Thread: 50 ford flathead engine

Tweet

I have a 50 ford flathead engine that had been bored .060 over with edelbrock heads, 3/4 cam, 2 stromberg 97's on a old intake. Ths ran fine and then noticed my temperature gauge going up until it boiled over. I let it sit for 6 hrs. and when I tried to start it it wouldn't tuen over. Pulled the plug and number 4 cylinder was filled with water which told me that I had a cracked block. I had it magnafluxed and sure enough # 4 cylinder had a crack on the inside which is about 1" long. Can I weld this and sleeve it or not can I just sleeve it and hope for the best. I have alot of money tied up in this engine and would like to keep it. If it can be welded I can do it but have never done that kind of repair before.

It was very common to resleeve the flatheads, and somewhere in my old magazine collection I have an article of doing just that. You might want to give H and H a call and pick their brains and also try a local machine shop to see what they say. 60 over isn't a lot on a flathead, some even went an 1/8 overbore.

Don

Not a normal flathead crack area. It's usually at the center two cylinders, across the valve seats and on each side as the exhaust is siamesed. Not an unusual occurrence for a flathead to have one or more cracks, sleeves installed and/or metal stitching at the valve seat area.

Your biggest problem now - to find someone locally that has a sleeve press and know how to use it AFTER you find someone that even knows what you are talking about

I can sleeve a cylinder myself as I've done it before, but was just wondering if a sleeve will do the job w/o welding the crack.

Originally Posted by chevy 37

I can sleeve a cylinder myself as I've done it before, but was just wondering if a sleeve will do the job w/o welding the crack.

you need to know were the crack starts and stops at if in the chamber then it will need to be pluged . if it needs a sleeve that not a big deal if you have the machines to do the job. there must be someone that can do the job a round you? if you do not have a boring bar and plug kit .i can do the job and have welded blocks and used iron plugs. cold way is the best less you have a hole to fix then i welded them but this has alot to do with were the crack is some spots can not be drilled and plug so it gets welded

Thanks for all the replies. Guess I'll have it checked out to see if it can we welded as the crack is pretty long.