The oil pan lip on the engine block has one triangular piece broken in the
bolt area.
Theoretically - the other bolts in the area will hold the pan in place and
it has never leaked there since the previous rebuilder put massive amounts
of Red- RTV on the gasket surfaces.
I would like to repair this section - but am afraid of damaging the cast
block - anyone have experience doing this kind of work?
My solutions are three:
1. Weld in thsi area - but this requires masive amounts of preheat and
high local heat - so I have nixed this solution.
2. Fill in with brazing rod & retap - Brazing material is softer and at
lower temps then welding - but still required high preheat and slow
cooling - being that this area is on an outside lip - I do not believe I will
have much to worry about shrinkage creating a crack - since the brazing
material should strech enough not to create undue stress on the cast iron.
The
only problems are the preheat and cooling adn the hardening of the cast
iron.
3. USE J-B Weld and reinforcing it with steel screen mesh and retapping
- Drill 1/16" holes by 1/8" deep into the flange area near the screw
threads and at the flange edge. J-B Weld 1/16" steel rod into these areas to
form the bases of support and strength. Then cut pieces of screen to fit and
overlay the outside portion of the lip in the area - then fill in with
layers of J-B Weld and screen misture. After retapping - install a helicoil
for the durability of the therads.
This area does not need to be supper strong or super stressed under a high
torque value - the pan is very rigid and the purpose is only to screw in a
bolt to hold the gasket in place somehat tight.
Has anyone had to make such a repair? Is J-B Weld a good strong resin to
use with cast iron? or is there a better resin?
Or just leave it alone?
Michael Balahutrak
53 - TD
______________________________________________
Mg-t@autox.team.net
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