After replacing both the cylinder heads on my '86
Syncro Westy, I was most annoyed to note that the
right hand cylinder still leaks coolant.  After
removing the offending cylinder head (a new AMC unit
on the right hand/passenger side here in the USA), I
was depressed to see a crack in the block that
originates right where the cylinder head faces up to
the block and extends about 1&1/4 inches towards the
center of the engine.  If peering into the engine
compartment, the crack originates at the top right
rear edge of the block and extends along the top edge
in a straight line along the rounded edge of the
block.  The crack does indeed go all the way through
the aluminum and is quite visible from both inside the
block and outside.  This is definately my "smoking
gun" as far as the leak in concerned.

The engine has 189K on it and uses little oil and
compression is good.  The cylinders looked just fine
with cross hatching still evident on the cylinder
walls.  I hate to throw it away, plus I don't relish
all the work required to pull the motor.  I also don't
relish all the money a new engine will require!

Does anybody out there have some suggestions?  Has
anybody seen this type of problem before and if so how
did you "fix" it?  I tried several archive searches
but came up empty handed.  I talked to a Fast German
Auto rep, but he'd never seen this before.

I am tempted to drill a small hole at the end of the
crack to stop it from propagating and then grind a
narrow groove in the aluminum on the inside length of
the crack.  Next I'd fill the groove with some sort of
super strength epoxy and then grind the surface smooth
right where the cylinder head gasket faces up to the
surface.  Using plenty of VW black head sealant (on
both sides of the gasket) I'd button her back up and,
crossing my fingers, fire her up and see just how
pathetic my attempt had been.  Suggestions??

Mike Conlon
'86 Westy Sycnro "Fritz", 189K (down, but not out!)
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