Need help with source of major oil leak

[baseball_fan]

Life has slowed down a bit so I think I ready to try and find a solution to my problem. I spent a lot of time looking up engine block rot, valley of death etc. I did find a few youtube videos on cleaning the valley but no unfortunately no videos on Delorean engine block rot repair. Also there were a lot of posts suggesting TIG welding using aluminum. I would like to find more information about doing the TIG repair, obviously I would hire a professional to do that. I have some more questions if anyone has an opinion they would like to share I would appreciate it.

1) If the TIG welding was professionally done, would this project be worth doing or should I look at getting a different motor? Previous posts about TIG welding is giving me mixed signals on if this process works long term. Delorean has about 25,000 miles on it
2) What degree of difficulty would there be in removing all the necessary parts and then putting it back together?
3) Previous post suggests that it can take around 8 hours to get down to the valley of death...is this accurate?
4) Other posts suggest that all the corrosion would have to be removed in order for the best results, what is the best method to remove corrosion other than cleaning it thoroughly?

I will probably have more questions later. I'm trying to get as much information as I can, thinking that it may be best to hire a mechanic on the side to help with the project, they get it welded, then bring back the mechanic to help put it back together.

[David T]

To do a weld type repair involves taking the motor out and all apart so most of the attempts at repair do not use welding. Any repair requires removing all rot since you can't get anything to stick to rot. Most repairs consist of preparing a small metal plate and epoxying it over the hole. To get a good repair you need to get a clean surface to attach the plate to and the proper epoxy that can take some heat and pressure. Most repairs do not seem to hold up, some do. I think technique has a LOT to do with it. PJ Grady has done a few and has achieved mostly good results.

[Drive Stainless]

I can weld it with only the intake manifold and water pump removed, but are you near DC?

Another possibility is the oil plug located almost directly below the water pump. It seals with a copper washer, and if it leaks, it will leak massively.

[David T]

If you weld it without taking it apart you risk setting the oil inside on fire and getting dirt and slag inside. Not a good idea. Also you must preheat the entire block so you don't build in stresses from welding. Hard to do when it is assembled and in the car.

[Drive Stainless]

If you weld it without taking it apart you risk setting the oil inside on fire and getting dirt and slag inside. Not a good idea. Also you must preheat the entire block so you don't build in stresses from welding. Hard to do when it is assembled and in the car.

Have you done it before, David? I have.

There is no oil near the weld if you clean properly. There is no dirt near the weld if you clean property. There is no reason to pre-heat the entire block to add a 1"x1" square of sheet aluminum. There is no slag in TIG welding.

[Ron]

Life has slowed down a bit so I think I ready to try and find a solution to my problem. I spent a lot of time looking up engine block rot, valley of death etc. I did find a few youtube videos on cleaning the valley but no unfortunately no videos on Delorean engine block rot repair. Also there were a lot of posts suggesting TIG welding using aluminum. I would like to find more information about doing the TIG repair, obviously I would hire a professional to do that. I have some more questions if anyone has an opinion they would like to share I would appreciate it.

1) If the TIG welding was professionally done, would this project be worth doing or should I look at getting a different motor? Previous posts about TIG welding is giving me mixed signals on if this process works long term. Delorean has about 25,000 miles on it
2) What degree of difficulty would there be in removing all the necessary parts and then putting it back together?
3) Previous post suggests that it can take around 8 hours to get down to the valley of death...is this accurate?
4) Other posts suggest that all the corrosion would have to be removed in order for the best results, what is the best method to remove corrosion other than cleaning it thoroughly?

1) You really need to know exactly where it's coming from first...follow Dana's suggestions.)
2) Same.
3) It shouldn't take anything like 8 hours to get to the VOD...
4) After a thorough cleaning, the welder will dress it up the way he wants/needs it to be.

[David T]

I have not done a welded repair to a PRV block but I have repaired cast iron blocks from other cars. Similar procedure except you are welding aluminum. Just the process of preparing the weld makes a lot of dirt from the cleaning and grinding. The "slag" is was referring to is all of the dirt you will generate inside from the heat consisting mostly of burnt oil and dirt because you can't clean it well enough to get rid of it all before welding. As for pre-heating, it is just standard practice when working on a large piece so you don't concentrate stress into the piece from thermal expansion as your weld cools. Don't let me stop you from trying and let us know how it works out. As of now we don't have a good way to repair this problem so if your repair works it might become common. At the very least I would suggest changing the oil very soon afterwards to remove any contamination you may cause. Also tell us all of your welding parameters like the type of electrode, your voltage, heat, gas, type of filler rod and aluminum plate, what you did to prepare the area, etc so it is repeatable.

[Drive Stainless]

I have not done a welded repair to a PRV block but I have repaired cast iron blocks from other cars. Similar procedure except you are welding aluminum. Just the process of preparing the weld makes a lot of dirt from the cleaning and grinding. The "slag" is was referring to is all of the dirt you will generate inside from the heat consisting mostly of burnt oil and dirt because you can't clean it well enough to get rid of it all before welding. As for pre-heating, it is just standard practice when working on a large piece so you don't concentrate stress into the piece from thermal expansion as your weld cools. Don't let me stop you from trying and let us know how it works out. As of now we don't have a good way to repair this problem so if your repair works it might become common. At the very least I would suggest changing the oil very soon afterwards to remove any contamination you may cause. Also tell us all of your welding parameters like the type of electrode, your voltage, heat, gas, type of filler rod and aluminum plate, what you did to prepare the area, etc so it is repeatable.

I don’t need to try because I’ve already done it, and it works, and it’s very easy for someone who welds aluminum. There are no special tricks.


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[baseball_fan]

I can weld it with only the intake manifold and water pump removed, but are you near DC?

Another possibility is the oil plug located almost directly below the water pump. It seals with a copper washer, and if it leaks, it will leak massively.

Unfortunately, Washington DC is 800 miles away. But you feel in your experience that TIG welding an area of block rot on a PRV engine is a good, long term fix for the car? I think what's concerning me is like many other Delorean repair projects things typically go wrong, and the size of the project seems daunting to me.

[Drive Stainless]

Unfortunately, Washington DC is 800 miles away. But you feel in your experience that TIG welding an area of block rot on a PRV engine is a good, long term fix for the car? I think what's concerning me is like many other Delorean repair projects things typically go wrong, and the size of the project seems daunting to me.

You don’t actually weld the *area of block rot*; you weld above it and cap the hole, so to speak. The area of block rot will stop rotting once this is done because the area will become bathed in oil rather than a collection pool for water and dirt.

The cast aluminum welds readily when cleaned with a quality aluminum cleaner. This is what I use:

https://www.tenaquip.com/product/al-...eaner-866-1050

I have no reservations about welding this area for a long-term fix using TIG.


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