Aluminum Intake Manifold

[H80N]

Brian
here is an article on welding automotive aluminum cylinder heads... there is a lot of similarity between the two..

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Arti...num_heads.aspx

best of luck and please keep us posted...

[Brian Oatway]

I've managed to get the extension welded onto the old intake, went pretty well. No leaks on a 40psi pressure test. I guess we'll see how it holds up.
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[H80N]

That is Great!!

could you outline what you did to accomplish this with limited amperage??... preheat.. blankets etc....
Thanks...

[Brian Oatway]

I preheated on my gas grill (don't tell the wife) before making the welds where the new material attached to the casting but I didn't get too crazy the thing may have been 200deg or so. I didn't maintain any heat on it while I was welding other than what the welder was putting in.

The areas I was attaching to were about 1/4" thick with the new material being 1/8" and 1/4" the only places that were thicker where were the old bolt bosses were.

Had the Sycrowave 180 set at about 165a and luckily didn't have any problems except for a couple of really tight inside corners where the arc was jumping all over the place....fortunately where that was happening I was able to get nice clean welds on the opposite side of the joint so no problems.

[H80N]

Brian
thanks!! that will give the guys with smaller machines some food for thought before they tackle aluminum castings...
Frankly... I was concerned about your outcome.... glad you thought your way around the situation.....