Welding Repair On Coyote Block. Yay Or Nay?

[FordRacing302]

I'm assembling everything I need for a coyote swap in my fox. I have most of the big purchases out of the way, but I'm still on the hunt for a good long block to use. I stumbled upon an 11,000 mile totalled F-150 long block at a price that is nearly too good to pass up. Except for one problem. The webbing on the outermost bellhousing bolt hole on the block has been cracked and then repaired by the salvage yard. It concerns me enough to get a second opinion, but I'm leaning towards buying it. What do y'all think? To far gone? Or nothing to worry about?

 

[RangerJoe]

Tough call. I would say a repair in that area would be fine, if it was done by someone who knew what they were doing. My worry would be that the welding was done near a main cap and the heat it experienced. Honestly, it's probably fine, but I am not a certified welder or a professional engine builder.

Joe

 

[Hoytster]

I've welded a couple BMW aluminum blocks like that, but not as close to the side bolt on the main cap. I'd be a little concerned about warping and weld integrity in that area since you should really pre-heat the block to 200 before you weld it like that, and then bring the temp back down slowly, but you might be just fine. It looks like they aluminum stick welded that or MIG welded it because of the weld look and splatter. If it's stick welded, it needed to be a pure DC machine with aluminum rod. If it was MIG'd, then I would question the penetration of the weld without preheat. Proper process is AC TIG with preheat and LOTS of cleaning beforehand.

 

[FordRacing302]

It's a big time salvage yard, so finding out who welded it and what they used will probably be pretty difficult. I'm thinking about passing on it now if you guys think the main has the possibility of being compromised.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I'd pass on it. Lot less work to just go find another engine now, vs deal with it down the road.

 

[All Stock93]

I'd pass on it. Lot less work to just go find another engine now, vs deal with it down the road.

I agree.
If you have concerns before buying it, you're best off to keep looking

 

[90sickfox]

Ummm....that truck to of a serious hit. Hit hard enough to break the ear on the block. I'd say PASS.

My father in law totalled his f150...the engine was hit by everything in front of it hard enough to push the driveshaft into the tail shaft housing. That meant all that pressure was transferred to the trans, torque converter, and crank. In his case the shop deemed the engine unsalvageable.