Welding Alum. heads

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has anybody here done ????
Reply:Zapster does this a lot.  Send him a PM.http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=4619here is a thread that has some info.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Thanks
Reply:is using a Mig. possible???
Reply:It's gotta be super clean.
Reply:Personally I wouldnt attempt it with mig.  Tig is the only way Id do itIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:What's wrong with mig?  The appearance of the weld is unimportant, it will get ground down eventually.I would take a grinder and groove out the crack and stop drill it.  It will keep the crack from spreading during the weld, it will ensure there is no contaminants left inside of the crack, and it will ensure proper penetration.
Reply:Mig tends to give false readings so to speak.  Its a production process.  While the process can produce very good welds, there tends to be noted statistics that lend to the basis that for whatever reason you can provide more, higher quality welds with stick and tig.  This is commonly found on the pipelines.  However, in regards to this particular question it follows the same guidlines.  Tig can, and with the right individual will produce deeper penetration and more assures proper fusion.  MIG you can actually make a real nice and pretty weld that is just merely laid upon the joint and doesnt actually fuse.  Of course this is a very extreme case, you wont get these results with TIG, therefore you can see there is a disadvantage to MIG in this instance.  Repair work is best suited with TIG and Stick, IMO.  As stated before, if you dont have fusion with TIG its fairly obvious from the get go.  Where as with MIG its not.  Another big advantage of TIG is the remote amperage control.  If you need more heat, you can add it.  Less, you get the picture.   Wire you cant do that.  So you start youre weld its a lil cold.  It doesnt take long youve got good penetration, but in the very begining you doint.  Well know youve got a problem you wont get iwth TIG, or atleast you wont if you know how to use it.  There maybe other reasons that I am not aware of, however, if for no other reason take a look around.  Ask ZAP if you dont believe me, I know of no shop that uses wire to weld aluminum heads.  Its just not done.  If it were a viable or fesible process for the application they would use it.  Why?  Cause of operating costs and the additonal time to TIG weld it, not to mention they usually pay these specialty TIG welders better than a MIG welder.  TIG aint usually used if TIG dont need to be.  Its the cadillac of the welding world.    Elegance does take style IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Amen, Redneck.If it's HOT, Don't touch it
Reply:TXredneck sure knows what he's talking about and in my opinion is 100% right. Last summer a fellow on a 2002 Goldwing had an object flick up from the road and tear the oil filter and all the aluminum holding it on rip away from the engine causing all the engine oil to spill all over the road. The bike was wrote off due to all the damage but the service manager at the motorcycle dealership purchased the bike from the insurance company and he asked me to see if I could repair it for him. Well after some machining and TIG welding and eight hours later his bike was up and running. I could have never done it but using Mig and the TIG done the job. The new owner got his Wing working and was very happy to say the least PaulMiller 302 Trailblazer/Custom TrailerMillermatic 350P/Spool gunMillermatic 252Miller Spectrum 875Miller Dynasty200DxHypertherm Powermax 85Tracker CNC 4X8 Pro Table (Down Draft)Visit us @ www.specialtyrepairscustommods.com
Reply:looks like you had to put a whole new screw-on do-hicky and add a bit here and there just to make the filter mate up again.  He must have run over a concrete block...the steel pipe is bent also.  How tough was the cast?  I have never had good luck with castings...it's like some weld fine and others are made by Satan himself, with little or nothing to distinguish the two.  If you got this thing going again, you do really good work.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:have talked to a few people that have had heads repaired and and some where fixed with just epoxy in the ports ,,so i'm still looking into trying
Reply:yes Tig is the only way! -you've got the control of heat an filler.--epoxy is good for some things but a head, i don t think i would trust glue to fix.with the heat and pressure,, would hate to epoxy, an put back together an the glue fails.
Reply:Redneck and 4shorts are completely right. There are no if and or butts, the head can not be mig welded, well it can but it wont hold. I weld the Honda Goldwing frame recalls for Honda and if I could mig them I would. What ever you do don't convience yourself that it will work. You will have a lot of wasted time.Yes I can tack it for you.    I know that won't hold but that is what you asked me to do.  Millermatic 350P XR Aluma-Pro push/pullMillermatic 185/spool gunMiller Dialarc 250 HF Water cooledThermal Dynamics Plasma
Reply:have seen some high dollar race heads and the ports did have epoxy and they ran great
Reply:the epoxy would be used on the intake side onlyit won't hold up to the exhaust heat...exhaust side must be tigged no question..p/m me if you need help.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterthe epoxy would be used on the intake side onlyit won't hold up to the exhaust heat...exhaust side must be tigged no question..p/m me if you need help.....zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by comphave seen some high dollar race heads and the ports did have epoxy and they ran great
Reply:Originally Posted by stonebreakerPutting epoxy in the intake ports is done for other reasons than repair.  If the port needs to be reshaped to improve airflow, epoxy is easier to do than welding up the port and then grinding it down.  Also, epoxy acts as an insulator, and will help keep heat from being transferred from the hot metal to the air going into the cylinder.  I haven't coated my intake ports, but I did coat my intake manifold with epoxy specifically to reduce heat transfer.  It was worth about 2 tenths in the quarter mile.  Not enough to make it worthwhile on your daily driver, but crucial on a race car.
Reply:go info
Reply:What is your question? I weld aluminum heads every day, both cracked and or damaged. I use Tig because that is all that will perform the job properly. If you have any questions I'd be glad to try to help.Ric Havel
Reply:Originally Posted by Ric HavelWhat is your question? I weld aluminum heads every day, both cracked and or damaged. I use Tig because that is all that will perform the job properly. If you have any questions I'd be glad to try to help.Ric Havel