Cracked left side motor case!

[CraigArizona85248]

I picked up an oil leak on Sunday behind the generator.  I thought it was coming from the generator-to-engine area so I pulled the generator.  I have a crack running from the case bolt just behind the generator around to the front of the motor and it stops at the large rib that supports the left front case motor mount.  The crack also extends back from the case bolt to the first rib.

This is a photo of the area and I've drawn in where the crack is.

[attach=0,msg566437]

UGH!

[moose]

sorry to hear that suc*s to be you at the moment

hope all gets welded and you get back to normal

time for your great detail pictures if there is a bright side for us lurkers

[Deye76]

I know you'll get it sorted out Craig. Wish there was easily accessible x-ray service for guys running the old iron to check cases and frames etc. for "hairlines" during a rebuild process.

[War Horse]

Damn Graig, sorry man ! And after all that work you just did, friggen shame.

I would imagine that you'll tear the engine down for a nice repair. Do you have anyone local , or ya gonna send it out?

[CraigArizona85248]

Thanks for support guys.  I imagine we've all been there.  I am really annoyed that this happened only 7 months after the last teardown was finished.  But last time was mostly chassis & transmission work and I only touched the topend of the motor.  I haven't decided if I'm up to doing this one myself or if I'll turn it over to a trusted motor guy.  I'll certainly do all the R&R of the motor.  Just not sure if I'll go beyond that.  This bottom end has just a smidge over 100K miles on it, so it's not like it wasn't due for some attention.

Well, back to riding the Vespa for a while again.  It started on the first kick this morning after a long rest. 

-Craig

[panomaniac]

Craig, sorry to see that. Know how you must feel. Just got my right case back from Creekside couple weeks ago as you know from prev posts. He did an awesome job. He will not bead blast unless you want him to. Just requires you clean the case good, and under no circumstance use brake clean. My case looks brand new. He did bead blast , but plugged all the oil holes before blasting and cleaned the case afterwards.

[War Horse]

Craig, sorry to see that. Know how you must feel. Just got my right case back from Creekside couple weeks ago as you know from prev posts. He did an awesome job. He will not bead blast unless you want him to. Just requires you clean the case good, and under no circumstance use brake clean. My case looks brand new. He did bead blast , but plugged all the oil holes before blasting and cleaned the case afterwards.

Whats the reason for not using brake clean ? 

[Reddog74usa]

Really sucks to hear this Craig. This is your down time in that part of the country so hopefully you can get it back up and runnin before the real season hits. And yep why can't you use brake clean?

[58Tin]

The brake cleaner residue can be deadly when tig welding-it turns into poisonoius fumes

[CraigArizona85248]

If you use non-clorinated brake clean you don't have to worry about phosgene gas.  But if I'm a welder, I'm not sure I want to trust my health/life to a 3rd party knowing the difference between the two types of brake clean.

-Craig

[Hog54]

This bottom end has just a smidge over 100K miles on it, so it's not like it wasn't due for some attention.

-Craig

Thats what it is.These bikes were never designed to go 100,000 miles in the first place.You were lucky to get 40,000 miles out of a car in the 60s and 70s.I love it when I see these people paying big money for barn finds and the motors are pristine because half of them only have a couple thousand miles on them.Wait till they start riding them around and things start cracking.These things were built out of just about the crappiest aluminum of the day.Even new cars today if you overheat the motor once,the heads or the block is done.And thier made out of way better aluminum.

[War Horse]

The brake cleaner residue can be deadly when tig welding-it turns into poisonoius fumes

I did not know this about brake cleaner, even tho we got taught long ago that R12 freon turns to phosgene gas with high heat or a flame. Good to know 

I was thinking more along the lines of clean up after the job is done, ie. getting all the bead media out. Normally I use carb cleaner for that.

I'm gonna have to pay more attention to what I,m doing before welding from now on. Thanks

[twincamzz]

Dayum Craig !! Here I was all in a good mood this morning & then I came across this.  Really hate to hear the news man. Enough $$$ & time & I know you'll get her all fixed up. Keep us posted on your progress.

