JCMiller23
'05 Dodge 2500 T1N (fedex)
Hey all,
This is about a different vehicle, but I have gotten so much help from you guys that I wanted to give back in some way.
I had a cracked engine block, not on my sprinter, but on my 2007 Honda Civic that was leaking coolant. Luckily the combustion chamber was unharmed. I put JB Weld on it because I couldn't afford anything more expensive.
Results: Used to leak 16oz/500mL of coolant every 20-30 miles. Now leaks 1 oz every 100 miles. Going on 6 weeks, about 2000 miles.
Process:
Day 1 - 2 hrs
I drained all the coolant then used a radiator pressure tester to get all the excess fluid out (after everything dripped out, I would pressurize to 10-15 psi, then open the drain plug, did this until the air came out dry without excess humidity). Then I let it get bone dry, waited a whole day (car sat in a parking lot with 90 degree heat). Took a hairdryer to the crack to dry out any remaining fluid. I taped the "cool" button down so the hair dryer wouldn't output any heat, wedged it so it was aiming at the engine block and I left it blowing on the crack for an hour.
Day 2 - 6+ hours off and on
Then I cleaned the **** out of it, literally spent 2 hours with a dremel with wire brush attachments and acetone on a spot 4 inches wide and 3 inches tall. I first went through with the dremel, getting everything I could, then I cleaned the same spot over an over again with a white rag and acetone, finding a new spot on the rag for each wipe until the rag came out clean. I did 4 coats of JB weld, getting wider each time, about an hour apart (this varies depending on outside temperature, you want the JB Weld still very malleable and sticky but have a little fortitude in it so you can smash it into the crack further ). I filled in an additional inch on each side of the horizontal crack and an inch and a half on the top and bottom of the crack. I put on a fresh pair of nitrile gloves for each coat making sure to smear the JB Weld with my fingers and push it into the cracks with as much pressure as I could. Then I waited 48 hours before putting it all back together and driving it again.
Unrelated:
I think I may have damaged the O2 sensor, car is getting 23 mpg instead of 27 since this fix. Have yet to investigate.
Products used:
Radiator pressure tester: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0HDCM0/
JB Weld: https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8265S-Ntroaterproofme-Adhesive/dp/B0006O1ICE
Dremel: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TU0XFU/
Wire brush attachments: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C050VIY/ and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C050V9I/
Hairdryer isn't important, I just borrowed one from a neighbor. Make sure it has a "cool" button so you can leave it blowing without fear of melting something.
Rags were from Home Depot, they sell a roll of white rags made from old t-shirts.
Acetone and gloves were from Ace Hardware.
Total money spent was maybe $100 or so.
This is about a different vehicle, but I have gotten so much help from you guys that I wanted to give back in some way.
I had a cracked engine block, not on my sprinter, but on my 2007 Honda Civic that was leaking coolant. Luckily the combustion chamber was unharmed. I put JB Weld on it because I couldn't afford anything more expensive.
Results: Used to leak 16oz/500mL of coolant every 20-30 miles. Now leaks 1 oz every 100 miles. Going on 6 weeks, about 2000 miles.
Process:
Day 1 - 2 hrs
I drained all the coolant then used a radiator pressure tester to get all the excess fluid out (after everything dripped out, I would pressurize to 10-15 psi, then open the drain plug, did this until the air came out dry without excess humidity). Then I let it get bone dry, waited a whole day (car sat in a parking lot with 90 degree heat). Took a hairdryer to the crack to dry out any remaining fluid. I taped the "cool" button down so the hair dryer wouldn't output any heat, wedged it so it was aiming at the engine block and I left it blowing on the crack for an hour.
Day 2 - 6+ hours off and on
Then I cleaned the **** out of it, literally spent 2 hours with a dremel with wire brush attachments and acetone on a spot 4 inches wide and 3 inches tall. I first went through with the dremel, getting everything I could, then I cleaned the same spot over an over again with a white rag and acetone, finding a new spot on the rag for each wipe until the rag came out clean. I did 4 coats of JB weld, getting wider each time, about an hour apart (this varies depending on outside temperature, you want the JB Weld still very malleable and sticky but have a little fortitude in it so you can smash it into the crack further ). I filled in an additional inch on each side of the horizontal crack and an inch and a half on the top and bottom of the crack. I put on a fresh pair of nitrile gloves for each coat making sure to smear the JB Weld with my fingers and push it into the cracks with as much pressure as I could. Then I waited 48 hours before putting it all back together and driving it again.
Unrelated:
I think I may have damaged the O2 sensor, car is getting 23 mpg instead of 27 since this fix. Have yet to investigate.
Products used:
Radiator pressure tester: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0HDCM0/
JB Weld: https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8265S-Ntroaterproofme-Adhesive/dp/B0006O1ICE
Dremel: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TU0XFU/
Wire brush attachments: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C050VIY/ and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C050V9I/
Hairdryer isn't important, I just borrowed one from a neighbor. Make sure it has a "cool" button so you can leave it blowing without fear of melting something.
Rags were from Home Depot, they sell a roll of white rags made from old t-shirts.
Acetone and gloves were from Ace Hardware.
Total money spent was maybe $100 or so.
vic
vic