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1275 Block Welding

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Blueghost

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Purchased core 1275 engine for rebuild - no guaranteed history but claimed running. Have found head in very good shape. Main and Rod brg wear very minimal, no scoring on crank. Cylinders have not yet been bored. After disassembly found number 2 cylinder has serious problem. Top ring side clearance very excessive, about .075". All others good. And a small pea sized chunk missing above and below below top ring, not visible from top of piston. No big deal because pistons will be replaced.

BUT, after clean up, also have visible crack in block starting in that area (left side, 9:00 looking down starting 1" below deck), and going forward to top deck. Continues forward thru 1/2" water jacket between cyl #1 and #2, and then down into #1 about 1".

Question: I'm not at all a cylinder head or block welding fan. I know if done right, and properly worked afterword, it can be fine. Big IF. I haven't researched cost (and performance) of welding, machining, and probable outcome, as compared to cost of (and availability of) good block, 1st overhaul. If answer for possible repair is 1) NO WAY or 2) No Problem, I can live with it. I'm hoping it is not 3) maybe OK, maybe not. I can settle for 1275 block that is .020 over and needs next oversize, but not perfered. What do all the experienced welders have to say? Help.
 
Additional to above; Because there is no visible damage to top of piston, I am suspicious damage started as block crack, which then damaged piston, rather than something sucked through intake system (FOD). Crack is not in an area that I would typically expect, ie at thinnest part cylinders, or at thin parts of head. However, I do not have great experience with these blocks, and defer to you experts. Is the 1/2" water jacket hole a known place to start cracks, or do cracks typically start in a cylinder and find their way to this hole??????
 
Possible to re sleeve this one? Let's see what the experts say. I'm thinking cheaper to find a new block.
 
Agree with Jim. I had a similar problem that would have required 2 sleeve's and a good block off of E-bay was cheaper.

Kurt.
 
As above. There are enough good core 1275 blocks out there that you will find one of them less expensive to start with than trying to save the damaged block you have.
 
Add another the the "nother block" gang. Welding a cast iron block is always questionable and usually expensive.
 
Thanks All, The message is clear, as I expected, don't waste money on a questionable weld job when blocks are affordable and available.

So who has a good first bore 1275 block at a give-away price on the west coast (Oregon) with nearly free shipping? Alternately, who has a first bore 1275 block at a not-so-give-away price with nearly free shopping? Lastly, who has a barely useable overpriced block? I'm not in a hurry, so option 3 isn't likely; option 2 highly probable; option 1, I'll be there in the morning. Again, Thanks all. Blueghost.
 
Well I never did get around to using the replacement block that I mentioned above and kinda went overboard on Datsun engine's instead. Could part with it but freight from the midwest might be prohibitive. Grey Hound would probably be best if that would work on your end. PM me if interested.

Kurt.
 
Thanks All, I sent PM to Nomad about his block. I'll leave this post open for a little while to see if anyone closer to Portland Oregon has a good block. Blueghost.
 
Pin it. I do flathead Fords all the time. My machine shop does the old K&W block repair. Tapered drill, tapered tap, tapered cast iron plugs. Crank 'em in, snap 'em off, drill next hole halfway into the plug and keep going.
Cast iron plus....expand and contract just like the original cast iron.
In fact, when they want to sleeve afterwards, I tell 'em no, just bore it into the plugs.
300K, never leaked or failed.
 
TOC, in the midwest we always called that plugging and it worked great on heads but I don't know how you could do it down inside a cylinder bore. We had diesel engine heads that were prone to cracking and it was the preferred repair since it allowed some flexing.

Kurt.
 
Depends on how far down it is. If all the way, yeah, needs a sleeve. Inch, you can pin it.
 
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