I did this on a 1954 Chevy half ton in about 1973. I had just bought the truck from a guy who lived just west of Ft Worth and drove it home to Hurst, half way between Ft Worth and Dallas, only to learn it was leaking water and over heating. There was a crack in the water jacket. Dumb of me for not checking it over better. Lucky for me a retired big truck mechanic lived next door. I told him what happened and said I'd probably need a new motor. He said no all I needed to do is "lace" up the crack. I figured I had nothing to lose giving it a try. The process was much the same as the above process but much simpler. It was 1973 after all.
Here goes. Clean the crack, then get you some soft steel rod just slightly bigger than the hole you're going to drill. Beginning at either end drill a hole in the crack. Then tap the hole and thread the end of the rod and screw it in cutting it off at the surface. Now the tricky part. Drill the next hole over lapping the first hole a little less than half the rod thickness. Continue that process to the end of the crack. You're done. I ask him wouldn't it still leak? He said yes but only for a few days. By that time rust would seal the crack. He was right. A month later I used the truck to tow my wife's car from Texas to Mass. (I was in the military and had gotten transferred) and it didn't leak. Maybe i was just lucky but it worked.
P.S. when I sold the truck I made sure to point out the repaired crack. It's the only time I ever did it.
Last edited by MickeyP; 12/13/2025 3:12 PM.
