Cylinder Head Crack Repair


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Pile of Parts
Pile of Parts

Posts: 39

Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:57 am

Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Post Sun Jun 10, 2018 2:37 am

Cylinder Head Crack Repair

The cylinder head on my HD engine developed a crack from the thermostat housing down towards number 2 spark plug. After much research, I decided to use stitching pins to repair the crack. Using stitching pins would allow me to do the repair myself and will not require the head to be removed from the engine.
It only took an afternoon to complete the repair and after painting the repair is invisible.

Hope this may help others.

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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 743

Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:38 pm

Post Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:27 am

Re: Cylinder Head Crack Repair

Wow , never heard of that .How dose it work , are they threaded in ?

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 5170

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:28 pm

Location: Lyman, IA

Post Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:39 am

Re: Cylinder Head Crack Repair

Its called metal stitching, and is a common but labor intensive repair that is well accepted. Yes the pins are threaded, and you overlap them, it fills the crack. It can be quite extensive with "dog bone" splints to hold the crack from expanding as well as the pins.

Pile of Parts
Pile of Parts

Posts: 39

Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:57 am

Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Post Sun Jun 10, 2018 4:07 pm

Re: Cylinder Head Crack Repair

Its expensive if you pay someone to do it for you, that's why I did it myself.
It cost a few hundred dollars to buy the pins and the tooling to install them. But now that I have the tooling, if it happens again it will cost about $30 for the pins, depending on the size and length of the crack.
The pins that I have used do not put any "outward" pressure on the crack, the pins actually pull the crack together. Its the design of the pins and the way they are installed. That's why it cost a few dollars for the tooling. (drill bit, spotfacer, tap, sealant, tapping fluid, etc)
All you need is a drill and a tap handle and your good to go.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 5170

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:28 pm

Location: Lyman, IA

Post Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:01 pm

Re: Cylinder Head Crack Repair

You forgot one thing you need, patients! it is not a quick process!
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 4922

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 11:47 am

Location: Bothell, Washington

Post Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:10 pm

Re: Cylinder Head Crack Repair

can you post a pic of the pins? looks like a good solution, probably not in a compression area though?
Gentle Men! you can't fight in here! This is the war room!

Pile of Parts
Pile of Parts

Posts: 39

Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:57 am

Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Post Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:35 pm

Re: Cylinder Head Crack Repair

Cornbinder89, anyone with an old international has plenty of patients :)

Bedrockjon, yes in the compression area taper pins are used. In the water jacket areas the pins I have used are perfect. The heads brake off when they get the to correct torque.

IMG_20180611_095716-1488x837.jpg

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

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Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Sun Jun 10, 2018 8:01 pm

Re: Cylinder Head Crack Repair

Does OBGYN count for patients?.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

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