Cracked engine block

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Rocket

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A friend of mine has a stock bored 71 360 block that is cracked in the lifter valley. The crack is around 1 inch long length wise across one of the water jackets about an inch from the top of the block. Can this be adequately repaired and if so what is the best proceedure to ensure no coolant enters the oil?

Thanks
 
Being that close to the deck where the head bolts will really be pulling on it I would say no, don't bother. All the time and money spent to build an engine just to have it start leaking again, i would seach for another block. It can be done though.
 
By "from the top" you mean down from the deck surface? Between the lifter areas and the deck? That can be repaired, by stiching or welding, but either repair may distort the block's demensions. So after repair, it should be all checked again.
 
I would check with a air hose and some soapy water to see if it is a crack or a casting flaw.Was there a problem before with the block putting water into the oil?If you used a carbide cutter to grind it and see if the crack is deep into the wall casting,you can see from their.cast iron can be welded and repaired if its not in a vital area.Post of a picture could help us even more to help you.Mrmopartech
 
Here is a picture of the lifter valley. As you can see there is a repair. Sorry the picture is not so great. The wld bead is around 3 inches long. I ground down the brass weld to illustrate where it is. I have not cut the weld down to the block but plan to do so before bring the block to the shop for inspection and eventual repair and rebuild. I am not sure of the type of issue this wld is trying to cover up but I suspect it is a crack. Looks like the interals go a little hot at some point (lifter bases scorched). I live in the Montreal area. Are there any places that can be trusted to do a quality job of this?

Thanks
 
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