kubota engine block welding

[chevyman003]

im still looking for info on welding a gray cast iron kubota engine block,its not the water ports.is there such a thing called gray cast iron welding rods ? has anyone ever welded up a cast iron block with any of the new welding rods out there ? still have a proplem !!!!!!!!! will send pics next week

 

[Tanqwa]

i've had good results with nickel rods, have done anything from pump glands to slip clutch housings. Dont be in a hurry, v the edges, little pre-warming, tack together if loose piece, dont let the piece overheat, weld stop weld, to keep temp as constant as possible.

IMPOTANT: take chipping hammer and peen ( hit lotsa times on and around welding ) to relieve stress in material.

works every time for me so far.

in the pics i've used dillon cast iron rods, gold marking on rod but you can see the dents from peening and also the gap that was filled in.

 

[jayste]

I agree with what Tanqwa said and add slow cooling. Bury it in dirt if you have to. A thermal blanket or even vermiculite.

 

[Tanqwa]

Yip, beginning of the Alzheimer stage! Slow cooling very important, let it cool down slowly. The sand/dirt trick works like a bomb.

 

[Tanqwa]

Where on the block do you want to weld? Remember to check the deck surface for flatness afterwards if its a large weld and also maybe alignment of crank journals. Had to have a block line-bored before.

 

[Egon]

Do some Googling for "Welding procedures Cast Iron". lots of information.:thumbsup:

And before you start do some practicing on some scrap cast.

 

[Tanqwa]

Good idea to try some scrap first. When you start the rod tends to loose it a bit until the metal warms up. Also play a bit with the amp settings, up or down for what is required for the rod. I find that when its very cold a notch up do the trick. I dont have a controlled enviroment in the workshop, just to big doors thats always wide open.

 

[Transit]

Welding cast iron is very tricky; there is a how-to Navy manual that explains in great detail. Preheat is around 350-500 deg., and use dry sand to help the cool down.

 

[yomax4]

I have sold tons of Cast Welding Rods from Synthetic Ni - 99%. Origional German Recipe as well as Chinese copies. I would rather see a pic of what you are trying to do before making a suggestion. If it's not in a Cobustion Area, I would use Spray Powder. If it is, I would use KastWeld 111 with a wrap of Copper Speaker wire with the jacket removed. Last resort, 1/2 inch welds at a time between cooling with a Premium Ni rod like Welco 65 or 94. You have a Million options..:confused2:

 

[Tanqwa]

Yomax4, am a self trained welder as most mechanics are, no formal training. Bit more info on the copper wrap issue please. Does it work with any type of cast iron, why etc.

One thing that flips my lid is when i see a recommendation, like now, and i go to our local supplier and ask for it or similar, they look at me as if i'm from MARS! " Sorry sir dont know, we only have afrox, thermamax or some cheap b$#%*&*t chinese brand.

Lately we've been getting 6013 Hilco rods and they work extremely well. Problem is i am about 300km from Cape Town in a little town Klawer with no robots. Let me put it to you this way, the best equipped eng shop in the next town (20km) has 2 lathes, mill, slotter and your normal workshop stuff, best is, it has only one staff member, the owner. Lotsa times i go after hours when he's there to do my stuff. Luckily he's a friend.

 

[yomax4]

KastWeld 111 is an 18" long 1/4" stick of actual cast iron. It is used to braze problem cast. When you heat cast red hot with a torch or zap it with a welder, The first damage is done to the copper content of the cast. The Kast Weld 111 has a flux but by adding a foot of copper thin strand wire, It makes it flow out better and it puts the copper back into the cast. The reason I like Spray Powder and KastWeld111 is because they Work.. And they do not change the integrity of the base metal like blasting it with a Ni rod does. Arc Welding cast has been around for many years and can be a 1st line of thought for repair. Part of the cracking problem with stick welding is the voltage blast you give the material when you strike the arc. It spreads all of the molecules back from the point of the arc changing the integrity of the material in the joint and that makes it stress out and crack. Spray Powder goes on much cooler and is much more ductile than a stick weld. The molecules stay put and the crack issue goes away. KastWeld 111 can and is used in any combustion area because it is cast iron. Spray powder is Nickel-Iron and can be used anywhere else. If you choose to use a stick rod, use 1/2" long welds and let it cool before doing the next 1/2". You will have much less cracking and no pre-heat post-heat - peening hassles. Some cast will be un-weldable because its burnt out. Each repair will be different that the last.

 

[yomax4]

Sorry, Kast Weld 111 is a Harris Welco product. Lincoln Electric bought Harris Welco about 4 years ago and are letting it die. When you check with your welding supply house, Tell them that it is a Harris Welco product. It was always a Household name in the states..Spray Powder, Check out the Victor website. Great Product, Comes with Powder and a video. Spray Powder it the easiest cast repair product out there but it will cost you $300 to get started.

 

[Tanqwa]

Pity, Harris products are excellent, have a torch. Never heard off the powder, def will investigate. Many thanx for the info, always good to hear from some-one who clearly knows what it's about. One is never to old to learn, should always be on the lookout for ways too improve. I believe that things are better done right from the beginning instead of having to do the same job, cut corners and having to do it over again, end up costing more.

 

[westcliffe01]

Afrox have suitable rods, you may have to special order them, given your geographic challenges. I spent a few years in Vredenburg and while it was a bigger place than the town you mention, it was pretty quiet back in the day (were talking late 70's). My mother also owned a home in Fouriesburg that used to belong to President Steyn and that was really a one horse town... On the other hand, I spent a night in Trompsburg many years ago and I don't think I would be moving there anytime soon.

Afrox is part of the Linde group (german) and they have everything needed even if you are building a refinery, air seperation plant or offshore platform.

Products & services - Welding consumables - Cast Iron - MMA

 

[Tanqwa]

You from SA? If you see Vredenburg today, malls and all...........

Spoke to a collegue yesterday about the rods, yip are available but very costly but i think worth a try, esp for those special jobs.

thnx