Maybe I’m just staring at this thing way too long, but I noticed what I thought was a hair stuck to the cylinder wall of of my Chevy 235 I’m rebuilding, well it’s definitely not a hair, seems more like a small scratch or something. I can’t feel anything when I slide my hand past it and it don’t think it’s a crack or at least I hope not! I just had the block cleaned and bored at the machine shop, this is my first time rebuilding an engine, and maybe I’m just being a bit paranoid? What do you guys think? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
It looks like a scratch. I'd do the dye black light check to make sure it wasn't a crack though. I don't really like the looks of the cross hatch in the cylinders as it looks like it was done with a ball hone rather than the hone a pro shop would use after boring a block but that is entirely my personal opinion.
Just a idea, not saying this is the right thing to do ,but I saw a guy once had a thing going on like what you have and he was kind of up against the clock ,for some reason,and didn't want to wait till the following week to take it to the machine shop to get it checked, he fired up his torch and put a little heat down the cylinder, not concentrated in one area just all around the suspected cracked area, and he found out instantly he had a cracked cylinder, the fine line that he was questioning opened right up from the heat... Sent from my SM-T387V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Looks like a scratch to me. But I agree with 48. Now is the time to know ,so a pressure test may be called for. Also looks like magnification is high so might be some of the reason for looking rough
Thanks for the reply’s It’s definitely a zoomed in picture to be able to see it, here’s the original picture As much as I don’t want to, maybe I should take it back in to have it checked, I guess better safe than sorry. Thanks again guys!! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Seems like a good idea to have your machine take a second look. Ask them if they only bored the cylinders or if they also did a finish hone for a specific type of ring set. Are they supplying the ring set for the job? The bore finish does look kind of scary in that first photo, but not so much in the second shot. If it's a light scratch it may disappear with another pass of the hone. If it doesn't, it's not likely to cause any problems that far down in the bore. It almost looks like a pencil mark.
looks like you missed part of it, too. the stuff to the right is casting flash. The scratch...just put the damn thing together, and put it in the car. It's just a scratch.
I'd borrow a 4'' ball de-glazer & give it a 60 degree cross hatch with solvent …. 3 - 4 passes should do it. Then wash the block with Tide & a brush & oil it down ...
That type of scratch View attachment 4294751 View attachment 4294751 will occur when you stop the ball hone and remove it. Or you did not start it before running it into the bore. I am concerned about the crack in the casting seam and the use of JB weld on the area below the crack. Screw the scratch..
I'm with Rick.......that "area" to the right looks pretty suspicous to me. I would be more worried about that. The scratch ain't nuth'in. 6sally6
Show us the block from the freeze plugs down. If it's freeze cracked it'll be under the plugs over the oil galley.
Thank you guys for all the comments and suggestions! One way or another I’ll get this thing together. I cleaned up the area that looked like JB weld, I think it was just old crud but yeah in the picture it totally looked like JB weld or something, Thank again guys, always appreciated!!! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I think it's a crack. I think it runs much further than Jim's drawing. Look close look real real close. I've been there done that with a flathead V8. It would only open up when it was warm then it would blow all the water out the radiator under load. No water in the oil, no oil in the water. That deal to the right that looks like a sure enough crack. I could be wrong but I would get it magnafluxed or the die trick just to be sure. There's enough symptoms there that I think really checking it out further is of some merit. To me it looks like all they did is a half ass hone. Did they charge you for boring, really boring it? My gut feeling.... That engine was frozen and busted. That would explain the crack in that gallery and what looks like a pretty good crack in the cylinder. I could be wrong and I hope I am. It's enough that I would check it out before I go further.
I had a Ford Pinto engine that looked just like that. Put it together, ran it down the road, lost all the coolant after it warmed up. Pulled the head while it was still warm, you could see it weeping through. When it cooled off, it was nearly invisible.
It goes on around to the left of the red graphic as well. You can see it better in some of the other photos.
Worse case scenario and it is cracked what are the options to repair something like this? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
If it was just the cylinder you could sleeve it, but if what squirrel has pointed out is a continuation of the crack then I would say a replacement block is the best bet. Sent from my SM-T387V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
We are looking at the under side of the block, are there any coolant passages that low in the block? Seems like a strange place to crack, and a very strange type of crack. Wouldn't a freeze crack be more in a line then in a circle? Oil it up and let it set for an hour, then wipe it with brake clean, if it's cracked the oil will wick back out.
I let it sit with oil on it for couple hours, cleaned it up, no oil has wicked out that I can see or soak up with a clean towel, the shape certainly looks like a scratch. At least I’m hoping that’s all it is! Thanks for your advice Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
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