[AT] Cracked diesel block opinion question and welding cast iron

[carl gogol]

Just came back from looking at the AC 170 that has the Perkins with a 
cracked block.  The crack is on the left side and stretches horizontally 
between two frost plugs on the upper part of the block  --- same place as 
yours Cecil??

It is quite cold today about -3 C, or 28 F, and the engine would not start. 
The salesman was about to get some ether and the engine failed to turn over 
anymore.  He had cranked quite a while and all we got was white smoke and a 
few slightly energetic near fires - but it just wouldn't touch off.  I could 
feel the solenoid kick in with my hand on the starter, but in a way was 
surprised that the starter wasn't warm to the touch for all the cranking it 
had done.

Do you think it didn't fire because of low temp or low compression?  Some 
white smoke coming out of the manifold area, could be a gasket or worse a 
crack in the manifold.  It was cold out!

Carl Gogol
Manlius, NY
(2) AC D-14, AC 914H
Simplicity 3112 & 7116
Kubota F-2400


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cecil Bearden" <crbearden at copper.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 7:28 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Cracked diesel block opinion question and welding cast 
iron


>I have one of these torches.  It was made by another name about 10 years 
>back when I got mine.  It has a nice design for the cutting attachment.  It 
>will weld very thin metal.  You can weld shim stock with it.  However, I 
>have not used it in over 5 years.  I was welding inside a recessed hole 
>with it, and burned the end of the tip I used most of the time, and it has 
>been hard to find the tips Until a couple years ago.
>
> I guess what I am saying is that it is nice to have.  However, I weld 
> something every time I am in the shop.  I have a wire welder, a stick 
> welder, and a plasma cutter, and a propane fired cutting torch.  When I 
> braze anything I use the cutting torch!!!
> I would rather have a good 115 v or small wire welder with a small gun on 
> it for welding in tight spaces such as exhaust pipes when laying under the 
> truck....
>
> I did use that fancy torch when  I was welding the hinge brackets on my 
> chevy truck.  I could weld the door edge without burning the paint on the 
> outside.  This is where the Henrob works best.   They will demonstrate it 
> at shows, but most of the tricks they show require a lot of  "Technique".
>
> In the past couple of years I have taught several employees to weld.  I 
> have also been on sites where experienced welders were having a lot of 
> difficulty with an out of position or just an unusual repair with the 
> combination of thicknesses or alloys.  I have offered my assistance, and 
> had no real difficulty performing the job.  I have welded gear teeth on 
> final drives, cast iron housings in pinion cages of truck rear ends, and 
> nearly every truck frame that was broken within 25 miles of here.
>
> However, I never could weld the crack on the left side of the Perkins 
> engine in the Massey Super 90 Perkins engine.  I preheated it, layed it on 
> its side, etc, etc.  It always cracked further when it cooled even with 
> controlling the heat.  I also used the Henrob on this one.  If welding 
> Cast iron, Nickel rod is usually the best with an Arc welder, if you do 
> not need to machine the weld later, You can weld in short beads with the 
> nickel rod. Stainless rod will work also.  Some stainless rod will machine 
> better, it has more nickel in it.  Preheat the block and weld short beads. 
> Eutectic makes a very good Nickel rod.  You can weld oily cast iron with 
> it.  It is also about $50 a lb....  If I have a small casting I will lay 
> in over an old hot water heater burner and heat it to about 350-400 
> degrees and then weld it.  Then let it cool over a couple of hours or so 
> by reducing the flame. This works best in the winter!!!!!   You can put 
> the hot casting in a bucket of lime and let it cool in it.  Sand will work 
> too, but if you need to machine it, the sand will impart silicon to the 
> iron, and cause brittleness of the edge...
>
> I have used a carbon arc torch to braze cast iron with also.  If you need 
> to heat a large area and get the bronze to flow into a deep break or cut, 
> this works good.  Just be sure to wear a lot of covering.  It can cause a 
> GOOD sunburn...
>
> I guess I have rambled too much.   That Perkins block can be welded, but 
> it should be out of the tractor, with all the parts removed.  You also 
> need to check to see if the crack progresses, will it enter the oil 
> gallery?  I had this problem 30 years ago on a chrysler industrial in my 
> old 90 massey combine.  There is a tapered plug system that is used to 
> cold patch blocks and heads that works pretty good also.  Goodson Machine 
> sells the materials. They are on the internet.  I have also seen some very 
> good sheet metal patches using a gasket and 1/4 inch bolts tapped into the 
> block...
>
> Just my $0.02
>
> Cecil in OKla
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <K7jdj at aol.com>
> To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 1:06 AM
> Subject: Re: [AT] Cracked diesel block opinion question
>
>
>> In a message dated 12/2/2005 5:23:19 AM Pacific  Standard Time,
>> larry at rockridgefarm.com writes:
>> It does a great job on cast  iron, thin aluminum, and sheet
>> metal. It will work on steel up to about 1/4  inch.
>> They have a web site - google henrob.
>>
>> I checked this site  out.  Looks to good to be true.  Are there any 
>> others
>> out there that  use this torch?
>>
>> Gary
>> Renton, WA
>>
>> Lots of old iron needs  welden
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AT mailing list
>> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>