Sooo...I just pulled the engine and tranny on my 67 Riv.....It's sitting on the garage floor hanging from the cherry picker. I go in the house to grab a beer, and explain to the "old lady" :blast: that I'll only be a "few more minutes"!!! Sooo....I go back outside and see my buddy is pulling the second to last bolt out of the bell housing (with the ass end of the tranny propped up on the leg of the cherry picker) It was like "slow motion" as i said "N O O O O O O O! ! ! !" and he said " W O O P S " the top bolt hole on the bell housing snapped like a pretzel! Oh well... I know **** happens! so anyone had any luck welding on a bell housing? any tips would be appriciated.
I did the same thing about 30 years ago. I took the bellhousing (transmission) to a first class welding shop that my father was familiar with. They put it back together with a jig to make sure it was square and it worked out just fine. Good fit and all....
Cast aluminum welds like cast steel. DONT CONFUSE THIS WITH CAST IRON. Find a local guy with an aluminum spool gun and a bottle of 100% Argonne gas. Bevel the edges for 100% penetration, then wash with a solvent like brake kleen or lacquer thinner. CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN. Use a small wire toothbrush and clean some more. When your done washing, heat with a propane torch "Pretty hot" until the oil in the casting quits smoking. Then repeat above. The cast stuff is porous and will absorb oil. That will contaminate the weld. PERIOD. When you think its clean enough, clean it again, then bolt it onto the engine block , used as your jig. Pre heat the casting to about 350-400F. Spit will really sizzle at that temp, OR, get a temp stick crayon from a welding supply shop. Tack it in several places, then have the welder have at it. I would do the inside as well, only after the outside is done. Every time you stop the welding, the black soot left over (that's COKE from the oil) will need to be cleaned AGAIN. The process will not get nearly hot enough to affect the block. Any AL spatter will come off with a pocket knife. Get a #40 flapper wheel and contour the weld so youll never see it. The judges will need mirrors and lights to get back there as well LOL... Excluding the prep work and CLEANING, that's a 10 minute weld with a MIG gun. PM me if youd like to discuss aluminum welding. Ive owned this highly customized by me, aluminum Roamer yacht for 42 years. Bill in TR
