Help! What metal is this?

[vanagon nut]

Hi all.

Am in the middle of welding.

The part in question is a VW Jetta exhaust "Y". (part of what bolts to the exhaust manifold. It wasn't attracted to my magnet.

Here's some pics:

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/temp"y"pics

I know it's nearly impossible to tell from looking at pics, but ... Is it stainless? Or aluminum. Feels too heavy to be that.

If it's SS, can I use Ar/Co2 and solid steel wire to weld this to mild steel?

TIA,

Neil.

 

[rtbcomp]

Aluminium wouldn't last very long, so I would say at Stainless.

 

[fingers99]

Might be stainless or plain old mild steel. Easy way to tell would be to clean it off, spit on it, and leave it overnight. If it rusts, well..........

If it's mild steel and you're welding to stainless, I think I'd use stainless wire.

 

[vanagon nut]

Hmm....

My first test bead burned through super fast. I lowered the voltage by one setting, and wire speed too. Below what's recommended for SS. I can lay a bead, but penetration is to the point of sagging a little, and I have to keep the torch moving almost 2x as fast as working with 1/8" steel. (this part is app. 1/8")

Also, there is a rust coloured ring around the first test weld.

Does that schmeck of any particular metal type?

Is there an aluminum alloy that is non magnetic?

Thanks for the help guys.

Neil.

 

[vanagon nut]

Oh yah. Couple more pics.

Underneath:

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/metal4.jpg/metal4-full;init:.jpg

Up top:

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/Metal5.jpg/Metal5-full;init:.jpg

 

[fingers99]

I don't know of an aluminium alloy which is magnetic (at least, outside of a physics lab). If it is magnetic (and VW are not exactly free and easy with their money) I suspect plain old mild steel.

Yeah. Just looked at the pics. That you can actually deposit a bead on it which adheres and alloys with the parent metal proves it's ferrous: were it aluminium you'd get spatter, slag and burn through and precious little else.

 

[vanagon nut]

Hi.

Thanks good to know.

This metal is *not* magnetic.

But here's the silly part.

I get on the phone and try to find a 1-7/8" x 2-1/4" collector ("Y"), no go. So I'm cussing under my breath thinking I'll have to start all over, when I think "hey I could make that". Got a welder fer cryin out loud

I welded up a "Y". Roughly copied the angle of the stock piece, ruined another hacksaw blade, and after some grinding and filing, I got it done.

Even though I was able to get a bead to adhere on the old piece, I just didn't trust that the weld would be good.

Thanks for the help everyone!

Neil.

 

[bill_gj]

Making steel non-magnetic is to do with controlling the ferrite structure in the matrix.
I understand that steels with high manganese content, as well as the more traditional nickel (and 'stainless') alloys will demonstrate low or negligible magnetic properties.

 

[rtbcomp]

Mild steel is magnetic, ie it is attracted to a magnet and it retains its magnetism. Soft ron is also magnetic but does not retain its magnetism (or it does so very slightly).

Stainless can be magnetic or non-magnetic, depending on the grade. My scrap metal merchant calls magnetic stainless "chrome steel".

 

[matt1978]

It maybe a low grade of Stainless.........304 or simerla.

In production the Stainless Exhausts are sometimes welded with mild steel wire and Argo Shield light.......(mainly because they don't want the exhaust to last as long as it should!)......so for your repair it should be fine.