Welding an engine block?

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GRPrich

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I have a mercruiser 120hp 3.0 4 cylinder with a crack at the bottom of No.2 cylinder about 20mm running upwards.
After having no luck finding a block/engine for sensible £££'s in wondering if the crack can be welded up?
The crack was caused by freezing and i bought the boat (87' Sea Ray 19cc Serville) knowing this was the case.
Anyone ever had there cylinder block welded on here?
If you have any info on this it would be greatfully received!

Thanks.
 
Never an engine, but I've had some very serious stuff welded and turned back to new.

Thing is, I'm not sure these folk are around anymore.

I'd start off with finding some local engineering shops and see if they can put you on to some one.
 
Yes, I've had a block welded but it was years ago and like Haydn, I'm not sure the types that used to do this sort of work are still around.

Given the stress a block comes under, in my case at least, the split had to be 'stitched' first, bracing across the line of the split before the weld was applied.
 
I've seen it done on a veteran car engine with special dovetail wedges to "stitch" the crack together before sealing with a weld. I'm talking about twenty years ago so I don't know about the success of the technique or its current availability
 
Used these people seven or nine years ago to weld an aluminium XJS head. Did a damn good job too. Had a tour round the factory and they're still using completely serviceable pre WW2 machinery. Chappie said no-one makes anything even nearly as good. What they don't know about engines ain't worth knowing.

If it can be done they'll do it for you but probably not for half a crown. Though their methods and machines may be pre-war, IIRC their charge rates weren't.

http://www.ivorsearle.co.uk/public/index.asp
 
My brother told me about a liquid added to the water which repaired the cracked block of a vintage car. It takes a while to work, gradually the problem goes away. You can find some on google, but don't know if it's the one. I'll ask him tomorrow. Might be more of a problem with a diesel.
 
Cast welding aint that hard. Pre heated and stick welded, it would be as good as new.

Another Olde Worlde fix for such a crack, drill a few holes alone the crack and screw some self tappers in. Then grind the heads off and drill a few more holes and screw in some more self tappers. Fix 99% of it then add some "block weld".
 
GRPrich said:
I have a mercruiser 120hp 3.0 4 cylinder with a crack at the bottom of No.2 cylinder about 20mm running upwards.
After having no luck finding a block/engine for sensible £££'s in wondering if the crack can be welded up?
The crack was caused by freezing and i bought the boat (87' Sea Ray 19cc Serville) knowing this was the case.
Anyone ever had there cylinder block welded on here?
If you have any info on this it would be greatfully received!

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Old engines are easy peasy. Modern stuff which uses grey iron thin wall casting techniques is unlikely to be successful, there ain't much meat on that there bone.

Not a gasoline engine person at all but I always assumed that the base motor is 181 Cu/inch GM Vortec engine which replaced the old GM Iron Duke four jug motor. Big seller in LPG for lift market and all manner of LPG applications in the US. Engine is cheap as chips, GM used to sell new units to Hyster for $750 including delivery. Google GM Vortec 181, crate engine, also Barr Marine used to distributor.
 
Presumably the crack is below the swept area of the cylinder, below the piston rings? The suggestion is that there are firms who will bore out and fit a liner, info later.
 
Thankyou all very much for your input, didnt expect that many people to reply!
The crack is in the cylinder itself and is in the swept area of the piston rings so will have to see if there is someone out there willing to have a bash at welding it up and then machine the weld down??? Blind optimism:rolleyes:
Plenty of companies recomended by you guys so will start giving them a call first thing monday morning!
Thanks again chaps!:)
 
The ONLY way to repair that to an acceptable standard is to weld it, bore it out and have a liner made up and shrunk in place with loctite on the outer to seal and lock it.

Not an inexpensive job and dependant on how much "meat" the cylinder walls have on.

You would be better buying a recon short motor from a reconditioners.

Personally, I would buy a long motor and be done with the faffing about. :)
 
GRPrich said:
Thankyou all very much for your input, didnt expect that many people to reply!
The crack is in the cylinder itself and is in the swept area of the piston rings so will have to see if there is someone out there willing to have a bash at welding it up and then machine the weld down??? Blind optimism:rolleyes:
Plenty of companies recomended by you guys so will start giving them a call first thing monday morning!
Thanks again chaps!:)
Click to expand...

In that case, please ignore my original post as i was under the impression it was the outer block that was cracked.
 
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