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

[Herbert Metz]

Cecil
You have not rambled.   Very informative.  Very interesting.
Herb

----- 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