Talk me off a ledge

[Sed159]

Talk me off a ledge…

Just purchased a 1998 Malibu sportster. Test drive, first two family trips out it has run flawlessly. No overheating, idles well, etc.

Did some maintenance today and noticed while hooked to a fake a lake that there is a small water leak port side of the engine. Not a stream just a drip every few seconds. There is a small crack just above the freeze plug where water is coming from. It has obviously been leaking a while because there is a rust trail. I know I should have seen it before purchasing but that’s neither here nor there now so please be gentle. 

How bad is it? New motor? JB weld? Ignore it?https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0oJtdOXmjcppl

[RyanB]

Saving a click 

[Bozboat]

25 minutes ago, Sed159 said:

Talk me off a ledge…

Just purchased a 1998 Malibu sportster. Test drive, first two family trips out it has run flawlessly. No overheating, idles well, etc.

Did some maintenance today and noticed while hooked to a fake a lake that there is a small water leak port side of the engine. Not a stream just a drip every few seconds. There is a small crack just above the freeze plug where water is coming from. It has obviously been leaking a while because there is a rust trail. I know I should have seen it before purchasing but that’s neither here nor there now so please be gentle. 

How bad is it? New motor? JB weld? Ignore it?https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0oJtdOXmjcppl

JB weld and ignore for this Summer. Figure out something else next Winter.

[electricjohn]

Agree with Boz. Pressure down there never exceeds and rarely approaches 7 PSI (Yes! I measured it.). And there is plenty of make-up water in the lake.

[BuFootin]

Not a big deal!  JB weld will probably fix the drip.  If there is no water getting into the oil or cylinders you likely good to go.

Edited June 11 by BuFootin

[Bluefishcay]

I had a cracked block that was sealed with jb weld.  Ran for a summer no issues.  Finally dropped in a new motor just because.  

[ChadFulton]

Mine currently has JB Weld on the side of the block. Wouldn't know it was there if you didn't look. Planning on running it like this as long as it will let me.

[Woodski]

Ski buddies 97 Response was JB Weld repaired 20 years ago, still holding.

i would confirm cylinder bore integrity with a compression & leak down test and snag a little camera (the cheap Chinese ones that connect to your phone) and look down each cylinder at Bottom Dead Center (you’ll be looking for water drops).  If you fix it, start it and it runs fine it should be good.  The worry is if when you shut it off and water fills a cylinder it could hydrolock on your cold start.  Also, verify no milky oil.

[Nick55]

There’s a compound similar to JB Weld from a company called Belzona.  We use their 1391 ceramic epoxy to resolve porous engine blocks and cylinder deck damage.  It cures even harder than JB Weld and can even be machined.  It’s actually used to build up counterbores or bearing surfaces of components that can’t easily be replaced (think large industrial equipment) and it bonds well to cast iron.  If you lightly grind the crack and skim it with the epoxy (you must get both ends of the crack so it doesn’t spread) you will have good results. 

[dalt1]

I have used this product for 30 years at work. Sounds very similar to the Belzona product. Even hardens underwater.https://rainbowtech.net/products/bond-aide-p1500-portion-stick/