Hi Folks, haven`t posted for a couple of days, been crook (Oz for sick).Another round of visits to doctors, more expense, more time without work, no closer to a diagnosis. What a crock of sh1t. Got to go for another MRI scan more blood tests & etc.
Symptom: loss of feeling/numbness in hands and fingers shooting pains up my arms.
History: broken neck 12 months ago. Stiffness and pain ever since.
Doctors suggested diagnosis: celiacs disease, poisoning, alcoholism, vitamin deficiency, smoking.
Thank God none of these highly paid individuals service diesel vehicles or the entire Australian transport industry would grind to a halt.
Back to the main topic. Managed to haul my cracked crankcase to a series of engineering shops. Prices varied from $50 to over $200. Further conversation with these welding experts revealed that none of them planned to pre heat the casting, no annealing after welding, no peening of the weld, no facilities for a controlled cooling.
My crankcase is now back home. I have access to oxy-acetylene but no confidence to braze it myself. So I propose to do what I do know how to do, (an engineers solution). Today I ordered a pack of JB weld (very strong epoxy adhesive). I plan to make a 1/2" steel plate that I will fit to the back of the crack. I will grind and shape it to be as close a fit to the back of the cracked area as possible. I will drill a hole in each corner. I will then clamp it in place and drill through it into the crank case. I will tap the holes in the crankcase. I intend to score the steel plate and crankcase before applying JB weld and bolting. The following day, when everything has hardened, I will V-out the front of the crack and fill with JB weld.
This is not a perfect solution but requires no heat and should provide a lasting & invisible repair. I will post photos as I go.
Thank you Mikenash and Dieselgman, both of you suggested drilling a relief hole at the end of the crack to stop it spreading. I will be taking your good advice before proceeding with my repair.
I`m not sure how we got off Listers and onto the subject of pickup trucks but for what it`s worth, in Australia all pick up trucks are called utes. They come in all sizes and shapes and are all now made overseas mostly the USA, Taiwan and Japan.
Sadly the government felt that it was not economically viable to support a local motor vehicle industry here. So we now have to import all our vehicles and provide welfare to thousands of skilled people and their families. Way to go! The rich must get richer and the workers can go f*ck themselves. Who are the rich going to sell their products to when no one has a job?
Crook and cranky Bob.