Subject: Re: cracks in the block
The car is only 3 months with me now. I only drove it 10 miles when purchasing it, I was aware of the problems with the engine already then.
Some history:
Engine VB6H/593
Chassis LB290/1/182
Series II DHC (one out of 3 or 4 but there is always a way to count a Lagonda as almost unique..)
floor change gearbox
Delivered 5.2.57 to a Mr. Cash
after that I have some but not all owners, the last owners before me bought it in 1981 and the next 1995. It had a body restauration and bare metal respray before 1995.
The last owner (B61) told me he never drove it over long distances because it seemed not reliable. I assume the engine had problems at least over the last 10 years. One liner looked like replaced and was sticking out a bit to much over the block.
The odometer reads 35000 miles, (may be 135000 or anything else)
In the mean time I collected some info on block repair:
many of these engines seem to have these cracks
some say it can be left like that but the shop that is intended to do my engine says the would not because the sides of the block would move and the head gasket would leak (water probably)
welding seems a big risk to get distortion of the whole block, needing rebore and non standard thicker liners
a long screw through the block at this place is not possible because of limited space
new blocks are expensive and may distort after first use (any experience?)
another used block would be fine if can be found at reasonable price and without cracks
we think about putting dowel pins/register pins (what is correct in English?) between block and head to prevent that the block sides can move outwards
Yours, Peter