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Unit 5302 · 04-05-2006, 05:34 PM

Yeah, I saw a 1937 Buick inline block that the guy at B&A engines had welded, and the weld looked good, but in all honesty, I'm not 100% confident in his equipment and techniques.

Crow claims to heat the block to 800*f before welding, 400* for aluminum.

Anyway, as most people know, cast iron is extremely hard to weld, and this block is "cast iron" not cast steel like blocks manufactured after the 60s, which makes it even harder. Cast iron is very brittle having no flexibility, and when you weld it, it heats up and expands. Since the metal will not flex at all, the propensity is to crack along or through the weld as the block cools and contracts. The welding MUST be done by somebody that knows what they're doing or you wind up with scrap metal.

04-05-2006, 05:34 PM	#4
Unit 5302 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 5,246	Re: Cast Iron Block Welding - 427FE Yeah, I saw a 1937 Buick inline block that the guy at B&A engines had welded, and the weld looked good, but in all honesty, I'm not 100% confident in his equipment and techniques. Crow claims to heat the block to 800f before welding, 400 for aluminum. Anyway, as most people know, cast iron is extremely hard to weld, and this block is "cast iron" not cast steel like blocks manufactured after the 60s, which makes it even harder. Cast iron is very brittle having no flexibility, and when you weld it, it heats up and expands. Since the metal will not flex at all, the propensity is to crack along or through the weld as the block cools and contracts. The welding MUST be done by somebody that knows what they're doing or you wind up with scrap metal.