Not that it makes your situation any better, but I wanted to comment on something. That very same bolt on my '61 Pan used to have oil leaking out of that hole until I put a banjo bolt washer behind it to seal the opening. Not a huge leak, just a bit of oil that would run out behind the bolt. From what I understand that bolt passage is not tied into the pressurized oil system & I do not have a leak at the outside joint of the cases so I assume the inner surface of the cases have some porosity issues, letting oil into that hole from the inside of the case.

[Hog54]

Dayum Craig !! Here I was all in a good mood this morning & then I came across this.  Really hate to hear the news man. Enough $$$ & time & I know you'll get her all fixed up. Keep us posted on your progress.

Not that it makes your situation any better, but I wanted to comment on something. That very same bolt on my '61 Pan used to have oil leaking out of that hole until I put a banjo bolt washer behind it to seal the opening. Not a huge leak, just a bit of oil that would run out behind the bolt. From what I understand that bolt passage is not tied into the pressurized oil system & I do not have a leak at the outside joint of the cases so I assume the inner surface of the cases have some porosity issues, letting oil into that hole from the inside of the case.

Thats why you see guys paint the insides with sealer before they put them back together.Nothing is getting by that sealer to leak out.

[panomaniac]

What kind of sealer? Seriously--Iwould like to know.

[panjs]

If I remember right, GE Glyptal was recommended for coating the crankcase inner surface.

[CraigArizona85248]

+1 ^^^ Glyptal is good stuff.  The inside of my cases were coated with that back in 2003.  My bottom end has been relatively oil tight for 100K miles... Until Sunday and even Glyptal couldn't help me there.   

More specifically it is Glyptol 1201 Red Enamal.  They make numerous types of Glyptal in varying formulas for different purposes.

[easyricer]

Well Craig, it looks like we are both down for a short while. Ol Betsie finally said she was too tuckered out to keep goin. Only 70k on them factory pistons? WTH??? LOL. Since I'm splitting the cases anyhow, I'll see about the case sealer. Sounds like a great Idea! Looking forward to your pics....
EASY

[CraigArizona85248]

Easy, sorry to hear that Betsie is giving you some trouble.  But these old girls need some rest and a bit more TLC then the younger models.  Kind of the opposite of the human world where the younger they are the higher maintenance they are.   

I talked to the guy who is going to do the repair.  Not only is he a skilled welder/machinist but he's an experienced builder of knucks/pans/shovels.  He actually wants me to send him the entire bottom end so he can check things out in it's current state and make sure something else didn't cause the case to crack.  I'll have him button it all back up again before returning it to me.  Looks like I'll just be R&Ring the motor and the top-end.  This works really well for me because I've been so slammed at work that I don't have the energy to spend hours in the garage after working all day.  Especially this time of year when it hovers around 100F out there.

-Craig

[easyricer]

Yeah I know the feeling! Wouldn't ya know it, as soon as I need to get Ol Betsie on my table, I get SWAMPED at the shop! I have a part time mechanic to help me out with the 4-wheelers and some of the bikes but I have to constantly look over his shoulder, so even though it speeds things up at the shop, it slows me to a crawl. Lord knows I been needing to train a mechanic though to help out from time to time.
Since he has the 4 wheelers caught up for now, I might just let him start pullin Betsie apart. I think he'll enjoy that. Since there is not much chance of me getting to tear her down myself anytime soon and rebuild the bottom end, I'll just bite the bullet, send them off to T&O for some torque monsters. Good luck on your ol gal, I'm sure she'll be in good hands.
EASY

[motorplex88]

Craig, the 1201 Glyptol that you mentioned, is that the same that is used by folks that rewind electric motors?

[CraigArizona85248]

Motorplex, yes, that's the stuff.

[motorplex88]

 . Sorry about your situation. At least the Vespa is up to the task of being a crutch. 

[CraigArizona85248]

This is just part of riding an old bike.  I won't let it get me down.

The Vespa is a great bench player.

[easyricer]

Any word on your engine yet Craig?
EASY