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I will bring one of my valve cover to a welding (in a high school) workshop to repair a cracked fin.
I'm scared of the immense heat that is needed, and that could dammage the crossed flag badge.
What would be good to cover/protect the badge from the welding heat?
Here is a picture of the cracked fin... It's very close to the badge.
(I already cleaned the cracked surface with a dremel, and whiped with aceton.)
Can you remove the badge easily? They sell replacements as a sticker, so it may just pop right off, then you can glue it back on with some 3M double-sided adhesive.
Also, while the 69-80 valve covers were aluminum, the 81-82 covers were magnesium (but painted). How were you able to crack a fin on an aluminum valve cover? I'm not saying it's impossible, just suggesting that you be careful (check part numbers inside, perhaps?) before accidentally trying to weld magnesium.
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
It needs to be cleaned with a SS wire brush. Also it's probably cast and will need to be filled in with a gas torch and alum. ingot, then you'll have a ton of time in re-shaping the fin.
Just remove the badge. If you damage it, you can replace it for less than $10. Your primary concern should be to repair that fin. I would think that a skilled Heli-arc person could use ceramic material to build a dam on either side of that fin and build-up metal as required. Shouldn't be much trouble to dress it back into shape.
Use a heat gun to warm the badge, then pop it off. If it gets damaged by this, as has been mentioned, they're readily available. And while you've got the valve cover in the school's workshop, see it the have a Bridgeport milling machine that you can use, to help you reshape the fin.
Can you remove the badge easily? They sell replacements as a sticker, so it may just pop right off, then you can glue it back on with some 3M double-sided adhesive.
Also, while the 69-80 valve covers were aluminum, the 81-82 covers were magnesium (but painted). How were you able to crack a fin on an aluminum valve cover? I'm not saying it's impossible, just suggesting that you be careful (check part numbers inside, perhaps?) before accidentally trying to weld magnesium.
Can you remove the badge easily? They sell replacements as a sticker, so it may just pop right off, then you can glue it back on with some 3M double-sided adhesive.
Also, while the 69-80 valve covers were aluminum, the 81-82 covers were magnesium (but painted). How were you able to crack a fin on an aluminum valve cover? I'm not saying it's impossible, just suggesting that you be careful (check part numbers inside, perhaps?) before accidentally trying to weld magnesium.
If you brought that to me for the weld repair and didn't want to pull the badge, I would damped a thick cloth and lay it over the badge. That fin can be built up with multiple passes to keep the heat from getting to the badge. Either a ceramic or copper sheet backing and use that to support the weld bead, a good welder should be able to make it so you have just a little to smooth off.
Honestly I don't think it is going to work. Those covers are not made out of a very good aluminum and I have welded on them before. You will have to turn some heat on them to get the garbage to clean out and it usually will blow a hole through them. In that is a fine, let's just say for argument purposes that you actually get a fine welded on it, you are going to spend a ton of time grinding the weld down to not be noticeable. It would be cheaper and less effort to just try and fine a used single or buy a set of them. Even getting it welded for free, I don't think it is going to turn out as you are hoping it to. Maybe if they were made out of a better aluminum and not as thin, but either way good luck.
If you brought that to me for the weld repair and didn't want to pull the badge, I would damped a thick cloth and lay it over the badge. That fin can be built up with multiple passes to keep the heat from getting to the badge. Either a ceramic or copper sheet backing and use that to support the weld bead, a good welder should be able to make it so you have just a little to smooth off.
Great advise - I am welder by trade and Alum is not easy to weld unless you know what you are doing! Just some Joe schmo from a weld class will destroy your valve cover. Especially on an old oily cast alum piece like that. Where are you located? If you are close to Cincinnati i can fix it for ya.
Mike,
Great advise - I am welder by trade and Alum is not easy to weld unless you know what you are doing! Just some Joe schmo from a weld class will destroy your valve cover. Especially on an old oily cast alum piece like that. Where are you located? If you are close to Cincinnati i can fix it for ya.
Mike,
Well Belgium is a bit far from where im at. LOL - Not sure what Alloy it is, but it's aluminum. I would use 4043 filler rod to weld it. Just make sure they clean it very very well. Put a cold wet rag on the badge to keep it cool while welding.Lace a stringer on it , let it cool , lace another stringer and so on till you get it built up.
Swap valve covers so the bad fin is on the back side while shopping ebay for a matching single valve cover. An artist with a tig welder, maybe. A kid in votech school? If you are lucky it will still be usable...
Swap valve covers so the bad fin is on the back side while shopping ebay for a matching single valve cover. An artist with a tig welder, maybe. A kid in votech school? If you are lucky it will still be usable...
A steady hand and a a Dremel tool or two should get it looking pretty close to the original shape. I doubt that anyone will spot the fin being worked on.
Can you remove the badge easily? They sell replacements as a sticker, so it may just pop right off, then you can glue it back on with some 3M double-sided adhesive.
Also, while the 69-80 valve covers were aluminum, the 81-82 covers were magnesium (but painted). How were you able to crack a fin on an aluminum valve cover? I'm not saying it's impossible, just suggesting that you be careful (check part numbers inside, perhaps?) before accidentally trying to weld magnesium.
This man is totally correct...yes you can HELIARC weld and of course grind aluminum....the black covers that are made in the same molds ARE MAGNESIUM which you should never weld (or even expose to flame) they will light off like a uncontrolled rocket. Magnesium is hugely flammable, The 'broken' fin to me looks more like a 'silly long time rub' where some mouth breather mounted something over the rocker cover and let it vibrate until it wore the fin off.
The emblem can be removed EASILY. a little heat gun action and an x-acto knife.
This man is totally correct...yes you can HELIARC weld and of course grind aluminum....the black covers that are made in the same molds ARE MAGNESIUM which you should never weld (or even expose to flame) they will light off like a uncontrolled rocket. Magnesium is hugely flammable, The 'broken' fin to me looks more like a 'silly long time rub' where some mouth breather mounted something over the rocker cover and let it vibrate until it wore the fin off.
The emblem can be removed EASILY. a little heat gun action and an x-acto knife.
good luck Unkahal
Can the emblem be reused when I remove it with a heat gun and exacto knife?
03-23-2019, 09:26 PM
Welding aluminum valve cover
