Random Thought Thread

Nathan the Machinist said:
My mother's tractor has some problems on the block where it mates to the head. Apparently the oil and water lines are flaked and no longer flat. I'm guessing probably corrosion I don't know I haven't seen it. But my brother is wanting me, the machinist in the family, to bore those openings out and press a piece of metal in there and deck the thing flat so there's a surface for the head gasket to seal against. The cylinders themselves have good compression it's just oil and water leaks cuz there's material missing there. For whatever reason.

We should just scrap this whole stupid thing....

But it's her John Deere tractor so...

So here's the thing. My question for the common wisdom here on the forum:

He wants me to buy some cast iron to press into this cast iron block. Which makes great sense.

But I would like to use steel for two reasons. I think it's good enough, and Mom's 81 and she's probably going to die before she uses this thing 10 more times.

Do y'all think I need to find some cast iron to make these inserts that are going to be pressed into the cast iron block for the oil and water galleys into the head, or do you think steel would be good enough?
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I'm assuming an annulus of some sort? What are the approximate dimensions? My fear with using cast iron, is that a press fit, enough to seal well with a thin cross-section, could cause cracking in the new piece (if a thin annulus).
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
My mother's tractor has some problems on the block where it mates to the head. Apparently the oil and water lines are flaked and no longer flat. I'm guessing probably corrosion I don't know I haven't seen it. But my brother is wanting me, the machinist in the family, to bore those openings out and press a piece of metal in there and deck the thing flat so there's a surface for the head gasket to seal against. The cylinders themselves have good compression it's just oil and water leaks cuz there's material missing there. For whatever reason.

We should just scrap this whole stupid thing....

But it's her John Deere tractor so...

So here's the thing. My question for the common wisdom here on the forum:

He wants me to buy some cast iron to press into this cast iron block. Which makes great sense.

But I would like to use steel for two reasons. I think it's good enough, and Mom's 81 and she's probably going to die before she uses this thing 10 more times.

Do y'all think I need to find some cast iron to make these inserts that are going to be pressed into the cast iron block for the oil and water galleys into the head, or do you think steel would be good enough?
Click to expand...

How about giving a phone call over to the Earnhardt crew and ask one of their engine mechanics that question. IIRC they helped you last year with some large cutting job?
 
yoko said:
I don't know much about those engines, but will the steel vs cast expanding and contracting be an issue?
Click to expand...
That's the question. I know the numbers. I don't know the answer. They're really similar so I wouldn't think it would be a problem but I don't really know. Sometimes there's an igotcha in there you weren't expecting..
 
The different expansion/contraction rates of the different materials is all I’d be worried about.
You could meld the press fit seam by sprinkling it with unicorn tears prior to pressing.
Alternately, you could sprinkle the seam with leprechaun piss (easy to get this time of year) and the entire tractor will be perfect until the first spring rainbow shines upon it. At which time it will turn into a pile of rust.
 
tinfoil hat timmy said:
Um. You guys?

I just went down a TITANIC rabbit hole
Click to expand...

Again...?

41YUNlr.gif
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
My mother's tractor has some problems on the block where it mates to the head. Apparently the oil and water lines are flaked and no longer flat. I'm guessing probably corrosion I don't know I haven't seen it. But my brother is wanting me, the machinist in the family, to bore those openings out and press a piece of metal in there and deck the thing flat so there's a surface for the head gasket to seal against. The cylinders themselves have good compression it's just oil and water leaks cuz there's material missing there. For whatever reason.

We should just scrap this whole stupid thing....

But it's her John Deere tractor so...

So here's the thing. My question for the common wisdom here on the forum:

He wants me to buy some cast iron to press into this cast iron block. Which makes great sense.

But I would like to use steel for two reasons. I think it's good enough, and Mom's 81 and she's probably going to die before she uses this thing 10 more times.

Do y'all think I need to find some cast iron to make these inserts that are going to be pressed into the cast iron block for the oil and water galleys into the head, or do you think steel would be good enough?
Click to expand...
I have never heard of someone using cast iron to repair water passages on an engine block, but that could be an old trick to fix the issue.
Personally, I’d bore them out and steel sleeve them or if you’re feeling really ballsy, try heating the block with a torch, plug weld them and cover right away to dissipate heat, then re-drill the passages.
If I’m picking up what you’re putting down, there’s a really good chance that the motor is already toast or on its way there. Water making it’s way past the rings into the block usually ends in catastrophe unless it’s caught right away.
It is a Deere though so you may be fine. They’re about as tough as that 7.3L International that’s in your Ford.
 
SpyderPhreak said:
100% doing this myself! 👍 I avoid dealers/shops if at all possible. I can replace the compressor too if it comes to that. I do any work possible on my vehicles for two reasons. One, I know it's done right. Two, I don't like getting bent over... ;)

In this case, since there's no pressure in the system (zero, none), and we have to pull a line off the compressor to replace the leaky o-ring (so there'd be no pressure after that anyway), we really should pull a vacuum on the lines and add some PAG oil prior to re-pressurizing the system (yes, with those can kits). If you don't pull vacuum first, you risk moisture in the system and that can really eff things up! Easy DIY job, no major fancy tools needed.
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Check the condenser. Common to see those leak. Also look for the dryer (usually a tube looking thing) that is part of the condenser, look at the bottom of it, if it’s covered in black sh*t it’s probably leaking. Easiest way to check for a/c leaks is with soapy water but obviously you need system pressure. The compressor on that forester, have seen a ton of them stop engaging when the car is hot. If that happens, tap the clutch with a hammer while engine running and ac on, if it engages, take the clutch off (10mm bolt) and remove one of the shims (usually see 2 shims there, remove thinner one and reinstall and recheck) between it and the pulley to narrow the gap. As long as it isn’t seized like you said I wouldn’t bother replacing the whole compressor.
 
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Nathan the Machinist said:
My mother's tractor has some problems on the block where it mates to the head. Apparently the oil and water lines are flaked and no longer flat. I'm guessing probably corrosion I don't know I haven't seen it. But my brother is wanting me, the machinist in the family, to bore those openings out and press a piece of metal in there and deck the thing flat so there's a surface for the head gasket to seal against. The cylinders themselves have good compression it's just oil and water leaks cuz there's material missing there. For whatever reason.

We should just scrap this whole stupid thing....

But it's her John Deere tractor so...

So here's the thing. My question for the common wisdom here on the forum:

He wants me to buy some cast iron to press into this cast iron block. Which makes great sense.

But I would like to use steel for two reasons. I think it's good enough, and Mom's 81 and she's probably going to die before she uses this thing 10 more times.

Do y'all think I need to find some cast iron to make these inserts that are going to be pressed into the cast iron block for the oil and water galleys into the head, or do you think steel would be good enough?
Click to expand...
I’ve never worked on John Deere’s and without seeing it and how it is designed I can’t be sure of my response but if the block mating surface is corroded away, just deck the block…

Same with the cylinder head if needed. I wouldn’t bother with boring whatever out and pressing metal of some sort into it and then decking it…just deck it. There should be a spec limit for how much you can take off of both and depending on how severe the corrosion is that should be all that’s needed.

Again without seeing anything it’s hard to answer. Hopefully nothing is cracked etc.
 
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