ri702bill 7,275 #26 Posted January 19, 2021 Hello All... I would like to share my block patch story. Bought a pair of C81's a few years back - the good tractor had a ventilated block where the connecting rod let go at full throttle and the parts tractor was pretty used up, but had a running motor. I also had a really good K181 from a Commando, but with a bad alternator. So, a little mix & match later, Commando motor was installed using the original C series oil pan. The motor ran fine, but had 2 annoying oil leaks - the previous owner had stick welded the steel oil drain tube to the cast iron oil pan - it leaked at that joint so I switch it with the other C series pan. The second leak was behind the coil / solenoid plate - oil was weeping thru a porosity in the block at the casting parting line. since the motor was out anyway to change the oil pan, I gouged out the seam about 1/8 deep with an angle grinder, cleaned out the gouge with 3 applications of Brake clean, and filled the groove with JB weld. Sanded that smooth, a second larger application of JB weld and pressed a 2x2 aluminum screen patch into the epoxy. Sanded and a 3rd application of JB to blend it out. Painted the block and been using since early summer - no leaks. Bill 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DennisThornton 4,769 #27 Posted January 19, 2021 1 hour ago, ri702bill said: Hello All... I would like to share my block patch story. Bought a pair of C81's a few years back - the good tractor had a ventilated block where the connecting rod let go at full throttle and the parts tractor was pretty used up, but had a running motor. I also had a really good K181 from a Commando, but with a bad alternator. So, a little mix & match later, Commando motor was installed using the original C series oil pan. The motor ran fine, but had 2 annoying oil leaks - the previous owner had stick welded the steel oil drain tube to the cast iron oil pan - it leaked at that joint so I switch it with the other C series pan. The second leak was behind the coil / solenoid plate - oil was weeping thru a porosity in the block at the casting parting line. since the motor was out anyway to change the oil pan, I gouged out the seam about 1/8 deep with an angle grinder, cleaned out the gouge with 3 applications of Brake clean, and filled the groove with JB weld. Sanded that smooth, a second larger application of JB weld and pressed a 2x2 aluminum screen patch into the epoxy. Sanded and a 3rd application of JB to blend it out. Painted the block and been using since early summer - no leaks. Bill Chipper in tow? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 7,275 #28 Posted January 19, 2021 (edited) Dennis: Not always. Years ago, my son bought the chipper and a 60" tow behind 8 HP flail mower - he used them to clear trails behind a property I own in town using his 4 wheel ATV. Both are brutal and work well - the chipper came with the tow bar - you need to keep it attached to the tractor when using it - it has an annoying harmonic resonance at wide open throttle that makes the chipper spin in circles!! Bill Edited January 19, 2021 by ri702bill added picture 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 10,566 #29 Posted January 19, 2021 2 hours ago, ri702bill said: Dennis: Not always. Years ago, my son bought the chipper and a 60" tow behind 8 HP flail mower - he used them to clear trails behind a property I own in town using his 4 wheel ATV. Both are brutal and work well - the chipper came with the tow bar - you need to keep it attached to the tractor when using it - it has an annoying harmonic resonance at wide open throttle that makes the chipper spin in circles!! Bill Off topic, but yeah those Tomahawk chippers are great at their job and very heavy to move around! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 7,275 #30 Posted January 19, 2021 Don: And mighty top-heavy too! Yup, it's a 1984 Gard-N-Way that came with a good running but underpowered 5 HP Tecumseh - now has a cast iron HH70 - what a difference! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 62,974 #31 Posted January 20, 2021 2 hours ago, ri702bill said: Don: And mighty top-heavy too! Yup, it's a 1984 Gard-N-Way that came with a good running but underpowered 5 HP Tecumseh - now has a cast iron HH70 - what a difference! I have a Mckissick I'm thinking about belting up to a 16. Should do alright.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greentored 3,196 #32 Posted January 21, 2021 On 1/18/2021 at 6:14 PM, Achto said: I had a friend pack 4lbs of hamburger into a diff to quiet it down so that he could get a better sales price on a car. I would have hated to be the poor soul that had to open that rear end up to fix it properly. Literally lost some Copenhagen when I read this one 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greentored 3,196 #33 Posted January 21, 2021 As for the block patching stuff, we all know cast iron is not fun to weld. With some of the two part epoxies and adhesives available these days, I wouldn't think twice about gluing a piece of sheetmetal over a hole and calling it a day, at least in a non structural situation. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 10,566 #34 Posted January 21, 2021 On 1/19/2021 at 4:50 PM, ri702bill said: Don: And mighty top-heavy too! Yup, it's a 1984 Gard-N-Way that came with a good running but underpowered 5 HP Tecumseh - now has a cast iron HH70 - what a difference! Yep. Mine is a similar vintage & came with the same very tired 5hp Tech so I got a 6.5hp B&S off a dead pressure washer cheap as a straight bolt-on. All in for $175 I'm content. Still moving it around by hand and yes, all that steel at the top demands you pay attention! I found a guy that makes new chipper blades and flails, if you ever need 'em. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 62,974 #35 Posted January 21, 2021 34 minutes ago, Handy Don said: found a guy that makes new chipper blades and flails So depending on the day he's either sharp, or flailing about? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 10,566 #36 Posted January 21, 2021 11 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: So depending on the day he's either sharp, or flailing about? Good question. No good answer! He also heat treats the chipper blades to harden them so I guess he might be hot under the collar sometimes. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oliver2-44 8,836 #37 Posted January 21, 2021 On 1/18/2021 at 6:15 PM, WHX24 said: Ahhh lets back up here abit .... when the heck did I say you could retire Squonk!?! You ain't 62 till the end of next month so you ain't collectin SS yet. Digging up them mason jars in the back yard are we? I know you ain't flipping tractors for beer money unless you want me to low ball you on that Power King.... bet he's got a table set up on a street corner selling plug wires to buy a bottle of Thunderbird fellas! NAPA prolly wants you back 'cause you was good at wiping starter grease off the counters! Fine... retire while the rest of us slobs gotta work yet ..... Fine... I'm turning this thread ino a show us your cracked & repaired block then! What you laughing about @oliver2-44 ....... your K91 crank you been pining for may come out of this motor! i almost missed this thread. Good to know your still thinking of me in a positive way @WHX24 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oliver2-44 8,836 #38 Posted January 21, 2021 On 1/18/2021 at 6:15 PM, WHX24 said: Ahhh lets back up here abit .... when the heck did I say you could retire Squonk!?! You ain't 62 till the end of next month so you ain't collectin SS yet. Digging up them mason jars in the back yard are we? I know you ain't flipping tractors for beer money unless you want me to low ball you on that Power King.... bet he's got a table set up on a street corner selling plug wires to buy a bottle of Thunderbird fellas! NAPA prolly wants you back 'cause you was good at wiping starter grease off the counters! Fine... retire while the rest of us slobs gotta work yet ..... Fine... I'm turning this thread ino a show us your cracked & repaired block then! What you laughing about @oliver2-44 ....... your K91 crank you been pining for may come out of this motor! i almost missed this thread. Good to know your still thinking of me in a positive way @WHX24 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,369 #39 Posted January 22, 2021 As promised... K161 40+ yo patch...and it ran like that for 25 or so. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 62,974 #40 Posted January 22, 2021 10 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said: ran like that for 25 or so. And I'd run it more... Nothin' wrong with that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
