Engine/Transmission Dowel Hole Repair

[intergalactron]

I'm working on a 5.3L out of a 2019 Tahoe. It's a salvage yard motor, and the transmission and motor apparently didn't want to come apart. The dowel hole was damaged on the motor. First picture shows the cracked dowel hole, notice the pry marks below and to the left of the hole. Second is after the broken bit was removed and it was prepared for welding. Third is mid-repair, welding is done but it still needs to be shaped and refined. Fourth/Fifth are after the repair, Ø5/8" dowel shown in hole. Sixth is the bit that came out of the side of the hole. It was very close to detached, probably could have pulled it out with a pair of pliers.

I know that this repair didn't really NEED to be done. There was enough of the hole left to align a transmission to the motor. But I work at a machine shop and got it repaired for next to nothing. If I was a walk-in customer it might have cost $200 or so to fix.

I'm curious, would you have fixed it or ran it like it was?

 

[strutaeng]

Probably would have ran it like that if it was mine. But repaired would obviously been better, and that looks great!

They should have used a drift punch to knock that alignment dowel. That's what I have done on the LS Gen III/IV iron blocks I've messed with. The prying action induces an angle when leveraging, probably with it block the piece (SMH.)