Epoxy Pressure Porosity Sealing Cylinder Heads & Blocks

[Guest Silverghost]

I have a older friend that has an old irreplacable cylinder head & block from a large Full Classic that has a few porosity pinholes in it's cylinder head. These small pin-holes are in the waterjacket areas and are from long-term use and storage with tap water only.

This is later 1920s car without a pressurized cooling system.

The cylinder head combustion chambers are OK, and hold combustion pressure, and seem to have much thicker cast iron remaining in this critical area.

Years ago my Father had a Brass-era block with intergral head sealed with some epoxy porosity coating process applied in the waterjackets under pressure .

I do not know what company did this as Dad has just passed-away ; but it has heald up very well over the years.

It has never leaked since !

The block/head was first put in a tank of acid & hot tank soaked to clean-out all remaining rust in the old waterjackets.

The casting was then placed in a pressure vessel with some sort of special epoxy sealer bath.

The vessel was pressurized to 100psi or so to force the epoxy into any pinhole casting flaws.

When the epoxy sealer was fully cured the outside of the casying assembly was then glass bead blasted to remove the excess outside epoxy coating.

Finally the now newly sealed casting was pressure tested in a water bath.

Does anyone know of any company that still does this method of casting porosity sealing ?

This outfit also did a similar sealing procedure on aluminum heads and castings.

I believe this was basically an industrial outfit that was based in the suburban Phila. area ! They did not specialize in automotive castings ; but also sealed them too as a sideline !

Does anyone know of such a casting-sealing speciality company around today ?

What product was used to seal these castings ?

Has anyone had a cylinder head or block sealed in this manner ?

Did you have good long-term leak-proof results after it was finished ?

Edited January 7, 2011 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

I think you are thinking of what is known as Vacuum Casting Impregnation, which will seal the imperfections in virtually any casting to withstand even high pressures. Loctite is one of the manufacturers of special resins used in that process.

Jim

[Guest Silverghost]

Jim you may be correct that this is indeed a Vacuum process instead of a pressure process . I can understand vacuum pulling most of the air out of the casting pores so that the resin can seep in .

Has anyone here had an engine cylinder head or block sealed using this method in the last few years ?

Who will do this sort of casting porosity sealing for us ?

Most that I see listed on the web will only do high volume production on new castings .

One company I saw listed does all the new GM aluminum automatic transmission cases .

We need to have someone who will acid clean all the old rust and corrosion and who does not mind doing one-off specialty jobs like old Antique auto cylinder heads & blocks .

Who can do this casting porosity sealing job for us ?

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

Jim you may be correct that this is indeed a Vacuum process instead of a pressure process . I can understand vacuum pulling most of the air out of the casting pores so that the resin can seep in .

Has anyone here had an engine cylinder head or block sealed using this method in the last few years ?

Who will do this sort of casting porosity sealing for us ?

Most that I see listed on the web will only do high volume production on new castings .

One company I saw listed does all the new GM aluminum automatic transmission cases .

We need to have someone who will acid clean all the old rust and corrosion and who does not mind doing one-off specialty jobs like old Antique auto cylinder heads & blocks .

Who can do this casting porosity sealing job for us ?

Acid dipping to remove rust is basically an obsolete technology when compared to Ultra One. Ultra One Degreaser and Safest Rust Remover

(examine all aspects of that site thoroughly, its a real eye opener)

As for who does job shop level casting sealing, I'd start by calling Loctite or others in the business of supplying resins for that purpose, or query small foundry's in or around your area as they probably know who will take individual jobs. Even local automotive machine shops might have a lead or two.

Jim

[DavidAU]

Brad,

I can't tell you who can do the impregnation process in your area but I have just had the aluminium cylinder head on my Phantom 2 done in Sydney, Australia.

I took the head to a local cylinder head repair specialist to have some welding carried out around the water jacket holes and when they pressure tested it they found some small weeping through the casting and around the internal hot spot exhaust transfer tube.

They sent it out to have the imregnation work done to it and now have it back and have only to recut the valve seats and install some new valve guides before it is returned to me.

They have redone a pressure test on it and assure me it is OK to 40 PSI ( the car does not have a pressurised radiator)

I believe the people who carried out the work use a Loctite product and this cylinder head repairer uses their service quite frequently as even a lot of the late model cars have problems with porous aluminium castings.

You should contact some of the cylinder head repairers in your area and see if they are familiar with the process and can advise you where it can be done.

David

1923 Metallurgique Torpedo

1931 Rolls Royce Phantom 11 Continental

1940 Ford Deluxe coupe

1947 Mercury Coupe

[Guest Peter Young]

Epoxy is no longer the prefered option. Acrylic is the recommended product for sealing leakage from porosity and cracks. It is low viscosity and self penetrating. You can apply it yourself as it needs no special tools just a high pressure compresed air gun to blast the defect clear of debris. Drip feed directly onto defect. Impregnant cures in 3 to 5 minutes. Excellent temp, pressure and chemical resistance especialy to antifreeze and oil. Acrylic imprenants are also approved by US MIL-17563C Specification. Supplier "sales@x-seal.co.uk" Product name: Acrylic120. Can be purchased on line. Also see web: "www.x-seal.co.uk"

[RU22]

The pressure process is Kwikway-Irontite

I have one of their benchs ...... you can presure test wih it but there is also circulation pump

The Irontite is pumped thru the casting then the exit valve is closed the casting filled and the entry valve is closed. The system allows for using added air pressure.....

On many Alloy heads the valve seat is part of the casting and the seats non removable. This pushes resin into areas the can't be reached.

Afterwards you can drain the casting and pressure test with the Air/over option and a pump bottle of soap/water

Hope that is understandable only have had one cup of coffee

[Joe Block]

I use ceramic seal on a 2 foot long crack in my Packard block, i not sure it make the car run hotter, but it stop the leaks. You put it run it for a week and then remove the fluid and go back to normal antifreeze.

[JV Puleo]

Try these people:

IMPCO Service Center - East Providence, RI

Many years ago they were on Valley Street in Providence and I had them do the aluminum head of my PI.

At the time, they were written up in the Flying Lady.

[Guest Peter Young]

The most up to date method to seal leaks from porosity is with X-Seal Acrylic-120C. This is two pack cold cure self penetrating. Method: identify leak area and blast with compressed air to removal any liquide. Imeediatly mix a small amout of sealant say 10 ml suck up with pipette provided and drip on to defect. If defect is on vertical face apply sealant with soaked cotton wool. Hold there untill sealant begins to heat up.