Engine Dilema

[fastcarsspeed]

So filled her up with coolant today and it started leaking out under the engine from somewhere. I am hoping either the water pump or a freeze plug. I need to jack it up and get a light under there to see where it is streaming out. Damn thing runs fine though otherwise. It looked like it was running down the bell housing so somewhere off the back of the block.

 

[Logan Savage]

There's expansion plugs in the back of the heads & back of the block . Maybe you could use one of those mirrors on a stick to check the back of the heads .

 

[JasonJ]

If it's just a freeze plug, awesome, replace it. If it's a crack along one of the coolant galleys, I'd hit it with a welder and seal it up. done and done. drive it.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Exactly^^ but I'd test weld on a few things first to find the right settings before trying to weld up your block

 

[fastcarsspeed]

Exactly^^ but I'd test weld on a few things first to find the right settings before trying to weld up your block

LOL once I get her jacked up and I can look and find the source of the leak if it is a freeze plug that I can reach no big deal but if it is a crack or one that is in an odd spot I will just probably pull the engine and take it to my machinist to weld up. Luckily I got a line on a wrecked 05 that is local to me with a good engine and trans. Trying to see what they will want for it. Oh btw the wrecked one has Renegade flares on it lol if anyone is interested.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Soon enough you're gunna have your own liberty lot

 

[TruckerKevin]

I love running across deals like these.

I myself picked up an 03 Liberty on a local swap site with a rod knock. I talked them down to $300 (from $1000 lol). I drove it home with all the neighbors hearing me from a mile away.

I found a 3.7 up north in a wrecked libby, it cost $500.

Then I found a backyard wrench to r&r it for $300. I would have done it myself if it wasn't so danged cold here.

All in all I have $1100 tied up not counting title and registration. My daughter is buying it from me, it is her daily driver now.

I am hard pressed to find any Jeep Liberty locally under $3000 without problems. I made good on this deal

 

[fastcarsspeed]

LOL my wife is ready to kill me for having 3 in the driveway lol. I cannot bring another one in the driveway so now it is just gathering parts lol. I really miss my garage.

 

[Conundrum2006]

As I recall it there are three freeze plugs on the back, one each by the cylinder heads and one in the bell housing area.


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[tjkj2002]

If it's just a freeze plug, awesome, replace it. If it's a crack along one of the coolant galleys, I'd hit it with a welder and seal it up. done and done. drive it.

Exactly^^ but I'd test weld on a few things first to find the right settings before trying to weld up your block

Do either of you have any idea what's involved in trying to weld cast iron?

You just can't weld away,it just will not work.You have to pre-heat the cast iron to 600+ degrees and with special rods(yes that is right you must use a stick welder) weld the area and then you must pack the piece in sand(alot of sand) so it cools very slowly,like 10+ hours slow.The only way it may work and often does not hold.

 

[Logan Savage]

I had a friend , professional welder , weld a cracked cast iron exhaust manifold for me . He said the rod was expensive , if I remember correctly I believe he said it was a nickel rod . Anyway I had that truck for about 5 years after that & the weld held with no problems .

 

[tjkj2002]

I had a friend , professional welder , weld a cracked cast iron exhaust manifold for me . He said the rod was expensive , if I remember correctly I believe he said it was a nickel rod . Anyway I had that truck for about 5 years after that & the weld held with no problems .

It can be done but not a easy task.

What year and make? Could have been cast steel which is easy to weld.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

..if its a crack, not a hole..you can TIG weld cast iron blocks using 1/2lb 77 electrode..
Even if it is a hold this method can be done..
You don't have to preheat it this way or use sand....but preheating is a good idea to so anyways.. helps keep you from running into problems with porosity/pinholes/bead height.. plus TIG is pretty focused so helps to get the metal up to temp if you preheat it, but done right there's no need.

I understand what you're saying about stick welding it, but you'd probably be using 100 percent nickel rod or something really close, and you'd be leaving a hard spot in the block which is likely to break again.. plus it'll take quiitteee a bit longer to do this method.
And you're really just plug and praying.
Shoot I mean if you're really feeling gutsy you can braze it up, but that's pretty much guaranteed to fail in a short amount of time, but I've seen it done on manifolds.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

1 lb or higher would obviously work better, but it can be done with 1/2 if you practice first on some scrap cast iron pieces.. not hard to find some spare pieces to practice on, pull some manifolds off a dead car at any junkyard.

Only difficult part of this process is finding a TIG welder/220 outlet..

Sounds like you're talking about welding up a very thick casting with high carbon content...which in this case yes you're exactly correct and it would absolutely need to be preheated, perhaps even drill the ends of the crack first.. add more heat get it near red hot, use a nickel rod, and cool it very slowly..
If you try to TIG a very gray, or high carbon content, block you're likely just gunna create a weld that's going to shrink and crack..

You're likely aware of the thickness, but I can't imagine the block is thicker than 3/4" so either method should be plausible if done correctly.

Though many wold just torch it, stick it, cool it and pray.

 

[Conundrum2006]

Delete

 

[fastcarsspeed]

I am not going to stress over it. If it is a Freeze plug it is a simple fix other than trying to get to it without pulling the motor. If it is a cracked block then it is just finding one for the right price which here locally does not seem to be a problem. There are plenty in junk yards locally so I am just going to play it by ear. Thanks for the the suggestions though.

 

[Logan Savage]

It can be done but not a easy task.

What year and make? Could have been cast steel which is easy to weld.

97 Nissan Pickup .

 

[fastcarsspeed]

So starting the tear down. Can I pull the engine/trans/tcase in one or do I need to separate them? Looked at thought if I remove the core support top and front that I can pull it out pretty easy but want to check before going through the trouble.

 

[fastcarsspeed]

Well she is out. Easier just to take everything with the K Member lol.

 

[JasonJ]

Do either of you have any idea what's involved in trying to weld cast iron?

You just can't weld away,it just will not work.You have to pre-heat the cast iron to 600+ degrees and with special rods(yes that is right you must use a stick welder) weld the area and then you must pack the piece in sand(alot of sand) so it cools very slowly,like 10+ hours slow.The only way it may work and often does not hold.

I know it's not simple nor easy to do.. was just thinking that the hassle of paying to weld the cracked block may be easier and more efficient use of time than scrapping the whole thing.

There's doing it right... then there's doing it "good enough".