aw, crap - it's broken!

polyhead_318 · 11-06-2007, 09:28 PM

has anybody here attempted an aluminum intake repair? i just dusted off my old offenhauser that i was looking forward to using and found a nasty crack in the bottom of the exhaust crossover. do any of you know how reliable a weld/braze type repair would be or if i can simply fill the crossover?

polyhead_318 · 11-07-2007, 05:23 PM

you guys mean none of you have tried this kinda repair? way to make a guy feel like a half-wit macguyver!

i guess i should just toss the thing, right? i might as well aspirate my engine with a paper clip, stick of gum, and a pack of zigzags...

ucfierocharger · 11-09-2007, 06:26 AM

yeah, ive never attempted such a thing. I suppose its possible, but the structural integrity is gone, and considering the price of a replacement, It seems more worth it to replace it than put the hours into trying to fix something that may not even be fixable.

(although im sure the right person could do it)

polyhead_318 · 11-09-2007, 04:40 PM

"the right person" is why i asked. i've got a friend-of-a-friend that is a welder by trade (mostly stainless) who said he'd do it as a favor if i buy the brazing rods. the rods are about $40 for ten times what i'd need, and these intakes sell on ebay upwards of $100. i'm more concerned with the reliability of the repair. if it fails isn't there a possibility that debris may fall into my valley, on my cam, etc., etc.?

440roadrunner · 11-09-2007, 08:52 PM

I would think that this repair (by a novice) would be risky. If your welder friend is confident he can pull it off, I'd do it. The general method for "stopping" cracks is to drill holes at the ends and tapping in some threaded plugs.

SmellyHemi · 11-10-2007, 05:07 AM

Sorry Poly did'nt see that one

But yeah mate i'd say give it to ya mate,specially if it's just a crack and not chipped away peices.

I've seen many thing's welded for bike and car engines and survive(sometimes better)...

the craziest one i seen was a crack between the bores welded up

vt-440 · 11-17-2007, 04:33 AM

Have you had it repaired yet? I was going to say, cast aluminium is not a problem to weld. Cleanliness is king as with most things, I once cracked the alloy transfer case on my landcruiser and had it repaired by a mate for a carton of beer. He tig'd it up using cast filler rods...
$40 sounds a bit steep.....maybe you get what you need and give it to him......

polyhead_318 · 11-17-2007, 07:39 PM

i haven't had it done yet. $40 in california is barely a candy bar (gasoline is $3.30 a gal now), so i didn't think it was too steep. what kind of cast filler rods did he use? i looked myself and found rods that are specificly for this called aluminum repair brazing rods. i'm not a welder, and i don't know if any of you are, would these rods work?

440roadrunner · 11-18-2007, 11:50 AM

The thing you have to remember about repairing this as opposed to something like a transmission, is that this area is subjected to EXTREME changes in heat, because of exhaust heat. Also, aluminum becomes contaminated with whatever (exhaust deposits) that it's subjected to, making it difficult to clean. I'd be up for paying a pro.

I've played with this rod, and to use it, you REALLY need special goggles known as "cobalt blue" These are not cheap sunglasses sometimes called by that name. They are special lenses that used to be used for things line forging glass. The LET IN the high end blue and ultra-violet spectrum, and are the ONLY thing that will "cut through" the messy gaseaus cloud that surrounds your torch when using this aluminum rod. You can find these on eFray by searching for things like "glass blowing". If you search for "cobalt blue" by itself, you'll be inundated with junk glassware.

Here's a little more:

http://www.aws.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?pid=17252

I believe these lenses were taken off the "official" market for safety. If you put them on either in sunlight or indoors in a shop lighted with flourescent lamps, you instantly believe you are in a room lighted with a "black light." Your fingernails glow, your white T shirt flares, and the sheet-rock walls are all, like, cool, what, man, eh?

However, they are magic when gas brazing aluminum

As I was about to give up, I found this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-...stRecentReview

Evidently TM2000 lenses, though expensive, are the "new" cobalt blue replacements:

http://www.tinmantech.com/html/tm2000.php

11-06-2007, 09:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
polyhead_318 Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: cali's valley Posts: 34	aw, crap - it's broken! has anybody here attempted an aluminum intake repair? i just dusted off my old offenhauser that i was looking forward to using and found a nasty crack in the bottom of the exhaust crossover. do any of you know how reliable a weld/braze type repair would be or if i can simply fill the crossover?

