RPM Graphics

iTrader: (26)

no sure if this is the right section, but i figured guys doing swaps would have more info on this. i'm swapping an LS1 into an IS300 & i need to section down the oil pan. i've been told that i have to have a new oil pan to do this, that a pan that has oil in it won't weld properly. can anyone confirm this?

cookseyb

Confirmed, it is nearly impossible to get all the oil out of cast aluminum. You can always try, a mig gun might work but heli-arc will be nearly impossible.

User-c3

not true, it's very possible........ my oil pan from a 70k motor.

Grr

iTrader: (2)

clean it with brake cleaner well and after you cut it go over the edge really well with a torch to burn off the oil. Then clean again. You will have to chase some spots around with the tig but its not very hard

Chicago TDP

iTrader: (3)

Easy to weld, no matter how much oil has hit it.
The MAIN trick to welding aluminum is removing the oxidation.
Oxidation requires more heat to "melt" then the base aluminum.
Once you have built up enough heat to melt the oxidation, your have already ruined the work piece.

Best advice is cut the pan how you need it and then bead blast the oil pan clean.
Make your new pieces that will "fill the void".
All seams that need to be welded will need to be thoroughly cleaned with a STAINLESS STEEL wire bush.
It must be a stainless bush that has never been contaminated with other materials.

Click on the link in my signature and you can see the pan that I welded.

Stormed_Norm

iTrader: (10)

I had my oil pan soaking in solvent for a day, pressure washed it and then in a bunch of soapy water. Welded it up and it leaked. Repeated the process and touched up the spot itleaked from. It leaked again and I said screw it, rewelded a new pan and it's 100%. Guess as normal it's just my bad luck.

RPM Graphics

iTrader: (26)

my plan was to have it boiled, then cut it, then blast it, then weld it. i may just try it since you guys have done it before.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

Warning !!!!

Never use Brake Cleaner on anything that is to be welded !! here is one artical..,but if you google it.. you will find many.. Poison Gas is the results !!!

http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

Yes. it is weldable !.. but cleaning is only a key to being successful. pre-heading, clamping it down to prevent warpage are just a few things that help. I am no wleder, but have had one pan that I had pro welder that was not able to weld it.

I have heard of people sticking them inside disk washer, media blasting and just about anything, but the alum pans just seem to retain the oil and cause issue why trying to weld them.

good luck..

BC

Pocket

iTrader: (22)

Why not use a separate bonding agent to seal the pinholes like aluminum adhesive or JB weld on the inside?

ls1_chevelle

iTrader: (9)

Brake Clean with Chlorine in it is the bad stuff. It creates phosgene gas. On steel a person can get away with whiping off/blowing off ALL fluid. However it does hang out in the air and the UV light from welding is what creates the reaction to create the gas. I first hand dealt with 3 welders and 1 Mechanic servicing an overhead crane. Flat on the ground from it.

Aluminum is super porous and it retains any liquid quite well. I would suggest a non chlorinated braked clean and very good ventilation as the non chlorine stuff has other harmful smells, but they wont down you right off the hop LOL.

The metal should be freshly ground to sound metal before welding. Rubbed with a virgin stainless steel brush, pre-heat the weld area and 8" beyond. 100F roughly. Id bolt it to a known flat surface or a block.

Chicago TDP

iTrader: (3)

Again, if you cut the pan and bead blast the area to be welded as well as clean with a GOOD stainless steel brush, it will weld like butter.

And yes, brake clean is BAD to use as a cleaner.
But, if you do a pre-heat with a hand held torch, it will burn off.
Just need to re-clean after pre-heat with a stainless brush

RPM Graphics

iTrader: (26)

thanks for all the advise. now i need to figure if i can section down the f-body pan i have or if i have to use a GTO pan. from the few IS/LSX builds i can find it looks like most people doing this swap are using the GTO pan.

Indyjc

iTrader: (1)

Had mine welded about 5yrs. ago with no issues. The key is to find some one who really knows their stuff when welding aluminum.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

We put the pan on the floor of the powdercoat oven.... Bake it for a few runs, then bead blast. [Used pans come out NASTY!] We grind the area to be welded, wash w/ MEK, clean the filler rod w/ MEK, and weld away.....We even go so far as to use gloves dedicated to alum welding, only.

cullen

iTrader: (3)

the trick is to hit it with a torch to burn out the oil, clean, then repeat until there is no oil or smoke from it. then hit it with a stainless brush and weld it.

Machine-Master

I used my Lincoln Square wave with no luck, it must have got to hot and made a pop sound then cracked like glass,

then I did another one with a dynasty Miller with no issue, it did not even know it was aluminum

in the performance welding book it says you can weld them up on DC with a Helium gas,
has anyone tried that method

leon phelps

I put mine in the dishwasher for two cycles with just hot water. then I mig welded mine (yes you can mig aluminum). It looked great but had a small pin leak. I gave up and took it to a pro after cutting my work out and leaving the welder all the parts to put together. The welder let it sit full of water overnight to make sure it was not leaking. It has a microscopic leak now, the pan looks wet but it not noticeable.

darren roar

iTrader: (1)

Keeping a stainless steel wire brush around doesnt hurt either.

usdmholden

I've welded aluminum on DC reverse using my Lincoln Square wave and Argon. I didn't have too many problems with it, except it required a large diameter tungsten to keep it running cool enough. I mostly tried it just to see if I could. Welding aluminum with AC made a nicer looking bead.

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

When we cut my brothers pan we washed it in the parts washer, pressure washed it off. The we soaked it in hot water with dishsoap (cuts the oil really well) for a couple days. The pan came out clean and the guy who welded it said it welded together easily and that there were no issues with contamination.