OK, Insted of the drill and pin method, here's some off the wall
brainstorming on how to put a thrust washer on the lower bearing cap. I
figure the block is junk anyway, so what have I got to lose? Maybe I'll
use this engine as a test bed to discover a cheep, last ditch fix,
before tossing the block. And thanks for the recomendations I've gotten
so far.
Let me know opinions/previous attemps at anything similar.
1. Silver Brazing. My brother is in the jewelery findings biz. He has
miniture torches (pencil point thin flame) and is quite good with them.
I'll have him braze the thrust washer to the lower bearing cap.
Specs on silver brazing: excellent for joining dissimilar metals. 20,000
psi tensile strength. Possible drawback: 500 d.F. (260d.C.) melting
point. Will the thrust washer get that hot in normal street driving?
Any body running an oil temo gauge in their TR?
I have Tom Monroe's book on welding, and he shows this method being used
on an oil pump pickup tube. Oil temps must get as hot as the surronding
metal, so it might work.
2. Epoxy. This is probably a pie in the sky fix. But I've read of
several hi-tech epoxy adhesives that will withstand 600 d.F. and set up
as hard as steel, and are capable of beiong machined. I once used a
product called "JB Weld" to glue a aluminum alternator case back
together. (Big time hack!) Guess what- 4 years later it's still in the
car and working in one piece. Go figure.
Anyway, ponder these.. Add anything that that pops into mind. Worst case
is I'll just button it up and let it finish destroying itself!
|