for parts and made my money back easily."

 

[Healey Nut]

Anybody notice this comment in the original post?

My point exactly Randy thats why I want to try and repair the cracked block ......Yeah yeah yeah I know I could just get a good block and switch the tags and no one would be the wiser but .........I would know ............

 

[healeyblue]

Anybody notice this comment in the original post?

I did. That's why I didn't offer one of my two spare blocks

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Sorry, just trying to offer a cost effective solution. Some stuff you buy when it comes along. I have two Healeys and both have good engines. I'll never need a spare block.

 

[Healey Nut]

Ok its officially a boat anchor . The water jacket crack was fixable but Magnaflux testing found more cracks than the OJ defence case so now Im on the hunt for a useable uncracked BT7 block if anyone has one going for a reasonable price .

Or as an alternate could I use the Tri Carb set up on a BJ8 motor as they are easy to come by ?

 

[Keoke]

could I use the Tri Carb set up on a BJ8 motor as they are easy to come by ?

Yes it will work and that is a stronger motor.

 

[DerekJ]

If the car is a standard BT7 I don't see any reason to get hung up on matching numbers, shouldn't affect the value of the car, it's only dealers that peddle that line. And anyone can attach a 'new' old engine tag if they want to.

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Healey Nut,
Admire you trying to use the original block and not wanting to use a replacement with a new engine tag. But, I would think as long as it was the same style block from a 3000 which was identical to every other 3000 block, no difference in putting on the new engine tag. Other than that piece of thin aluminum for the tag, no diff on one block to another. You have the correct, original tri carb set up and that's the important part.
Regards
Mike

 

[British_Recovery]

In the interest of authenticity, and not misleading any future owners ( and possible resellers ), I would put in another engine without changing any number plates, but make the original engine available should he want it, even though it is trash. Just my opinion. Everything can work properly, and even look good, but why falsify the specifics of a particular engine?
Bob

 

[DerekJ]

Bob

I didn't say I would do it, I'm saying its easy to do. In fact it might already have been done to the engine that is in the car. keeping the old block is a good idea if you have space and can be certain it is the original block.

 

[British_Recovery]

It makes a good anvil.

 

[germanmichel]

Hello ,

welding of steel casting is very difficult because you have to heatup the block near to welding temperature and you have always the big risk that the weld seems become brittle.
You never get a homogeneous material structure. The best result you will get from companys there are specialised with this challenge. They work with special weld material.

If you will do it by yourself , I would do it as following: Clean the crack very well. Heat up the block with a "fire resource ". What does it mean practically ? Ceramic oven .. Big Gasburner e.g. what ever to reach this high temperature. You have to reach in my opinion minimum 600°c. Than use brass soldering specially developed for this application. (melting temperature approximately 900-1000°C ) If you get bad results the block ist not destroyed structurally.. and you can start with mechanical solutions....

Good luck.


Bye michel - who post from cloudy germany

 

[Healey Nut]

Well here it is , boat anchor anyone ??

 

[DerekJ]

If you want it to look original then don't get a BJ8 engine as they are immediately recognisable due to the position of the dip stick.