Welding aluminum heads 1

[CleverHans]

I need to weld up some combustion chambers on an aluminum head as part of reshaping. I'd appreciate views on whether this will impact on the integrity of the head and whether I will need to get it heat treated.

 

[willeng]

CleverHans:

You will definately have to get the head heat treated again.

Pre-heat the head to about 250deg & do all your welding, try to keep the heat applied to it until you have completed the job, it's hot work!
Let it cool down slowly in an oven or simillar over a period of time--overnight is good!.

Once this is complete rough out your work & leave enough material to finish off later, have the head heat treated, machine (EVERYTHING) that needs machining & finish your work.

Hope this helps

 

[malbeare]

CleverHans:
I used to repair cylinder heads for a living. I will be useful to build yourself two sets of parrallel restraining bars about 1.5 inches deep 3/4 wide with a 1/2 gap for T bolts. Block it in the middle and restrain the ends . The head will always bend inwards on the side that you weld. the bars can also be used to straighten warped heads using the bars and blocks and T bolts through the stud holes . Heat the head to aprox 250 celcius.It is also good to use thrust bearings under the nuts.With a bit of practice it is possible to straighten to within 1 or 2 thou through the cam tunnell
Malbeare
hppt://

http://www.sixstroke

 

[MaxRaceSoftware]

Malbeare,
i corrected your link so it would work.

http://www.sixstroke.com/pageone.htm

very interesting and innovating engine concepts !!
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if you weld in combustion chambers , especially around seat insert areas, seat inserts will tend to move around
as aluminum in that area has now lost correct hardness

need to get heads re-heat treated






Larry Meaux (maxracesoftware@yahoo.com)
Meaux Racing Heads - MaxRace Software
ET_Analyst for DragRacers
Support Israel - Genesis 12:3

 

[malbeare]

Thanks Larry,
The valve seat inserts would occasionally fall out during welding so it was useful to weld a washer to some 3/16 allthread and hold them in with a nut and small washer to the valve guids.If a head was only slightly warped 10 thou or so I would heat them up and use the rails to pull them 10thou below level and straight and let it cool down overnight under strain. When the head was released it would spring back to straight most of the time.
malbeare

 

[CleverHans]

Thanks, everyone. malbeare, thanks for the tip about the retaining bar. Also, I found the link to the 6S engine interesting. I think I need to go and sit quietly in a corner for awhile to get my head around it.

Cheers