I broke my motor, need help

[sliverslinger]

well I got the bad motor out of my truck all in 1 piece, then I started taking out the good motor out of my parts truck, The motor was stuck but it popped free and this is what I found.



Can this be fixed or am I out of luck?

[EULACHON]

What ??

[sliverslinger]

Can it be welded? pinned or something? I really cant afford to and buy another one.

[Fshklr]

Damn..Sorry to hear and see that ...that is next to impossible to repair. Maybe "JB Weld", Hopeing someone can give you a better solution if there is one.

It appears you busted off a corner of the block to the oil pan/tranny mount.

[Pagorits]

Agree, JB weld, a bandage and lots of silicone.

[The Chub]

Man, that's a bummer

I don't think that's fixable. You might be able to do some kind of jerry rig, but it's not going to last.

[sliverslinger]

I was just at the JB weld site and found this:
Mechanics -- you can use J-B WELD with confidence. It is designed for safe, reliable, permanent repairs in engine compartments and heated environments up to 500° F. It's strong as steel and impervious to water, gasoline, chemicals, and acids. Working with J-B WELD is quick, easy, and convenient -- and saves you time, work, and money!



I am going to try this and let it cure for about a week. Dang I hope I can get the motor back in with \out bumping that part too hard.
How hot does the engine block get? Over 500 degrees?

[baltz526]

they weld cast iron blocks and heads all the time, call your local engine builders for a welder referance

[1pump]

I don't think JB is gonna help that.

It looks like the broken piece has a bellhousing bolt hole in it, as well as a couple oil pan bolts. If so, it gonna have to be welded in perfect alignment, or your bellhousing won't go on. Cast iron can be welded, but not by just anybody. Cracks in cast iron are pretty easy to weld, but broken castings are a bummer.

The chunk that came off doesn't look like it matches up, but it might be the camera angle.

As far as the temp, your block won't get that hot, especially down there. Maybe 250 degrees. That break might be close to the exhaust, but it won't get to 500.

[Fshklr]

Originally Posted by 1pump

I don't think JB is gonna help that.

The chunk that came off doesn't look like it matches up, but it might be the camera angle.

Ya...JB will be useless with that being a mount.


I too thought there is still at least another small piece missing.

[sliverslinger]

That piece is just an alignment piece for the tranny. There is not a bolt that goes into it. Its like a stud. There is one just like it on the other side of the block.

You

[sliverslinger]

That piece is just an alignment piece for the tranny. There is not a bolt that goes into it. Its like a stud. There is one just like it on the other side of the block.

You are right the camera angle is wrong. It is the right piece for the break and it does fit perfectly.

[Cloud-Nine]

If I was in Mexico I would have it brazed. They are experts as thing like this.
Dick

[Fast Water]

When working in a fab shop years ago, a welder fixed a somewhat similar problem with a coat hanger, flux and a torch. It WAS NOT a load part however.

[sliverslinger]

I really dont think this is a load part though. I plan on getting it welded or something. then place the motor into my truck and lower it in, nice and easy. Get it lined up and marry them back together and use the tranny bolts for the load part before I let it go off the cherry picker. I hope it goes back in that easy

[sliverslinger]

Crap, I just went out and took another look at it part that broke off. Not only is it a stub for the tranny alignment, there is a hole all the way thru the middle with threads in it. Hmmm I wonder if I can just leave that one bolt out. With all the rest of them it should be fine, shouldnt it?
You guys got me thinking and I thought I better go and take another look. Glad I did. There are 6 or 7 other bolts holding the tranny to the motor. If I remember right that one was loose before I took it apart.

[MattPark]

All of you JB weld doubters haven't used it in high stress situations or didn't apply it correctly. It's not a hokey fix. It works, and it works very well in high stress and high heat applications.

I bet you think you can't JB weld up a hole in a piston and put countless more hours on it at over 10,000 RPM either, don't you

The thing I would worry about here is a potential hole into the oil pan, but I can't tell from the picture. You don't want crap going in or out of there.

I can't tell what motor that is, but leaving it out might not be a big deal. That hole doesn't look big, I don't see that being a main transmission to engine bolt hole. Looks more to me like a clutch inspection plate bolt hole, which is no big deal.

Welding cast iron blocks can be tricky to do it "right" due to the fact that you have little control of the temperature of the metal, but buzzing it up with a mig welder might work just fine.

[sliverslinger]

I dont think it is a inspection plate bolt hole. The hole to where the oil pan is, is about 1/8" or so and about 1/2" long. This is a ford 2.9 v-6 motor. It is on the passenger side of the motor on the far right side. My brother told me to get some high heat jb weld but I looked at the web site and it doesnt say anything about high heat. The only thing it says is that it is good for up to 500 degrees f.

[1pump]

If that broken piece has a dowel pin in it like you described, then you might be better off leaving the dowel pin out. Dowels don't allow any clearance or wiggle room like bolts do. If it's off by a few 1/1000ths of an inch then your tranny won't bolt back up properly. You still have one dowel on the other side, and that might be enough. One dowel will take care of the lateral alignment, but you need two to keep it centered on both axis. I don't think you'll have any severe issues as long as you don't force the engine onto the tranny.

But then you have the issue of that hole in the corner of the block. JB Weld can fix that (just get it really clean first) but if it isn't flush on the pan rail you might want to use some RTV on the pan gasket in that corner.

I'm assuming this is a Ranger or Bronco II. If you have anything left on your parts truck that you want to sell, drop me a line. I could use a couple things.

[sliverslinger]

1pump PM sent.

[baltz526]

take the pan off,have it welded, retap the bolt hole, take out the alignment dowl and grind a little meat off it, to reduce the chance of rebreaking the repair, reinstall dowl pin, replace oilpan with new seals, install in truck.

[sliverslinger]

wow, that pretty much sums it up. Now all I need to do is find someone who can do the welding on such an item.

[baltz526]

that is the hard part, taking the engine to a good welder

[sliverslinger]

ok I found a welder and had the motor welded up for only 10.00. He said it will work as long as I dont put too much pressure on it. Now I have to get those broken exhaust manifold bolts out. Any hints for this? I have a drill bit, and an easy out. I am going to try drilling all the way thru and then cooling the center quickly then try to back them out.
Thank you guys for all your input. It all helped.

[baltz526]

if you have a dremmel tool, on a flush broken stud, cut a slot, then take an impact driver with a flat head screwdriver bit in it. hit it with a hammer in the counterclockwise setting. normally it will come right out.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Originally Posted by baltz526

they weld cast iron blocks and heads all the time, call your local engine builders for a welder referance