318 engine crack/itch!

[tommeide]

I've been so unlucky to find out that one of my 318 engine block has a crack!

Is there any ways to repair such a thing without changing the engine?

is there any fluids, og pastas ot anytihn that is ok to use?

hoping for an answer.....

[rumblefish360]

Nope. Your gonna need to change it out. Do it right. No goop. IF, if the block can be saved, it will need to be out of the engine bay in a shop.

[tommeide]

it is a very smaal crack. a bit under the left head

there are just a few drops of water comming out......

[c318cuin]

You need to pull the engine an have it looked at by someone who knows how to fix it. I have an uncle that works for CAT. He used to repair their diesel blocks until the doctor told him he was getting poisoned from it. He told me that if you were not very careful you might even shatter the block. I know that fixing a crack usually involves drilling holes at the ends of the cracks and then welding up the holes and the crack but that is all I know other than that is you cant wait to fix a crack as they can destroy an engine quickly.

Hope that helps.

Ps. all cracks start small otherwise you would not need to magnaflux a block before a rebuild to see em. :-)

[3404speed]

welding a block is a pain. It would probably just be as easy to get another engine. You have to have a very clean surfase to weld to so you have to clean the block and heat it. This is very difficult because cast iron is very porous and absourbs a lot of oil and junk. Then an oven would head it ok and then weld. I've seen JB weld work very well on a farm I worked on. We used it because we needed a new engine anyway so why not try it and then replace it when we had some down time. We did and it worked. Held all summer and as far as I know its still goin. It can't hurt to try. It will probably cheaper to get a new engine anyway. Use JB weld and drive it around while you build or get another engine. You can get 318 cores pretty cheap.

[72Challenger]

"You can get 318 cores pretty cheap."

Probably not. Notice where he's from. I doubt there are many Mopars in the wrecking yards of Norway.

It is possible, c318cuin gave you the correct procedure. It is important to find someone who is experienced in this or they can make it worse.

Good luck!

[3404speed]

yah...didn't see where he was from. Get that engine pulled as soon as possible. Make sure you find a repudable shop that knows how to do it. Welding a block is not a shadtree mechanic job. Do some research...ask around

[tommeide]

yeah., You have right.

In Norway, everybody drives small rice cars and german cars.

But I Want do drive Big. and V8! I love V8!

so, there's about no mopars at the wrecking yard.

I live in the wrong country........

SO I'll need to try some other solution first.

[Ausydad]

You could always buy mine that's already built....

[tommeide]

To take the engine fro usa to Norway, would probably cost me more than buying an expensive engine here in Norway.

nut thanks for the offer.

do any of you know how I can Get to the states to work for a few years?

[FASTDARTCHESTER]

what do you do for a living?

[tommeide]

I'm educated an Piano Tuner

Right now I'm a Driver. driving Bus and a truck

else I am doing reparation, upgrading and computer support ofr people(just some money on the side)

Beside that I play in two bands. play Hammond (deep purple and so on) and Piano n an dancing band

[FASTDARTCHESTER]

sweet!

in college i played in 4 different bands. never made anything of it, but it was fun playing for beer at parties and open jam nite at the bars!

i play bass guitar and still have all of my equipment. sometimes i still jam with my brothers (who are also musicians), but i have 3 kids now and they take most of my time (along with my A-body and B-body Mopars!!!!).

[TOOL MAN]

If there is a good machinest near you, you might want to talk to him about stitching the crack.

if you don't know what this is i will try to explain.

what is done is at the start of the crack the block is drilled, tapped and then a stitch insert is theaded in. the insert will break off close to the surface. grind it flat if need be. then it is drilled taking half of the insert, tapped and the next insert installed. this is done across the entire crack just past the end of the crack.

since i don't know were your crack is located i can't tell you if this process would work or not.

i had one of my hemi heads for my desoto done and i have had no problems with it. i have seen this done on a packard block and it work there also, no problems.

hope this helps

[tommeide]

Thanks everybody!

its nice to hear that there are Musicians who drive Mopars!

Youre tip is great.

it seems that I managed to get a 318 Core after all! the gods must be with me......

so then I'll rebuild the engine and give it new camshaft, weiand action intake, termoquad carb with headers.

that would give me about, 300 horses. so if i take of about 20 percent through the transmissionthat would be 240 horses left. and the question is.

how many percent should calculate as loss through the rear axle?

my is the 8-1/4

[johnstidman]

Hey, TOOL MAN, do you have any parts for sale for my 55 PU? I need bumpers. I want to swap in a 318

[jasontlit]

Hey Tommeide and Fastdartchester,

We can start an online band and play at the same time from 3 different places! LOL

I've been playing drums for around 20 years

Tommeide,
Maybe check into $ for just shipping an engine block on a slow boat from the east coast of the U.S. Obviously, the shipping charges will cost more than the block.

Also, talk with some other Mopar friends in Norway and try to bring a few big parts at the same time to help divide the shipping cost.

[powerdodge]

yeah! cost about $1000 for a 33foot container...

[jasontlit]

That ain't bad if you need THAT many parts!

But, you can ship it on a pallet in a container full of other peoples stuff who also don't require an entire container. It is called "break bulk". Or, at least that's what we called it when I used to load containers on barges