Engine Front Cover Crack...

[LATT5133]

Has anyone ever experienced this? Roughly 10.5" crack vertically through the front cover... Guess I figured out where my leak originated!

 

[nickyb]

Holy shnikies

 

[General karthief]

Never!

 

[Mustang5L5]

Hard to tell on the phone, but is it really a crack, or just casting flash?

 

[arnie93lx]

It kinds does look like a crack but it does not go through the lower water pump mounting boss. Maybe a original casting defect, does it extend up over the top of the cover?

 

[LATT5133]

Hard to tell on the phone, but is it really a crack, or just casting flash?

So I thought the same because the crack does not extend through the water pump flange on the bottom however, looking at the "clean" potion of the front cover, just behind the water pump you can see where the crack has opened up and some of the edges have flaked off.

 

[LATT5133]

It kinds does look like a crack but it does not go through the lower water pump mounting boss. Maybe a original casting defect, does it extend up over the top of the cover?

New cover will be here tomorrow so I am going to pull her off now and look at the backside. more to follow

 

[90sickfox]

I've never seen that before....interesting

 

[arnie93lx]

so what did you find? Did you get the new cover?

 

[LATT5133]

So, got everything changed out! Turns out crack must be casting flash as Mustang 5L5 states, It looked so close to a crack but the cover was leaking from the water jacket and no where near the center of the cover. However, in replacing the front cover with a new piece from LMR, on start up, the top right water jacket must have a micro crack as it began weeping water from the center of the cover, see pic. ((You can see the water bubble in the center of the pic between outer right bolt housing and water jacket, right in the valley, photo's are over about 20 sec time lapse)) Ever had that happen? Additionally, my air pump seized on start so there is that... Everything else seemed fine for the 20-30 seconds she was running! Jeez

 

[LATT5133]

So it looks like it was a casting flash as Mustang 5L5 stated. Replaced the front cover and now I have a leak through a micro-crack... see pics, time lapsed 30 sec. You can see the water bubble through the water jacket out the timing cover!!! Damn, cant win for losing. So what do you all think? JB Weld and send it or do it right and replace the front cover?

 

[dgollem]

Try the JB Weld you can always pull it and change it if the JB doesn't work. You might be able to lay a bead down so it won't even look bad.
Now if you have unlimited time and funds or are OCD just change it know so you don't drive yourself crazy thinking about it.
Good luck

 

[LATT5133]

Try the JB Weld you can always pull it and change it if the JB doesn't work. You might be able to lay a bead down so it won't even look bad.
Now if you have unlimited time and funds or are OCD just change it know so you don't drive yourself crazy thinking about it.
Good luck

I thought about it but when I spoke to LMR they rushed me a replacement so I stripped her back down. Yes OCD would have got the better of me! Ill have it back together tomorrow!!

 

[Potomus Pete]

How come water pumps always leak on these cars?? You are not alone . Nice that you did what you did to avoid the quarter size drip .

 

[nickyb]

Try the JB Weld you can always pull it and change it if the JB doesn't work. You might be able to lay a bead down so it won't even look bad.
Now if you have unlimited time and funds or are OCD just change it know so you don't drive yourself crazy thinking about it.
Good luck

I've had my last water pump leak , turned out the two bolts that are on backside. I ground down an old wrench and that worked.

 

[dgollem]

I thought about it but when I spoke to LMR they rushed me a replacement so I stripped her back down. Yes OCD would have got the better of me! Ill have it back together tomorrow!!

awesome you got it fixed one less thing to worry about