Mig welding cast aluminium

[Escy]

I know it's possible to mig weld aluminium (although not ideal) but how about cast aluminium? I hear it's full of crap and makes things difficult. I've tried googling and watching youtube videos, i've not seen much on mig welding cast alloy.

This is what i'm welding, need to modify an Audi inlet manifold like this so the throttle body comes out straight rather than angled.

It doesn't need to look pretty or support any weight, just has to be air tight. Is it worth buying wire and argon gas and trying or is it a waste of time and i'm best off paying someone to tig it for me? My welder is a Clarke 135TE

 

[I'm getting on a bit]

Tig welding Ali is hard
Tig welding cast Ali is harder
Mig welding Ali is even harder

You also forgot a spool gun to the list of stuff to buy.

Maybe a tapered spacer made to achieve the same result.

Or let someone else have the headache of welding it

 

[Rrunnach]

Take manifold to a shop with an industrial mig welder, preferably a synergic machine. The cast looks decent, so who's to say it cant be nailed using mig, it is hard to say, till one arcs up. I wouldn't bother trying mod using your own clarke machine.

 

[TechnicAl]

If you get it too hot it will collapse.......if you dont get it hot enough it wont weld........the between bit is small and needs practice to recognise

 

[Jim Davey]

Get it done by a fab shop with a decent TIG welder.

 

[God mode restorations]

Definitely take it to a fab shop...cast can be notoriously difficult at the best of times and takes a lot of experience to get it right.

 

[piman]

Hello Escy,

I second the tapered adaptor, assuming sufficient room. You can fabricate it using steel tube and plate, it doesn't need to be aluminium.

Alec

 

[cliff366]

Agree use an adaptor if room allows also what depth you got on the inlet can you not get away with a slight tweek on there ??

 

[Kent]

waste of time imo, aint no clean time for one and mig is a poor relation to TIG for ali in normal sheet and box. You would be better using Hysol over mig on a casting

 

[Richard.]

I'd say bring it round here but it's a trec n half with lots of potential welders that could do it in between. I do a lot of such repairs, mods on cast Alu and I'm geared up well for them. One thing is for sure they are not predictable. Some weld really nicely and the arc is happily stable on it yet others are a fight start to finish. I'd tig weld it. It's a method I know and works and with the added variable balance control you can use AC wave to do some cleaning for you. . Whether it's mig or tig one thing is for sure a 130 amp clarke isn't up to that.

 

[Tigman]

ive just welded an alu lampost , taxi driver knocked it over in someones garden ,it welded nicely in parts where 3mm to 4mm thick , but when on the thicker parts lots of porosity and rubbish spat out , hardwork getting in but managed it ! with Tig of course dont think I would enjoy migging that sort of thing .

 

[Mr shiney]

I would make an adaptor plate. It's a couple of hours work to to that. I have done it on quite a few bike engines.

 

[Escy]

After having a good look at it, I think I will just make up an adaptor plate.