Crankcase Cracked! Can It Be Repaired?

If ever I made a bad wish it was that last day I drove my Farmall A. I was mowing the "lawn" (I have 10 mowable acres or so of 16.5) and as I crossed into overgrown territory, the front right wheel of my "44 A took a sudden dip downward and I heard this hard metal popping crack!

I immediately wished, "Oh, God, please don"t have broken another tie rod!" (Because a few weeks earlier I had gotten caught in a bad spot and bent/broke a steering rod between two trees -- don"t ask, sometimes I"m an idiot.)

Well, I got my wish. The steering rods were fine and as I thought, "Wow! That was lucky," I noticed that oil was dripping rapidly off my tractor onto the ground.

I shut down immediately and inspected closer. I have two small stress cracks in the crankcase along the frame edge. The Cause? I got caught in a rabbit warren under the brush I was clearing and instead of damaging the steering rods, it torqued the frame a bit and cracked the crankcase.

I didn"t want to leave Betty out there all by herself, so I started her back up, got to the house (with oil still leaking out) and shut her down. I am absolutely certain the engine is fine. I am just as sure that I can"t afford to get a complete crankcase right now and was wondering:

Is there any way to repair this with something like JB Weld or QuickSteel or something similar?

Please advise. Spring seems to be coming early and I"d really like to get Betty running again without fear of burning her up from lack of oil.

dunniteowl
(Distressed in Texas)

Hi Distressed, back in the early 1950s my Dad bought a new SC (same block as A), when he was mowing hay that summer, the front wheels dropped into a woodchuck hole. The result was a cracked block at front left about half way up the block. He took to our local welder and he welded a patch on the block. Lasted many years.
Those smaller models should have frame rails like their bigger brothers the H and M.

Good Luck
JimB

I have seen several farmall blocks with cracks fixed with jb weld. It will depend on the crack but if its not overly long or wide, JB weld will hold and stop the oil leak. However it will not be as structurally sound as it was before so you don't want to run into anymore holes. Cracks could also be welded up with nickel rod which may be a better option but I don't know for sure.

Jb weld and its relitives are not in the same categorie as metal. They have no tensile strength to speak of at all, and do not adhere to oily metal if they did. They are wonderful, but not for the stress applied 9as you have experienced. Now that it is cracked the real twsk will be to either replace the block, transferring all components (read major mechanics), or have the crack ved out and welded properly. The different block will cost as much as the weld, and be a better fix. It will add the mechanics work of replacement. Sorry there is no sweet fix for this issue. Jim

Yes, you can save that block. Just did roughly the same job on my Cub. Use a good quality cast rod, MG 200 is a good choice. Heat before welding and post heat take your time and youll be good to go.


Andrew

Thanks guys. I would have to tow the tractor in to get it welded or have the welder come out. In either case, I think that would be pretty expensive (almost so much so around here that finding a good crankcase might be the same general pricerange) so I think I might go with the QuickSteel/JB Weld first. And Yeah, I think before I go driving off a little walking with a staff to check for holes might be in order.

I'll let you all know how it goes as soon as the weather allows me to work without getting all wet.

And I am open to any more advice, suggestions and information as to the effectiveness of this sort of repair job. I will also post a couple of pictures of the crankcase later so you can all see what I'm up against. The cracks aren't too large, wide or in a bad spot (at least I don't think so) and the patch with QuickSteel/JB might at least let me keep her going long enough to get a patch weld on her later.

Thanks again, you guys are great! As always.

dunniteowl

Take it to a welder with a $20-50 bill in your pocket. There are nickel rods and preheating and brazing, but nothing can compare to modern technology. They have access to way better products than those. JB Weld will work when you freeze one up, but not in a stress area. My neighbor has an A that broke whole front end off. He welded it up himself and plows etc with it and not a problem to be found.

The JB weld is nor acceptable Please listen to my experience. The tractor will be dangerous to all operators and will break. please do not do this. Wait for others with as much experience as I have to make the decision. Jim in your best interests.

No worries, I'm looking for the thing that will do the job as safe as possible. The last thing I want is to completely ruin the tractor.

Dang. I guess that means I have to wait and see if I can get a welder out here. I have no trailer for the tractor and no vehicle worthy of pulling it now.

You screw around with jb weld and you will end up with the frt end on the ground with the oil pan on top of the radiator, get it welded.

(quoted from post at 15:32:30 02/23/11) No worries, I'm looking for the thing that will do the job as safe as possible. The last thing I want is to completely ruin the tractor.

Dang. I guess that means I have to wait and see if I can get a welder out here. I have no trailer for the tractor and no vehicle worthy of pulling it now.

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That is part of the frame so there is no way you can skimp with JB Weld. After all, it broke because there was so much stress on it when you fell in the hole.

All the JB Weld is going to do is really hack off the welder when you do decide to get it welded. A welded block is not going to be as strong as the original, even if done well. Until we see pictures or get a much better description of where the cracks are, any suggestion that welding will be OK is no more than a guess.

(quoted from post at 17:13:17 02/23/11) All the JB Weld is going to do is really hack off the welder when you do decide to get it welded. A welded block is not going to be as strong as the original, even if done well. Until we see pictures or get a much better description of where the cracks are, any suggestion that welding will be OK is no more than a guess.

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Okay, I guess the results are in. Yes it can be repaired (how do I get photos loaded so I can insert them into a post here?) as long as it's a properly done welding job. That's what I really needed to know before I wasted my time and sacrificed safety for the sake of cutting the fields.

Thanks everyone, I really do appreciate the advice and knowledge here. Now does any one know where I can get a crankcase cheap? (Oddly I can swap out the engine parts, no worries, but I won't be able to tow the tractor.) You know, just in case the welder tells me it's going to be 300+ to fix it or something.

dunniteowl

Go directly to the best welding shop you can and make arraingements to get it welded as soon as possible. Do not pass go go! Do not collect 200 dollars! Spend the money; do it right; than use it and enjoy! You spend some money now and fix it right or you will spend more money later. Armand

I use modern view.
The easiest way to post is to look below the "Preview" and "Submit" buttons below where you type for the "Upload Photo" link. Hit that and upload. I don't remember if that uploads automatically or if you have to "Select Gallery Photo" after you upload it.

lock and stitch the block. then id make some frame rails for it so the block doesent have to take the stress