4043 ok for AL head cam bearing fill in?

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My buddy has this Aluminum head and it got tore up looks like. He wants me to fill it in a little then he said he will bore and hone it. I'm thinking of using 4043, does that sound ok? I'm also a little worried about the cam bucket will not fit back in but he thinks it will be ok. Pic coming
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Reply:Do you know what what type of aluminum you're dealing with? If not, don't just grab any filler metal.Aluminum isn't like steel, you have to be more selective with which filler you use.That being said, I think 4043 is a poor choice. It's way too soft.
Reply:He said its off a Mazda 6. I'm not sure what kinda AL it is.
Reply:You would be wise to do some research and figure out what exactly you're dealing with. With any kind of critical work, and I'd posit that a bearing journal is critical work, it's a fool's errand to try and weld anything together when you don't even know what base metal you're working with.
Reply:The head is A356 or variant. 4043 is okay for A356, 4943 is better or there's several speciality 4000 series fillers forcast AL.But…how is the bore size and alignment going to be done--after the weld buildup?Blackbird
Reply:Yep, everyone is telling you the truth.Saw that happen to late 70's Volvo, but car still ran!...Not well at all, but it ran, LOL!The cam broke in half, but in middle of bearing and it didn't simply break cleanly, but diagonally so it still turned....Pulled valve cover and saw the alum power and flakes, pulled bearing cap, then told neighbor to take it to a shop and expect big price...He did and they installed new head and cam.
Reply:One of the first things I try to figure out when jobs like that show up is what's the practical solution. New or used head vs repair, what are the costs , what are the results.If you do decide to weld it I recommend cutting into the damaged surface beyond the target finished surface and building it back up so that when it gets machined and finished it's all weld metal. I found that out years back on a head adding about .030" to a particular surface: I welded on the surface to build it up and when it was machined the transition between the weld and cast showed up the porosity. The solution was to cut down past the original surface, build it up high enough for the finish. The results were perfect, no pores, nice finish and on dimension.Ernie F.
Reply:That will probably need the rest of the journals done also. And a line bore also.  Now this is to get everything right. Aluminum heads are a funny beast in themselves. They have a hard time staying true. And once they are screwed up they are hard to make right again.Klutch 220si mig , stick, and dc tigHobart 140 AHP ALPHA 200X 2016Lotos LTP5000DSmith O/P
Reply:4043 will work fine.I used it to fill in gouges in an oil pump for a ford 6.0 and works like it should to this day. I like 4043, I use it for most everything aluminum.12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:4043 is very soft unless you get adequate base metal dilution, which would not be desirable for me in this case but would work. I too would use my 4943 or even step  up to 5356. 5356 cuts so much better that the machine shops in my area ask for it. I don't think engine temps would be so great that grain degradation is a big issue using 5356 for this repair. Over the years I have done hundreds of bearing journals. Can be tricky line boring if soft filler smears.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Not sure what filler he'd use although I doubt 4043 but that would be a walk in the park for member castweld.  Check out his work he's posted on here.Have seen him work his magic on aluminum heads first hand and I maintain if you gave him enough filler rod he could build a complete head from the ground up. MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I'll defiantly clean the bearing with a carbide burr to clean it, then probably hit it with 4043 sense I have no 4943 and hope it machines good. I'm really no sure how he plans to bore and hone it, he just asked me to weld it for him. Thanks guys
Reply:Is that a saab head?12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:Dig out all the crap and then dig some more with a carbide. Then clean it, once it's clean clean it again cause it's not. Add some heat and cook off the rest of the oil that's still in there. 5356 and fill 'er up.Sent from my SCH-I605 using TapatalkRyanMiller Multimatic 200 tig/spool gun/wireless remoteMillermatic 350P, Bernard/XR Python gunsMiller Dynasty 350, Coolmate 3.5 & wireless remoteCK WF1 TIG wire feederMiller Spectrum 375 XtremeOptrel e684Miller Digital EliteMiller Weld-Mask
Reply:You're doing a rather critical repair and instead of getting a better filler metal to repair it, you want to just use a softer material because that's what you have on hand? I couldn't call myself a welder if I was too lazy to get the proper filler for a critical repair. There's a reason they make different filler metals, take advantage of that. I think on a repair like that, preheat could be important.Last edited by Welder Dave; 04-13-2016 at 10:00 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTIs that a saab head?
