auto-mechanic/machining jargon question

Tox

So basically about 2-3 years ago my '02 Ford broke down. I took it to get looked at, and among other things they mentioned a small crack in the block that they'd fixed in what they intimated was a mostly temporary way.

Well, due to *gestures vaguely* we haven't needed that car for the past year and a half, but anticipate we'll need it again soon. It's been sitting for over a year and now won't start.

Probably just battery stuff, but there's other stuff I want looked at as well, so we're gonna have it towed. When I arrange for this to happen, I want to make sure I give useful lingo for what they did to the block.

I want to say they told me they'd "patch welded" or "spot welded" I know enough to know there's like a 50/50 chance it was just JB weld. They said it was a very small crack and they were able to "word" it and it's fine "for now."

If I say spot weld or patch weld, will that give the folks enough to know what they're looking for? Should I just say "probably something like JB weld" here? I'm not worried about them thinking I'm dumb and trying to fleece me, I just want to make sure the info I'm giving is actually, like, helpful (I work in IT, so I hate giving horrible diagnostic data).

Ringo

I can't answer your actual question but sitting sitting for a full year? If you haven't been driving it at all there's a whole host of things you need to check, your gas tank being a priority. https://www.rd.com/list/things-that-happen-to-your-car-when-you-dont-drive/

Tox

Ringo wrote: »

I can't answer your actual question but sitting sitting for a full year? If you haven't been driving it at all there's a whole host of things you need to check, your gas tank being a priority. https://www.rd.com/list/things-that-happen-to-your-car-when-you-dont-drive/

Yeah I mean I already know it needs a new fuel pump because it missed a recall, and probably an oil change, and obviously the battery. Yeah I'm not worried about all that because I'm sure they'll be able to look into it.

japan

If they didn't remove the engine from the car, there is a very little chance that they actually welded it, so you're probably looking at some kind of chemical sealant (possibly JB weld, though other, more specific products exist for doing this)

That isn't necessarily a problem if it's in an area that isn't stressed, usually it means that the problem is related to losing some fluid you would rather keep inside the engine, like oil or coolant

The temporary nature is probably down to the crack having arisen because of corrosion - of the block is holed, that crack is probably going to keep getting bigger over time rather than the repair failing, necessarily

mRahmani

I would consider any repair to a cracked block to be temporary, short of stripping the motor down and getting it professionally welded and inspected. Even then I’d be leery of it.

If you live in a cold climate, it’s very possible cold weather could have expanded that crack. If the car doesn’t show signs of life with a jump and a can of starter fluid, I personally wouldn’t recommend spending the money to revive it.

That_Guy

I've never heard anyone refer to JB Weld as a spot weld or a tack weld. JB Weld would be referred to as Epoxy and is in no way suitable for engine use. A spot weld is just as the name implies. A single spot that has been welded. Usually the term is applied when patching small holes. A tack weld is used when you need to hold 2 pieces of metal together before you do the final weld. A properly done weld will be far stronger than the surrounding metal and will not be the point of failure.

Such a process can be accomplished without removing the entire engine if the crack is in an easy to reach spot. It sounds like your mechanic was able to get his mig welder to the crack and fuse the 2 surfaces together. It's possible to even finish the weld to be indistinguishable from the surrounding metal.

With all that said, DO NO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THAT CAR. If your engine block is cracked in an obvious place, it's likely cracked in other hard to reach places. You'll notice that I said surface in the paragraph above. When it comes to the engine block, the outside isn't really what matter. It's the inside. There is no way you can properly finish the inside of that spot weld job without completly disassembling the engine and going at the crack from both sides. You're either going to be left with a weak spot where pressure can build up and cause a bigger and worse blowout or bits of metal spewing into the engine. Either way, it's not safe to drive.

If you are mechanically inclined, junkyards are littered with late model fords. It's entirely likely your engine was used in any of a dozen or more models. You can prob get one cheap and swap it in.