Author Topic: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.  (Read 9896 times)

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Offline Reidy02

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Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« on: December 26, 2010, 10:01:44 PM »
Hey guys I've just been trying to weld a bellhousing off an old VW beetle and I'm doing it in square wave with a 2% thoriated tungsten and it seems to weld after pre heating but when it cools down you can hear it crack sometimes when I'm a bit slow with the torch to warm it down. Oh and when it's cool you move the thing and it breaks, and you can see the porosity on the gearbox side I think I shoulda cleaned it more!! eyes Any thoughts greatly appreciated! ;D I just went and had a look it seems to me maybe it has magnesium in it?? Cause the aluminum filler rod doesn't seem to stick to the parent metal,  it's all sorta crystalised where the weld came off the bellhousing, but as I weld it seems to flow together OK, but I was welding outside and I think also the wind was blowing the argon away. eyes I did bump the flow up to over 20cfh
« Last Edit: December 27, 2010, 06:38:32 AM by Reidy02 »
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Offline Yummi

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2010, 06:57:53 PM »
might want to check with Bill at AZ transaxle see if this can be done - he would know and is a member / sponsor  here.
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Offline Reidy02

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2010, 11:02:08 PM »
Yeah thanks Yummi I couldn't remember the guys name! ;D Bill OK Thanks again.. ;)
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Offline fabr

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2010, 07:02:29 AM »
The porous casting is full of oils.
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Offline fastcorvairs

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2010, 07:53:10 AM »
Hey guys I've just been trying to weld a bellhousing off an old VW beetle and I'm doing it in square wave with a 2% thoriated tungsten and it seems to weld after pre heating but when it cools down you can hear it crack sometimes when I'm a bit slow with the torch to warm it down. Oh and when it's cool you move the thing and it breaks, and you can see the porosity on the gearbox side I think I shoulda cleaned it more!! eyes Any thoughts greatly appreciated! ;D I just went and had a look it seems to me maybe it has magnesium in it?? Cause the aluminum filler rod doesn't seem to stick to the parent metal,  it's all sorta crystalised where the weld came off the bellhousing, but as I weld it seems to flow together OK, but I was welding outside and I think also the wind was blowing the argon away. eyes I did bump the flow up to over 20cfh

Reidy
Them VW trans's are all magnesium.  You will need a magnesium rod to weld it.  And yes you will need a way to keep it warm for the cool down.  I used a old blanket wrapped in a welding cover to put over it when I was welding a lot of them.  just weld and inch or two and then put the blanket on it for a time and let it cool real slow.  On small stuff I built a Lime box.  Put Lime in it and when I was done welding I would put the part in the box and cover it with lime to let it cool.

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Offline Reidy02

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2010, 12:42:18 PM »
Yeah Thanks very much guys! ;D I had a feeling it was Magnesium, Fast you're right man I asked Bill as Yummi said to and he sent me a PM telling me it's Mag Feeeeeew I looked at it where I tried to weld it with the ali filler rod and it was like crystallised and I thought man that don't look like any aluminum I've seen! Ah that makes me feel a bit better. Thanks again! Now I just gotta try and find the filler rod for the Magnesium. :o
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Offline Doug Heim

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2010, 02:32:33 PM »
Just dont let that sucker catch fire!!!

Offline Reidy02

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2010, 04:48:41 PM »
Yeah well yesterday we tried those rods where ya use a propane torch to heat up the parent metals and rub the rod on it to see if the rod would melt to weld it. A little bit flew off and burnt up so from that I think we may have been luck it didn't burn.. :o :o
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Offline Boostinjdm

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2010, 05:58:15 PM »
The shielding gas is what keeps it from burning during welding.  I would keep open flame away if you can.
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Offline Grimm Reaper Racing

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2010, 09:49:51 PM »
The shielding gas is what keeps it from burning during welding.  I would keep open flame away if you can.

I hate to say this..... BUT, do you know what the hell your talking about Boost?

Unless you get it to a powdered form, you won't have to worry about it starting to combust.

Reidy, it's important to keep it clean, and preheat to about 300 F.  We weld mag all the time.  I prefer to preheat with a rose bud, and AC TIG weld it using a really short arc, large gas cup, 30 cfm Argon, 12-14 sec post flow.  I'd clean between passes, and keep your weld bead small.
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Offline Boostinjdm

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2010, 10:10:52 PM »
I know that once mag starts, it ain't going out.  I'd prefer to not take the chance.
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Offline Doug Heim

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2010, 10:13:54 PM »
keep a door open and a clear path out of the shed! Just sayin! Never welded it and have no desire to ever.

Offline Reidy02

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2010, 10:36:03 PM »
Yeah honestly I'm not too keen on the idea! Thanks for the input guys I appreciate it! Thanks Adam I was very consious of blowing away the dust after sanding! That's very helpful all the info you put up! I was pre heating and I got one of those laser thermo guns they are handy gadgets! What's the best tungsten to use?
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Offline fabr

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2010, 06:13:49 AM »
I may be wrong but I am of the understanding that the cases are mag ALLOY. The alloy won't burn.
"There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one
flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is
the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

-----------------------------------------------------------
 " You have all the right in the world to believe any damn thing you'd like, but you don't have the right to demand that I agree with your fantasy"

Offline Reidy02

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Re: Welding a VW bellhousing any help appreciated.
« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2010, 06:19:35 AM »
Apparently the dust from grinding or sanding will catch fire or so I was told..
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