409 crack repair

No409

 
Supporting Member 1
im lucky i got this old timer a few towns over, send my stuff to him. i got a 62 block, i need done, same spot. We had cracks once they dissembled the 817`s on the 340hp car, up by the guide area. the guy fixed the heads for $60 a piece!, i was actually lookin for new heads, but tough call, these were the orig ones. guy just does it at his house, retired, and loves doing it
 

IMBVSUR?

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
This stuff scares me. Maybe from lack of knowledge, however it still scares me. I think I would cry if my block looked like that. And I don't cry over anything, however I haven't cracked my block yet so there is still hope for me.
 

chevy man

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 9
I bought a repaired block that was cracked in that same area. The repair looked very good so I had the engine built. I got the engine back from the builder and installed it, fired it up and broke in the cam. I ran it long enough to break it in and it ran super so I went home that evening and returned the next day to check it all out. When I pulled the dipstick out it was full of water. I could have cried.
Lesson # 1-- Never,never build a block without having it crack checked yourself !!! ( it was dumb on my part) The fella I got it from was a straight up guy and found me a good 068 block and we started all over.
The damn block was cracked inside in the lifter valley and no one caught it. I take the blame for that dumb mistake, but it wont happen ever again and I know better in the first place to do something like that. I've been around these cars since they were new and have owned many of them over the years including 2 brand new ones.
I think Phil mentioned something about cracks in the lifter valleys on a previous thread.
I guess ya never quit learning lessons !!!
Ken
 

62impala409

 
Supporting Member 1
This issue has been discussed before on the forum. GM changed the block casting number every single year for the five years that the 409 blocks were cast due to ongoing engineering changes to correct issues. I believe one of those issues was that the earlier blocks were cast too thin at the upper deck area making some prone to cracking pretty much all in the same general area. We also can assume that some of these blocks cracked simply because of freeze damage. My personal opinion has been that the earlier blocks might be more prone to cracking. :scratch. I hope others will share their experiences and opinions with these cracked block. Always a good thing to learn all we can from the veterans on this forum. Leo
 

boxerdog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
BTW, I picked up the newspaper today and there is a huge article on Lock-n-Stitch (they are only a few miles away). It seems like they got a contract to repair a huge casting on top of the California State Capitol building...it's a two-year project and the thing has over 1000 cracks!!! I was happy to see a local company get the work, and they are great people to deal with. I got a tour once and was amazed at what they can do with cast iron, over and above their patented pinning process.
 

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Usually the ones prone to cracking have water instead of antifreeze.

So are you saying that the freezing water caused the crack?? Are there other reasons why they crack?? Just trying to learn something. Thank you.
 

tripower

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
BTW, I picked up the newspaper today and there is a huge article on Lock-n-Stitch (they are only a few miles away). It seems like they got a contract to repair a huge casting on top of the California State Capitol building...it's a two-year project and the thing has over 1000 cracks!!! I was happy to see a local company get the work, and they are great people to deal with. I got a tour once and was amazed at what they can do with cast iron, over and above their patented pinning process.
Dave, I wonder if they could do anything with this...:laugh:laugh:laugh Sorry Brian I couldn't resist...:hide

plumbers-crack.jpg
 

Dick MacKenzie

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 9
51i9Z4XjiSL.jpg
 

boxerdog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
You guys (mainly Dan) completely ruined a pretty good thread. I will never be able to come back to this one! Maybe if I click a couple of times with my eyes closed.
 

409newby

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
I don't think even cast iron sticthing could patch that one together!!! :eek
 
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