Welding V Bands To Truck Manifolds?
12-21-2015, 03:12 PM
#121
9 Second Club
I'm a really bad welded and I managed to get a pretty successful weld on mine. I welded with 309 rods and to Sch10 type tubing
I wouldnt say I preheated, but did heat them up a little with a heat gun. Certainly not anything super warm by any means, and did leave this on for a while after welding.
I also seen some guys say to lightly tap the welds with a hammer to peen them as they cool....no idea if it does anything or not but I did that too.
As with Blake, I did try to go as slow as I could, welding bits at a time to try and sink as much heat as possible into it all, as slowly as possible
2 full years on and they're still working great.
I wouldnt say I preheated, but did heat them up a little with a heat gun. Certainly not anything super warm by any means, and did leave this on for a while after welding.
I also seen some guys say to lightly tap the welds with a hammer to peen them as they cool....no idea if it does anything or not but I did that too.
As with Blake, I did try to go as slow as I could, welding bits at a time to try and sink as much heat as possible into it all, as slowly as possible
2 full years on and they're still working great.
12-21-2015, 05:01 PM
#122
Staging Lane
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309 is the way to go.
I welded 2 sets up last weekend. One I pre heated to around 350 and welded with 1/16th 309 about 2 inches at a time all the way around. The other set I used exactly the same technique filler and amps but with no pre heat. Both came out identical.
I welded 2 sets up last weekend. One I pre heated to around 350 and welded with 1/16th 309 about 2 inches at a time all the way around. The other set I used exactly the same technique filler and amps but with no pre heat. Both came out identical.
12-21-2015, 05:17 PM
#123
Bringing this back up. I tried welding up a set of 01 5.3 manifolds yesterday and it was crack crazy. I was using 160 amps 3/32 tungsten and ER70 filler. After all the cracking, I switched to 308 filler and that was a lot better, but still I ended up chasing cracks all over. Maybe I didn't pre-heat enough, but I used a MAP gas torch for about 5 minutes before welding, no post heat because the cracks would all show up before I was even done welding. The 2 pieces I was welding together were both the same material (I just cut and re positioned the manifold outlet). Both pieces were freshly grit blasted to a bare clean surface so there was no contamination likely. What gives? Could there be casting material differences in these manifolds?
That's weird I've never seen one crack. I've welded about 6 sets of these cast manifolds now. All with a basic 120v (140a) mild steel mig welder 75/25 gas. SS or mild v-band's. Never pre/post heated. I do pean the welds with a hammer after welding and only do about 1 inch at a time. (mainly because it pops my breaker if I do more
)
12-21-2015, 11:43 PM
#124
Originally Posted by LS1-IROC
Bringing this back up. I tried welding up a set of 01 5.3 manifolds yesterday and it was crack crazy. I was using 160 amps 3/32 tungsten and ER70 filler. After all the cracking, I switched to 308 filler and that was a lot better, but still I ended up chasing cracks all over. Maybe I didn't pre-heat enough, but I used a MAP gas torch for about 5 minutes before welding, no post heat because the cracks would all show up before I was even done welding. The 2 pieces I was welding together were both the same material (I just cut and re positioned the manifold outlet). Both pieces were freshly grit blasted to a bare clean surface so there was no contamination likely. What gives? Could there be casting material differences in these manifolds?
Oh and I didn't preheat and it was like 40 degrees out.
12-22-2015, 05:16 AM
#125
Thanks for the input guys. I expected zero problems with welding these up with all the successful posts I have read about guys doing it. Starting to wonder if there might have been more than one supplier to GM for these manifolds with slighly different amounts of carbon content.
I managed to get one all welded without any cracks remaining, but have very little confidence in it with the amount of welding I had to do on it chasing all the cracks around. I might cut it apart and try 309 filler to see what happens.
I guess I could also bust out the old mig and see if I have better luck with that.
I managed to get one all welded without any cracks remaining, but have very little confidence in it with the amount of welding I had to do on it chasing all the cracks around. I might cut it apart and try 309 filler to see what happens.
