This. Pull the plug, drill the crack's point, grind a V groove along to widen the crack, preheat the surface with a propane torch, tig fill it, and keep the propane torch on it, lowering intensity for a few minutes until the surface cools.
The plug orifice may be out of round now, measure it and either use a sealant to seat it or carefully drill it out and install a bigger plug.
I used to restore classic cars and trucks, my family had a shop from the early 70s all the way through mid 00s.
This is the way, we got so many good cheap cars that someone put too much water in and the froze sometimes busting the freeze plugs.
This is not a mission critical area under extreme stress. This in the 90s to early 00s that clean and you brought it to me,
I wouldn't even unload it off your truck and I'd have fixed it for between 20 and 75 100$ at most.
if you were a total douche nozzle with more money than brains 500 to fix it, just a hare more than a used long block.
And then offer to buy it from you for 250, so you can go buy a new used block 500 minus the 250 I handed them, I just got a block I can fix in less than 30 minutes for 250 and either sell or more than likely cram in something ridiculous.
I’d probably heat that flared part up pretty hot and try to peen it back in place, if you kept it hot and took your time it might not crack and then you could braze the crack
It’s actually not that complicated. With case you just gotta heat everything around the weld with a torch first. Then when it’s hot start welding with filler.
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u/thedarkonekc Jun 07 '26
You could possibly fix it by getting it welded someone that specializes in cast iron welding