My 440 block is cracked and so am I

[Ghengis]

My 85 Laser bracket car runs low 10.1's all season and I expect a 9 when the air gets better.

A coolant leak last weekend at the track turned out to be a cracked 440 block and not a frost plug as i thought. The crack was between the two rearmost frost plugs on the starter motor side. The crack runs between the frost plugs. The block was "hard-packed" or concreted last winter at a reputable race machine shop. I used JB Weld on the thing and will put some "Stop-Leak" stuff in the coolant at the track this weekend if necessary.

Anyone seen this problem before? Comments? Causes?

Mopar rules.

[ZIPPY]

I have seen it before, but only on the other (passenger) side of the block. In that case, it was because the idiot who ran the engine before used straight water and then parked it all winter without draining the block.

440's are known to want to crack between the freeze plugs on both sides though, it's actually a fairly common problem.

Since your block is partially filled anyway, would it be possible to just add more filler, until it gets just above the crack?

Sounds like the deal with your block might be more HP/flex related, or maybe a long time ago before you got the block, somebody let water freeze in it and it cracked slightly, maybe even on the inside---then the crack spread over time as you raced it and subjected it to alot of stress.

[PRO]

Ive only seen it like ZIPPY said,straight water in winter,but does your block have the reinforcement rib?it runs between those freeze plugs and is a 1/8" raised section,maybe thats why they reinforced it there,if u repalce it u might want to get one,most 68-73 blocks have it,sounds like a cool car,very fast!!!...PRO....

[Ghengis]

Thanks for the replies, guys. No, my block does not have the extra ribbing in the frost plug area. One of my other blocks does.
I had to use some KleenFlo "stop leak" in the rad this weekend to dry up the leak. It worked great and there was no noticeable change in water flow or running temperature. The car worked great and I recorded my best ET to date: 10.020 at 134.76. I tried hard for the 9 second run but no luck. I had several 1.400 60ft. times but feel I must do better if I am going to get 9. (Great wheelies, though.)
I am now running without a hood scoop due to problems I had with engine misfiring when I was using a fairly large hoodscoop. The engine sits high in my car so that the carb is only about 4 inches from the roof of the scoop. I guess the airflow caused low pressure in the fuel bowls and the fuel wouldn't flow properly. The engine would lean out and misfire. Sounds simple right? Well it took a few weekends to figure out what was happening. A few good racers looked at the car, too. I found the trouble more or less by accident. Good thing, too. I was so frustrated from chasing this weird problem, changing ignition components, carbs, etc., etc. that I was ready to fall on my camshaft and end it all!!

As for the cracked block, I plan to weld it over the winter and add another inch of hardblock to it. I'll not hardblock another engine, though. I think the block cracked because of it and the horsepower gains are not worth the broken part.

Mopar rules.