Weeping (Cracked) Block

[brumster 135 1 Cars]

Pants. My spare engine, my lovely D6C, is "magically" crying water out of the block. Obviously it's a crack, but it's quite amusing to see - in the middle of the front face of the block, just below where the central head stud protrudes, it "weeps" water out of the metal. Barely visible crack, but clearly it's fubar.

 

Firstly, am I right in thinking there's nothing that can sensibly and reliably be done to fix this - the block is irrepairable?

 

Assuming that is so, obviously I have one option to transfer all the good bits into another alloy block.

 

Q1: Does it have to be an mi16 block or are all the XU9 alloy blocks the same? I'm talking just block casting here, so I know the liners differ/etc. but if I grab a 1905cc 8v engine purely for the block will that suffice? What about the belt tensioners for example?

 

Option 2, if option 1 doesn't present itself easily, is to build a spare iron block (1998cc) mi16 instead - using the head and cams from this engine, and just sourcing a decent iron block bottom end. This might be easier to source and more robust in the future. So...

 

Q2: My understanding is that the D6C head, in terms of casting, is no different to the later RFY heads (I know the pulleys were different) so I could re-use my head on an iron block, yes?

 

Just gives me some options, really, depending upon what I can find.

 

Cheers,

Dan

[welshpug 1,657]

sounds like it has cracked across the base of the water jacket, unlikely you could repair it I think.

 

1:

 

The alloy Mi block is unique in respect of the area the engine mounting bolts on, and the oil spray bars, not sure how you would get around mounting other than make a steel bracket of some sort, the original 8v bracket would get in the way of the belt

 

8v ally xu is the same in most other respects, later ones do have the drilling for the front tensioner, early ones aren't tapped.

 

an XU7 block could be used utilising the xu7 mounting as this is also different to the 8v and the MI but shouldn't interfere with the covers+belt

 

 

2:

 

head differences - http://www.taylor-eng.com/16v_head/16v_head.htm.

 

 

 

want to buy an alloy Mi block?

[brumster 135 1 Cars]

Sure, if you've got one kicking about? Depends how much you want for it of course ...

 

Good news about the head then - no differences that are a problem for me. So iron block is another option if need be.

Edited July 5, 2013 by brumster

[welshpug 1,657]

as it happens I do ! I'll have a think, its not actually mine

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

Not quite what you want to know but similar. My 8v block rotted from the inside out so me and mr Fenton re-blocked it into a 4x4 mi block, I honestly can't remember any issues that weren't easily overcome??

[brumster 135 1 Cars]

Cool, think I'll do that then. It's only my spare engine and I've literally dropped it in for a month or so while I rebuild the main lump ready for the next event, so I'm not fussed about it. Once the main engine is back in I can take some time over the winter to rebuild the bits into another block; so glad I spotted it really. As it stands I can at least drive it short journeys/move it around, so not total doom and gloom

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

My 8v block rotted from the inside out so me and mr Fenton re-blocked it into a 4x4 mi block

You forgot to mention, starting at 9pm finishing in the garage at 3am the next morning!!

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

You forgot to mention, starting at 9pm finishing in the garage at 3am the next morning!!

That's because I started earlier than that, fitting the engine then directly removing it when it did a massive wee all over the garage floor!