0.016 cylinder wall thickness - Will sleeving save it?

[Jim Kramer]

Sorry for the thread drift   but wasn't the story that someone had managed to purchase a bunch of late production side oiler rejects that were supposed to be destroyed and they had surfaced several years ago up for sale?          Jim Kramer

[Matthias390]

have you looked on ebay uk? there's often fe's for sale, there's a 390 in bits now for under £1000. oh, and a 360 block is the same as a 390 block just with a 352 crank'.
neil.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fsrp=1&rt=nc&_from=R40&_nkw=ford+fe+v8&_sacat=6030&LH_ItemCondition=7000%7C3000

Thanks a lot for that tip. I did not. Will do now :-)
That engine you mentioned is already 40 thousands over. I need a standard bore 360/390, that I can have bored to match my brandnew pistons/rings.

[Matthias390]

Found a block only 120 miles away from home.
Standard bore size 4.05".

My machine guy borrowed me his sonic tester, so I took it with me to check the block out. Measured all the cylinders, 12 spots each.
One spot, pointing toward the front of the block, is 0.08", all the other measurements turned out to be 0.14" to 0.24".
Am pleased with that.

Unfortunately, although the guy I bought it from, is the owner of an engine machine shop, too, he did not have a straight edge. So I could not check the alignment of the main bearings.

But, very pleasantly, although the block looks like oil changes weren't on the regular menu, all the water jackets look almost new. Mister no-oilchange must have at least used proper coolant.

[cjshaker]

But, very pleasantly, although the block looks like oil changes weren't on the regular menu, all the water jackets look almost new. Mister no-oilchange must have at least used proper coolant.

To me, that is a good sign. That means the engine likely hasn't been rebuilt and cut on. That means you're starting with fresh factory surfaces to clean up and likely in stock specs. That's a good thing...usually.

[Matthias390]

Also, I have foumd a rather large "X" casting mark driver side, close to the transmission flange.
In the lifter vallye D3TE ist cast in and beneath the oil filter flange A426
So a 73 casting design, cast on the 26th of April 1974.

The main bearing supports have an additional rib, compared to my other FE block.

Can you guys tell me what this X and the extra ribs are about?

[Matthias390]

Well, that joy of having found a replacement block was short lived.
"New" block is cracked......

How do you guys judge this? Fixable with laser welding?

[GerryP]

You could do a hard fill on the block.  You could use a ceramic sealer on the water jacket.  Or you could stitch seam the crack.  I'd probably do the ceramic seal as my first choice, with stitch the block as my second.  The hard fill has some cooling considerations where the other two don't.

That's really not that bad.  If it's not cracked in the crank saddles, you are usually able to repair the block.  Lastly, don't trust your eyes.  Get the block Magnafluxed.  There could be other cracks hiding that you can't see.

[Stangman]

I don’t know maybe just me but a crack is a no go for me. I know your having a hard time finding a good block but spending money on a cracked block especially an FE which isn’t cheap just doesn’t make sense. It’s not like your doing a numbers matching restoration that that block has to be used.

[CDXXVII]

Get the block Magnafluxed.  There could be other cracks hiding that you can't see.

Isn't that the mag particle tool I can see in the pictures?

[My427stang]

Did you ever go back and recheck your old block?

[67xr7cat]

The BB Mopar guys would just drill the end of that crack and JB weld it...  I'd recommend cleaning the block and doing a complete mag and pressure test.  If that is the only crack best way to fix it would be with lock-n-stitch.  As for what block you have sounds like it is from the MCC foundry.  They only made 360/390 blocks and all came with the crows foot main webbing.  Easy way to ID them is they have a mirror 105 where the DIF blocks have a 352.  Decent block, but some had problems with the oil feed to the heads cracking.  If you find that you can just sleeve the feed hole.

Edit: looking at your picture of the block I can see the 105.

[Rory428]

As mentioned, every "105" 360/390 block that I have seen has the extra main webbing. The cracked block, assuming the outer water jacket is the only cracked area, is routinely repaired with the Lock N Stitch, pretty common stuff at machine shops. That said, if it was a 427 or 428 block, it may be worth the expense, but for a 390 block, personally I would look for another block. I understand that FEs are rather scarce in Europe, so that could be a factor.  It may be a coincidence, but the few times that I have had a FE block that put oil into the cooling system via the passage inside the bolt, has been on a 105 block.

[Matthias390]

Did you ever go back and recheck your old block?

No, it is still at the machine shop, a 4h drive away from home.
The machine shop guy mailed me his sonic tester when I went checking out the "new" block. I mailed it back to him. When I go bring him the "new" block, I will pick up my old block and will repeat the sonic messurement together with him.

Anyway, I trust him. He is a pretty competend dude and he has built his fair share of American V8 engines (it's all he does, US American V8 engines)

[Matthias390]

The BB Mopar guys would just drill the end of that crack and JB weld it...  I'd recommend cleaning the block and doing a complete mag and pressure test.  If that is the only crack best way to fix it would be with lock-n-stitch.  As for what block you have sounds like it is from the MCC foundry.  They only made 360/390 blocks and all came with the crows foot main webbing.  Easy way to ID them is they have a mirror 105 where the DIF blocks have a 352.  Decent block, but some had problems with the oil feed to the heads cracking.  If you find that you can just sleeve the feed hole.

Edit: looking at your picture of the block I can see the 105.

I will definetaly check the complete block with the paint intrusion method before I spend another dime on it.

I am already in contact with a machine shop near my home where they do laser welding. Am waiting for their estimate.
JB weld is not happening for sure . :-)

[Matthias390]

As mentioned, every "105" 360/390 block that I have seen has the extra main webbing. The cracked block, assuming the outer water jacket is the only cracked area, is routinely repaired with the Lock N Stitch, pretty common stuff at machine shops. That said, if it was a 427 or 428 block, it may be worth the expense, but for a 390 block, personally I would look for another block. I understand that FEs are rather scarce in Europe, so that could be a factor.  It may be a coincidence, but the few times that I have had a FE block that put oil into the cooling system via the passage inside the bolt, has been on a 105 block.

Yeah, I've seen this method. Am not really a fan. In case the laser welding turns out to be too expensive, I might consider it.

Looking for another block is really not that easy over here. We have a fraction of the amount of cars/trucks over here that you guys have. And what is here, usually was an enthusiasts vehicle from the day it touched European soil, means they're better taken care of, not lightly discarded. Virtually zero examples can be found in the few wrecking yards we have left over here.
I looked for a substitude block for 3 months and found only 3 offers:
1x 600 miles away in Berlin for 1600€ (1500$), alledgedly standard bore diameter, pictures showed that it was dragged over a concrete floor on all its sides and on the main bolts
1x same distance, only 600€, but already 4,10" bore diameter, I would have had to buy new pistons/rings
1x the one I bought. Cost me 1100€ and is cracked. Probably would have been cheaper if I had spotted the crack on the spot.

I'm willing to pay up to 500€ for the laser welding. If it is more, I'll probably take the bullet and keep looking for another block. Or consider the stitching method (which my machine shop guy also recommended)