I guess I could also bust out the old mig and see if I have better luck with that.
12-22-2015, 09:17 AM
#126
Thanks for the input guys. I expected zero problems with welding these up with all the successful posts I have read about guys doing it. Starting to wonder if there might have been more than one supplier to GM for these manifolds with slighly different amounts of carbon content.
I managed to get one all welded without any cracks remaining, but have very little confidence in it with the amount of welding I had to do on it chasing all the cracks around. I might cut it apart and try 309 filler to see what happens.
I guess I could also bust out the old mig and see if I have better luck with that.
I managed to get one all welded without any cracks remaining, but have very little confidence in it with the amount of welding I had to do on it chasing all the cracks around. I might cut it apart and try 309 filler to see what happens.
I guess I could also bust out the old mig and see if I have better luck with that.
12-22-2015, 10:37 AM
#128
Teching In
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These manifolds are cast steel, not cast iron. They weld up just fine with a mig welder. I have a millermatic 211. I never pre-heat or anything. I've done a few sets and have never had any cracking issues at all. The stock I use to add/modify is the exact same thickness as the manifolds, which I think is important.
12-22-2015, 12:17 PM
#129
Was the puddle nice and just cracked or were you getting "fireworks" as you went?
I have tig welded a bunch of these over the years. Always on 309 rod.
A few things that have tripped me up for sure along the way.
Still having some scale even just a little rust and all the sudden fireworks, contaminated tungsten, porosity, and I had to grind the weld out and start over.
Also I had once where I didnt really clean the inside much and as it penetrated I brought in rust/carbon/whatever and the same as above happened.
Hope his helps and good luck!
I have tig welded a bunch of these over the years. Always on 309 rod.
A few things that have tripped me up for sure along the way.
Still having some scale even just a little rust and all the sudden fireworks, contaminated tungsten, porosity, and I had to grind the weld out and start over.
Also I had once where I didnt really clean the inside much and as it penetrated I brought in rust/carbon/whatever and the same as above happened.
Hope his helps and good luck!
12-22-2015, 01:33 PM
#130
Was the puddle nice and just cracked or were you getting "fireworks" as you went?
I have tig welded a bunch of these over the years. Always on 309 rod.
A few things that have tripped me up for sure along the way.
Still having some scale even just a little rust and all the sudden fireworks, contaminated tungsten, porosity, and I had to grind the weld out and start over.
Also I had once where I didnt really clean the inside much and as it penetrated I brought in rust/carbon/whatever and the same as above happened.
Hope his helps and good luck!
I have tig welded a bunch of these over the years. Always on 309 rod.
A few things that have tripped me up for sure along the way.
Still having some scale even just a little rust and all the sudden fireworks, contaminated tungsten, porosity, and I had to grind the weld out and start over.
Also I had once where I didnt really clean the inside much and as it penetrated I brought in rust/carbon/whatever and the same as above happened.
Hope his helps and good luck!
I just got my hands on some 309 rod that I will try this weekend.
Do you pre or post heat?
Thanks for the tips!
12-22-2015, 02:29 PM
#131
That might be some of the problem. Sometimes i would get a nice clean puddle, then in other areas I would see some fireworks. I also think i was welding a little too hot at 160 amps Sounds like I should try a little colder at around 100 amps.
I just got my hands on some 309 rod that I will try this weekend.
Do you pre or post heat?
Thanks for the tips!
I just got my hands on some 309 rod that I will try this weekend.
Do you pre or post heat?
Thanks for the tips!
01-04-2016, 12:55 PM
#133
01-05-2016, 04:25 AM
#134
All three I've welded, I noticed if you tack the v band first, it will crack. It also will take some of the manifold materiel with it also. Ive welded them with a 140 amp welder and a really nice Miller mig. Neither cracked, and on I actually cut the manifold, flipped it and welded it to itself. I just crank up the welder and go to town.
