Classic/Antique Car Repair: crack, hairline crack, dremil tool

Question
I just rebuilt a 350 chevy small block. When I screwed in the three oil plugs behind the flex plate I overtighted one of them putting a hairline crack in the block. I used a drill to spin the oil pump and oil slowly leaks through the crack. Is there any way to fix this without tearing the engine apart and having it welded?

Answer
I have, on my own engines not customers, used a two part epoxy fix. Do not remove the plug. At the very end of the crack drill and tap for a 1/8th inch short Allen set screw. The drilled hole will stop the crack from creeping. Then take a Dremil tool and etch a shallow V along the crack. Remove the Allen set screw and coat it with epoxy and replace it. Then using a two part epoxy like J B Weld fill the groove slightly higher than the surrounding area forming a cap over the crack, the set screw, and the plug. Make sure that you allow the epoxy to harden before testing the fix. The other caution is to make sure the areas to be worked on are hospital operating room clean and dry.
Brad