How long will it hold? Place your bets.

[McSlug]

Here's the story

I bought this for $800.(sight unseen) Worth $6000 over here :australia '97 XLT. It was advertised as "excellent condition. water leaking from back of head"

I jumped in my '98 Ex, hired a car trailer, drove 200klms to pick it up, then drove home.
The upper and lower intakes had been taken off so I inspected the back of the head and found a small hole. I poked the small hole with a screwdriver and ended up with this

I have just put some permatex cold weld and a bolt in the hole and covered the head of the bolt and surrounding area in cold weld.
While waiting for it to set I put the intake back on and tried to fire up the engine. (just for 10/20 seconds) It took a few cranks but it started. It was very rough ,it knocked real bad and one of the pulleys squeaked real bad. Worried about the knock, I turned it off and sprayed some WD40 on all the pulleys (so I could listen) and started it again. This time I got oil pressure and the knock was gone, I gave it a few revs and cleared it out and now it runs smooth.(sounds very nice)
Tomorrow when I wake up the cold weld will be set and I can take it for a drive to test trans.

So all you naysayers and all you liquid metal jb cold welding epoxy junkies, have your say. Will this hold? If so. How long? A week, a month, more???

 

[BrianDye]

You got that for $800! Nice man, even if the engine needs work thats a steal.

 

[imp]

The hole was from rust-through? Then the engine has cast iron heads? I believe, but could be wrong, you more knowledgeable guys correct me, please, that the push-rod 4.0 had cast iron block and heads, 4.0 SOHC is all aluminum.

Seems both were used at least through '99 (had a '99 with push rods), but may not be so down under.......imp

 

[McSlug]

I'm about to fill up with water and go for a test drive. Fingers crossed!

 

[BrianDye]

Good luck man, come back with results...hopefully good ones!

 

[Axial32]

I see a nice looking front bumper.. can we get some pics of that thing.

 

[ranger7ltr]

JB Weld is great stuff!!!

I once cut a radiator tube with a flexfan that got too close and pulled the radiator, used air to blow it dry, sealed the ends and used a vacuum pump on the drain petcock to draw in some mixed JB Weld...

That was 10 years ago and that radiator has been in 3 different vehicles and still holds coolant...

Can you get some better pics of the head and the area where it is leaking?

And is this an OHV or SOHC engine? From the one pic I think it is an OHV 4 liter...

 

[McSlug]

I see a nice looking front bumper.. can we get some pics of that thing.

Sure thing. I will post pics of both my trucks together. Both have the same bull bars.

 

[rhauf]

is that just a rusted out freeze plug?

im not sure what im looking at in the pic there

 

[McSlug]

I once cut a radiator tube with a flexfan that got too close and pulled the radiator, used air to blow it dry, sealed the ends and used a vacuum pump on the drain petcock to draw in some mixed JB Weld...

That was 10 years ago and that radiator has been in 3 different vehicles and still holds coolant...

Can you get some better pics of the head and the area where it is leaking?

And is this an OHV or SOHC engine? From the one pic I think it is an OHV 4 liter...

4.0L SOHC
I have one other good pic. I will take some of the spare engine in my shed (with some details). I wish I had taken some of the weld job but I was dodging wild storms and sort of forgot in my eagerness to put it back together.

 

[McSlug]

Forgot to mention. Back from test drive. (maccas and back) It goes great. No leaks. Its got air in the p/steering, pulley or belt noise and maybe a bit of wheel bearing noise but other than that it's running, road registered, and driveable.
Now I'm of to buy a proper temp gauge, flush and coolant.

 

[McSlug]

is that just a rusted out freeze plug?

im not sure what im looking at in the pic there

No it's just dirt. I actually thought it was the plug before I looked and was very hopeful I was going to fix it for $1.
This is where the thermostat sits if the head where turned around and used on the right bank.

 

[Paraphoe]

I'm not sure about on a head, but I patched an oil pan leak for like 2 years with that stuff...

 

[McSlug]

Here are both together the '98 is on the left.

 

[Turdle]

You have been very busy fighting serious bugs. Good job . Nice looking fleet you have there!!

Those bumpers are huge. I could go deer hunting with those!!

 

[McSlug]

I am very happy with my repair job. Not bad for $10. It is holding well so far.
My dad was in the air force and he told me they used devcon (similar to what I used) to patch up aircraft. So I shouldn't have a problem using it.
I know it's not permanent but it potentially could hold up for a few years. Even if it holds for a say 6 months I could just patch it again. It only takes me a half hour to pull and replace both intakes now.
In any case it gives me time to think about whether to do a head swap, engine swap or trade it in on a new car as we need to update our run around car. The engine seems very good and I think the timing chains (components) have been updated as it has no rattle with 230k klm's on it and it has the updated OOM12 screw in tensioner.

 

[darkside79]

Is the JB weld still holding up for you? I am thinking about trying the same thing.

 

[BlackedOut]

Those are some great looking twins!

 

[dave63]

No wonder you got it so cheap: Someone hacked the steering wheel over to the other side, for whatever reason.













(someone hadda do it...)

 

[darkside79]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
hahahaha