Cracked Block

I know someone that had a similar crack above the lifters. A speciality cast iron repair shop that did a lot of Diesel engines and other repairs repaired it. They had a special process to drill the crank ends, grind open the crack, heat up the block and then weld the area. Cool down was also controlled. They then machined the deck. You coumd not see the repair when they were done. Block then passed a post repair pressure test. Look for a speciality shop and ask around about their reputation to perform proper repairs.