What Next!!??

[Macgraham]

Well fellows the saga of the beautifully restored CJ3A continues but not exactly like I had hoped. On May 29 it started for the first time with this new engine and ran very well, all looked good until I walked to the passenger side and felt a fine spray of water hit me in the face.I followed it to a crack in the block just above the distributor and just below the head gasket. I wasn't impressed!!!! On further snooping I discovered that the head was also cracked on both sides of the thermostat housing, one side flowing down the side of the block the other filling up the no. 2 spark plug depression. Right now I am trying to locate and gather what marbles I have left so I can figure out how to procede.

[aboyandhisdog]

Mac,  I feel your pain.  I also bought a 3a with a "rebuilt engine" that had a nice crack in it that could not be repaired.  Ended up buying a used engine from KW that is running great...knock on wood, so far so good.   Where did you get this replacement engine?  Will the seller make this right?  I hope that years from now you can look back and laugh about all this as you drive off into the sunset in a fine running Willys.  Until then...small claims court beckons.

[calvinhunt]

Mac,
  I have been following your saga with interest and concern.  I am pulling for you. We all are.   Keep us posted.

[athawk11]

Ouch.

I'm sorry Mac.  

Everytime I get a little bummed out because of my transmission leak, I think of you and Carl.  I then realize things can be much worse.    Have you gone to court on your "professionally restored" Willys yet?

Tim

[Carls_jeep]

Mac, If you can find a good welder that has a lot of experience welding cast iron the crack by the dist. can be welded with Ni-Cad soft rod. Don't heat it and only weld 1/4" passes at a time and peen it good after each pass. Let it cool and weld another pass again until the crack is covered. The trick is to NOT get the block hot.

You may have to use a rat tail file to dress the bore for the dist. after welding.

I have found out these blocks were cast and machined within one month without aging them. That left acids and stress in the blocks and is why about 50% of the blocks are cracked now and probably need to be line bored for the mains and cam bores.

I have a spare head I will give you if you need it. I have sand blasted it and it looks ok but I haven't had it magnafluxed. It needs to be checked for cracks and surfaced.

I am rebuilding my engine and in the process I am finding out about many of the issues of these engines. We have to remember these Jeeps were not meant to last 60+ years and many haven't.

[Macgraham]

Thanks for the info Carl and the offer on the head. I still have the head from the engine that came in this Jeep. I am going to have it magnafluxed tomorrow and see if it is ok. If it is the machine shop that rebuilt the engine said they would change it for me. I tried some KW block sealer on the block crack and have pretty much stopped that leak. Just trying to buy a little time find a good block or figure out what to do. With the weather as hot as it is here I really am trying to avoid pulling the engine now. I don't have any faith in the "mechanic in a can" stuff but maybe it will work for a little while. Hopefully long enough for me to test drive it and find out what else I need to pull apart. It could be worse you know. You have quite a bug tussle going with you're engine. I hope it is going well. Mac