Stick welding aluminum

[Oldpath05]

I've done a little. Haven't had too much of an issue, though it is a little like holding a tiger by the tale. Here's an Everlast video on how to I did a while back.
Stick Welding Aluminum with an Everlast DC inverter PowerArc 3 - YouTube

That looks like an excellent weld with an aluminum rod to me.
I'm giving that Power Arc 300 a serous look, will there be any issue of using 3/16 carbons for carbon arc gouging, like will it void the warranty?
The stick welder Century 250 amp AC/DC I use to have would run 3/16 carbon on 220-240 amps with no problems, and it was only 20%/250 amp. I could also run 3/16, 7014 stick all day long at 240 amps, there for, at 300 amps in my mind there shouldn't be a problem, 300 amps should melt a 3/16 carbon, it does at work where we have the expensive XMT 350 Miller's, combo stick and pulse/mig inverters.

 

[Aussiebushman]

I know this is a pretty old thread but the comment about "filling a hole" is exactly my problem. When a thread was stripped in an aluminium engine block, I tried to drill it out for a larger bolt - inevitably, the drill wandered off-center and went through the outside of the casting so now it leaks coolant. The engine is still in the vehicle and I live 40 miles from the nearest repair shop so a DIY fix is the only answer

I made an aluminium plug in the lathe and it fits OK but brazing was hopeless - just can't get enough heat in to to make the aluminium rod flow into the joint. My current plan is to bond the plug in with dynagrip - a high temperature bog - necessary because the hole is right above the exhaust manifold and I doubt "ordinary" thickened epoxy will withstand the heat.

Can anyone suggest whether putting a shorter plug into the hole then filling to the top with the stick welder might be better?

 

[Ed of all trades]

If I were to try it I would have the plug close to flush with the top of the hole and just fill the crack. It could work but stick welding aluminum is a bit of a trick in the best of setups. Trying to weld an engine block in the car could be tricky. Is there anyone in the area that has an AC tig? That would be an easier answer. Ed

 

[jwmorris]

I made an aluminium plug in the lathe and it fits OK but brazing was hopeless -

Why not thread the hole for an NPT plug like every other plugged hole in the coolant system and use Teflon paste or tape?


I don't care what method your using to weld aluminum but if that engine is important to you, you don't want to learn on it. Your project already snowballed from a simple stripped thread, I would go simple fix myself.

Your plug and something like Devcon would likely work too.

 

[Oldpath05]

If I had a hole in aluminum that is 1/2" wide 1" deep or 3/4" wide 1-1/2" deep, I'd go with aluminum mig welding and probably stop and start 3 times when filling the up hole, no stick for filling holes.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Thanks guys - good advice as usual

The picture shows the extent of the damage and I agree that welding in-situ is going to be a major problem and even though this is an old vehicle, it IS important to keep it going. This problem started with a stripped thread when I reinstalled the head and foolishly, I thought the head itself would act as a guide to drill the hole deeper to take a longer bolt - Big mistake.

As inferred previously, I'm a long way from any pro-shop and do not own MIG or TIG - only a stick welder. The best option seems to be to insert the turned aluminium plug I made into the hole all the way down and seal it in with the Dynagrip. (Sure I could use a 7/16 UNC bolt (the same as all the other head bolts) but I'd still have to tap it first into the off-center hole and in any case, only HT steel bolts are available. Once set into place, the aluminium plug can be center-punched, a pilot hole drilled then opened up and tapped for a new HT bolt. With the head now off. it will be easier to get the new one in square to the surface of the block. I'll go up 1/16 to a 1/2" UNC for which I now have the right taps

What do you think??

Alan

 

[jwmorris]

I think the plug by itself has a lot better chance of working than using it as a mounting point for something. If you have to bolt something there I would make the long trip to someone that can weld it now vs when it is even further from fixable.

Kind of like if you had the proper helicoil to repair the original threads your hole wouldn't have been able to go off center.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Actually, by working on the time-proven practice of never throwing anything out that might be useful, I found some LOCTITE cold weld compound on the shelf here and using that and the aluminium plug I had made, got a very secure insert bonded into the hole. When the Dynagrip arrives I'll bog around the outside of the repair to reinforce it.

Regarding re-drilling for the bolt, with the head now removed, I'll make up a jig held in place with the other head bolts and by pilot drilling, it should be OK in terms of alignment.

Thanks and regards

Alan

 

[jwmorris]

For alignment it would be hard to beat the head itself with a drill bushing installed, even if you have to machine that part too.

I have done that several times, along with left hand drills to remove broken off bolts/studs from blocks. There are some blocks, Mercedes are the ones I have see most often, where the stud is actually threaded in a counter bored hole in the block more than an inch below flush. The method above is the only way I have ever removed them, that deep.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Yes, I actually have a spare (undamaged) head off another identical engine. By putting one onto the block, then making a simple jig fastened to the adjacent head bolts it should give me pretty good alignment, Worth a try