Opinions on this "casting vein"

[DJCarbine]

Looks like a crack in this tailhousing... or... IS IT?!?!?!?


I really cant tell, it doesnt extend into the speedo hole, and it appears to be a casting vein. My buddies are ranting about how it is cracked and I need a new tailshaft housing.... the problem is I got this off eBay for a good deal, and wanted to know if casting veins such as this are common. It REALLY looks like a crack, but it is actually raised on both sides.

If you look closely, it goes for quite a while and into several different branches, which in turn spiderweb into a pretty natural looking texture. I have noticed several other patches on the trans, although not as severe. Is this just how aluminum casts sometimes?

Any tricks to help determine if it is indeed a crack? I have cleaned it up, and it still feels and looks the same.

 

[rbohm]

looks like casting flash to me.

 

[BB1966]

The only real way to tell is to have it magnafluxed. These were very rough castings its prob. nothing to worry about a stock T-5 will only take so much HP anyway!! LOL J/K!!

 

[HistoricMustang]

I too believe it is not a problem.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

 

[D.Hearne]

That's just casting flash, not a crack. Kinda hard to magnaflux aluminum

 

[jcode68]

1 more for a vote of confidence. It's not a crack. I just purchased a brand new T5 and it had the same casting flash in the same areas.

 

[66HertzClone]

Try cleaning all of the oil on the case off using brakeleen, when the surface is dry, put some talcum power in the area of the crack. Any leak from that area will show itself clearly in the powder.

 

[allcarfan]

DJ,

That is a casting line. If you really want to check it...grind it down until it is smooth...clean it really well with alcohol. Take it to a place that does NDT work (non destructive testing). Tell them you want PT or "Liquid Penetrant" testing done on the area. Or, do a search and buy the kit yourself.

You spray on an oil that makes WD40 look like tar. It soaks into every single crack. Then you spray what looks like a white powder over the top of it. Then you sit and wait. That white powder will draw out the red oil from the cracks and you can see where all of the discontinuities are. I JUST got recertified in NDT PT about 2 weeks ago. We check for cracks and other issues in all kinds of metal.

 

[red65]

I agree - looks like casting flash. To be extra sure, however, "dye penetrant" is a quick and easy way to identify a crack. It's a multi-step process where you apply successive coats of solvent and developer to make an actual crack stand out, while casting imperfections will not. Try your local welding supply store and ask for a dye-penetrant kit. Follow the directions religiously and you should get a reliable result.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Is this just how aluminum casts sometimes?

Yes. Its not uncommon for large die cast aluminum parts to have those markings. I distinctly remember my '89 GT's T5 trans having those in many places and I thought nothing of it.