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

Sun Dec 4 06:26:46 PST 2005

Yes..   the Perkins cannot stand a lot of welding heat, it is a thin 
casting...

Cecil in OKla
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "charlie hill" <chill8 at cox.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 8:18 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Cracked diesel block opinion question and welding cast 
iron

> Cecil,
>
>>From what you have said it sounds to me like that Perkins block is a good
> candidate for stiching together with soft iron plugs.  That is as long as 
> the crack is not in a structurally important area.  What do you think? 
> For that matter I saw a hole in a 8-71 Detroit block repaired with epoxy 
> and screen wire.  The repair was too a hole that a rod went through.  It 
> was about as big as an orange.  That engine ran about 100,000 more miles 
> before the truck got wrecked.
>
> Charlie
> ----- 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
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>> Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.11/191 - Release Date: 
>> 12/2/2005
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at 