Anyone ever MIG weld cast aluminum?

[HardcoreZ28]

So I found a crack in one of the engine cases from my bike this weekend....after I powdercoated it unfortunately. Instead of just slapping it back together or JB Welding it and hoping for the best I'm going to attempt to weld it.

My local welding house had aluminum MIG wire and hooked me up with a half tank of straight argon to shield the weld. I know I have to v out the crack before I weld. Any other suggestions on doing the job? The surface is completely free of oil so impurities shouldn't be a problem.

[NJSPEEDER]

as with any aluminum, watch your temp. I don't think you really have to do anything special for cast. Ask Ian, I know he studied welding, he may have some more intimate knowledge of the material.

[wretched73]

I dont know how good you are at welding aluminum, but my buddy who races gets all his aluminum welded at Arts Radiator in flemington, maybe if you wanted he would do it. Most likely for free as well

[The_Bishop]

You need a different liner for the gun!

You can't use the steel liner. You need to swap it out for a nylon one, and a new contact tip. Also, make sure the aluminum is cleaned with a stainless steel wire bush that is brand new or only used on aluminum.

There is also a special aluminum wash that helps with the prep, too.

Also, what welder do you have? a 110 machine isn't going to be up to the task. You'll need to reverse the polarity of the gun, if I remember right.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by NJSPEEDER

as with any aluminum, watch your temp. I don't think you really have to do anything special for cast. Ask Ian, I know he studied welding, he may have some more intimate knowledge of the material.

I'm not gonna be much help. I never MIGed aluminum and I never worked with cast aluminum either.

I know that when people weld cracks in cast iron (not a simple process), they drill the two ends of the crack so it cant go any further out. not sure if that's needed with aluminum, but it might be good to do just as a precaution.

[Fast92RS]

Ive welded cast aluminun with tig. Ive never tried mig on cast aluminum. I thought it did a nice job.

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it would be ideal to tig weld it, mig welding aluminum works, but is less than ideal. A spool gun would be the way to go if trying to mig weld with aluminum wire.

[HardcoreZ28]

Yeah it wasn't very successful.....definitely need a different liner. Wire kept kinking up about a second into the weld. Uglied it up more than it was to begin with. Gonna have to try and get it tigged.

Fast92....do you have a TIG and would you be able to help me out tomorrow night?

[chrisfrom nj]

paul bring the engine to the place where you got the chrome work done in east orange i belive they weld aluminum

[HardcoreZ28]

Ok so there's a guy right by my office with a shop who says he can TIG it during my lunch break later. Looks like I'm gonna take that route.

[Fast92RS]

Originally Posted by HardcoreZ28

Yeah it wasn't very successful.....definitely need a different liner. Wire kept kinking up about a second into the weld. Uglied it up more than it was to begin with. Gonna have to try and get it tigged.

Fast92....do you have a TIG and would you be able to help me out tomorrow night?

I dont have one at home. I used the tig at the shop I work at part time. They have one of those mega machines that can do everything, mig, tig and stick.

[HardcoreZ28]

Fixed.....$20 and 20 minutes of work with the right tools. Guy was cool. Place is Woodbridge Welding on State St. if anyone ever needs anything done.

[Fast92RS]

Originally Posted by HardcoreZ28

Fixed.....$20 and 20 minutes of work with the right tools. Guy was cool. Place is Woodbridge Welding on State St. if anyone ever needs anything done.

Ive been there that guy is cool. Small little hole in the wall shop.

[DaSkinnyGuy]

Tig weld it would be your best bet.

[Tru2Chevy]

Originally Posted by DaSkinnyGuy

Tig weld it would be your best bet.

He already had it done....reading FTW!

- Justin