11-09-2007, 06:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
ucfierocharger USB car drive man Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH Posts: 142	yeah, ive never attempted such a thing. I suppose its possible, but the structural integrity is gone, and considering the price of a replacement, It seems more worth it to replace it than put the hours into trying to fix something that may not even be fixable. (although im sure the right person could do it) __________________ Unique mopar flash drives? http://www.usbcar.com

11-10-2007, 05:07 AM	#6 (permalink)
SmellyHemi 265 Hemi Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 52	Sorry Poly did'nt see that one But yeah mate i'd say give it to ya mate,specially if it's just a crack and not chipped away peices. I've seen many thing's welded for bike and car engines and survive(sometimes better)... the craziest one i seen was a crack between the bores welded up __________________ 'I got me a Chrysler it's as big as a whale...........and it's about to set sail' 71' VH Charger 265/Hemi,current project 69' VF Regal(sdn) 225/Slant 68' VF Safari(wgn) 318/V8 66' AP6 Regal(sdn) 225/Slant,current project

11-18-2007, 11:50 AM	#9 (permalink)
440roadrunner Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 272	The thing you have to remember about repairing this as opposed to something like a transmission, is that this area is subjected to EXTREME changes in heat, because of exhaust heat. Also, aluminum becomes contaminated with whatever (exhaust deposits) that it's subjected to, making it difficult to clean. I'd be up for paying a pro. I've played with this rod, and to use it, you REALLY need special goggles known as "cobalt blue" These are not cheap sunglasses sometimes called by that name. They are special lenses that used to be used for things line forging glass. The LET IN the high end blue and ultra-violet spectrum, and are the ONLY thing that will "cut through" the messy gaseaus cloud that surrounds your torch when using this aluminum rod. You can find these on eFray by searching for things like "glass blowing". If you search for "cobalt blue" by itself, you'll be inundated with junk glassware. Here's a little more: http://www.aws.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?pid=17252 I believe these lenses were taken off the "official" market for safety. If you put them on either in sunlight or indoors in a shop lighted with flourescent lamps, you instantly believe you are in a room lighted with a "black light." Your fingernails glow, your white T shirt flares, and the sheet-rock walls are all, like, cool, what, man, eh? However, they are magic when gas brazing aluminum As I was about to give up, I found this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-...stRecentReview Evidently TM2000 lenses, though expensive, are the "new" cobalt blue replacements: http://www.tinmantech.com/html/tm2000.php Last edited by 440roadrunner : 11-18-2007 at 11:55 AM.

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11-07-2007, 05:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
polyhead_318 Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: cali's valley Posts: 34	you guys mean none of you have tried this kinda repair? way to make a guy feel like a half-wit macguyver! i guess i should just toss the thing, right? i might as well aspirate my engine with a paper clip, stick of gum, and a pack of zigzags...

11-09-2007, 04:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
polyhead_318 Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: cali's valley Posts: 34	"the right person" is why i asked. i've got a friend-of-a-friend that is a welder by trade (mostly stainless) who said he'd do it as a favor if i buy the brazing rods. the rods are about $40 for ten times what i'd need, and these intakes sell on ebay upwards of $100. i'm more concerned with the reliability of the repair. if it fails isn't there a possibility that debris may fall into my valley, on my cam, etc., etc.?

11-09-2007, 08:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
440roadrunner Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 272	I would think that this repair (by a novice) would be risky. If your welder friend is confident he can pull it off, I'd do it. The general method for "stopping" cracks is to drill holes at the ends and tapping in some threaded plugs.

11-17-2007, 04:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
vt-440 Rusted. Busted. Dusted. Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 19	Have you had it repaired yet? I was going to say, cast aluminium is not a problem to weld. Cleanliness is king as with most things, I once cracked the alloy transfer case on my landcruiser and had it repaired by a mate for a carton of beer. He tig'd it up using cast filler rods... $40 sounds a bit steep.....maybe you get what you need and give it to him......

11-17-2007, 07:39 PM	#8 (permalink)
polyhead_318 Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: cali's valley Posts: 34	i haven't had it done yet. $40 in california is barely a candy bar (gasoline is $3.30 a gal now), so i didn't think it was too steep. what kind of cast filler rods did he use? i looked myself and found rods that are specificly for this called aluminum repair brazing rods. i'm not a welder, and i don't know if any of you are, would these rods work?