Reply:Originally Posted by Welder DaveYou're doing a rather critical repair and instead of getting a better filler metal to repair it, you want to just use a softer material because that's what you have on hand? I couldn't call myself a welder if I was too lazy to get the proper filler for a critical repair. There's a reason they make different filler metals, take advantage of that. I think on a repair like that, preheat could be important.
Reply:This is your quote that contradicts your statement above. I know a couple guys that are very good aluminum welders and I believe on thick pieces they use about 400 deg. preheat, hot enough that you can quickly touch it but not hot enough to cause an instant burn. "I'll defiantly clean the bearing with a carbide burr to clean it, then probably hit it with 4043 sense I have no 4943"
Reply:Since. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkMiller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221  True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:I just copied what was there. LoL
Reply:Being in the hotrod game we see this stuff a lot. On this head I'd look for a used head first.  Sometimes you have to buy the Whole motor as the bone yard doesn't like to separate motors, but at a couple hundred for a used motor it will be cheaper than a new or welded head. The big top fuel blocks in drag racing have spacers behind the bearings.  Smoke a bearing and you replace the spacer, new bearings and a crankshaft.  Some older blocks don't have this so rather than weld they cut them for a spacer.Since the customer says he will take care of line boring why can't he just bore to clean and make a bearing spacer.  In this case it's just a bearing I think.  Simple repair if you have the tools.
Reply:Why not just bore for a split bearing?My name's not Jim....
Reply:Originally Posted by Welder DaveThis is your quote that contradicts your statement above. I know a couple guys that are very good aluminum welders and I believe on thick pieces they use about 400 deg. preheat, hot enough that you can quickly touch it but not hot enough to cause an instant burn. "I'll defiantly clean the bearing with a carbide burr to clean it, then probably hit it with 4043 sense I have no 4943"
Reply:I am shocked there are no alignment dowels in that head/cap. Just use the bolts/cam to align the cap when bolting down?12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829Originally Posted by shovelon4043 is very soft unless you get adequate base metal dilution, which would not be desirable for me in this case but would work. I too would use my 4943 or even step  up to 5356. 5356 cuts so much better that the machine shops in my area ask for it. I don't think engine temps would be so great that grain degradation is a big issue using 5356 for this repair. Over the years I have done hundreds of bearing journals. Can be tricky line boring if soft filler smears.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonThat is not an area subject to cracking IMO. Preheat would not be required. But if you did preheat to 400 deg. F. would likely drop the seat or warp the head.. 200 deg. Would be plenty if you thought it would help.
Reply:I have heated heads to 400 for welding, used 4043 filler, left the head assembled, the whole bit.12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:A head welder told me not to go over 275 degree on most heads or you weaken it. I think the valves and springs will be in the head hopefully.
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313A head welder told me not to go over 275 degree on most heads or you weaken it. I think the valves and springs will be in the head hopefully.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelon200 preheat with 400 interpass max is typical for any alum. I don't know if it could weaken it but it may overage it causing cracking problems down later on. Generally over heating alum is bad in any case unless you want to take into saturation and slow cool it for annealing. Annealing any alum takes place between 600 and 650 degrees. If it were me I would either cold weld it like your situation, or preheat it to 200 degrees to fill cracks. Some European and old Ford Escort heads in particular are and an exception and are a high strength casting generally identified with checkered surfaces. Those we have heated to 400 degrees and slow cooled over night. Those suckers crack like nobodies business if you don't. But we have to strip the head completely and reassemble with guides, seats, and rubber.