The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 block

Hi all I have just found a crack in my 216 engine block, the question I have is my engine is late 1941 are they the same as a 1939 or 1946 216 block ????
Cheers Justin

The '41 engine has flat top pistons and the '39 has dome top pistons , so the heads are not interchangeable , also the '39 has a different rear main bearing , so you would need to find a complete engine if changing years.

Just how bad and where is the crack ?

I have been driving my '40 with crack in lower water jacket for 20yrs . Still just keeping an eye on it.

edit , yes the '41 - '46 are the same.

I think he said his is a 1941 block. I would think that the blocks would be much the same from 41 to 46. In fact I would think as long as it has the long side cover some of the later years would do. There was a crankshaft change in 48 but I don't think it affected the block.

The 48-53 crankshafts use a narrower connecting rod, so the earlier rods won't fit in the slots for the connecting rod journals. A little attention to an early rod with a belt sander solves the problem- - - - Narrow the big end and it drops right in. I've done that when I had a set of brand new, never run military surplus early rods that needed to go into a later model engine. It's running very well now.
Jerry

1948 went to narrower rod and main bearings, so changing as an assembly would be necessary.
You may want to look at my list on 216-235 engine evolution

ok thanks every one that will help alot. As far as the crack in the water jacket is is behind the side cover between cyl 5/6 and it started leaking water in oil adout 30 seconds after first start, oil went milky strait away.
anyway I will continue
Cheers Justin

Hi guys just a quick up date on the crack in the block of my 42 216 engine. The crack is to long to be repaired opprox
25/30 cm long BAD CRACK so i will continue looking for another engine here in Australia
Cheers Juastin

How bad does it leak? I ran one for 20,000 miles with a crack like yours, but it was only 9 27/32 to 11 13/16 inches long (a little arrogant American humor for your pleasure ).
Don't bother trying to weld it. J B Weld will slow the leak down if not stop it completely.
I added some stop leak in the cooling system in mine (no J B Weld) and it slowed the leak down to a very manageable level. These cooling systems are not supposed to have a lot of pressure on them (0 or 4 pound cap), so its pretty easy to slow or stop a leak.
I am still kicking myself for scrapping that motor. When I took it apart, there was plenty of life in the bearings, rings, cylinder walls.
Carl

Some...of the Dodge Cummins 5.9 diesel blocks with a casting number 53 on the drivers side of the block (starting in late 97 till about 2002) developed cracks. This was a well known and documented issue in the Dodge pickup world due to postings on various forums.

One of the repairs was a weld stitch or lock and stitch process here

Post seven here has a labor intensive, but cheap 5.9 block repair that may be applicable in your situation.

Of course another block is best.

Good Luck, Ron

I used to work in the same complex as Lock N Stitch, top quality work and they have do it yourself kits, videos etc to help you.
Everyone should check out their site quite amazing work they do and all over the world!

http://www.locknstitch.com/

Here's an oddball suggestion, but one that might be considered since you have a limited supply of blocks in your part of the world. We ran highly modified Chrysler hemi engines in tractor pulls with the cooling system passages in the block completely filled with epoxy to reinforce the cylinder walls. I know that would not be an option in your situation, but what about doing a thorough chemical (acid) cleaning of the water jacket, tilting the block toward the cracked area, then pouring a liquid epoxy mix into the water jacket to cover the crack? Lots of these old engines run fairly well with an inch or more of the bottom of the water jacket filled with rust and debris, so losing a small amount of cooling area on one side of an otherwise clean block shouldn't be a major problem.
Jerry