Welding Cast Iron Cracks?

[skylindrftr]

I was wondering if it possible to weld a crack in cast iron so that it will not crack again, if not, what are the alternatives? I have heard that you can preheat the metal and then do something with it. Or that you can grind out the crack and remake that part. If so does anyone know a place that can do this, preferably in the Los Angeles area. The item in question is a fucked up turbo hot side with 4 cracks all stemming from the waste gate hole. If not, then I will gladly buy a hot side from anyone that has no cracks and is in good condition.

[GSXRJJordan]

Yeah, welding thick cast iron is no fun, because you have to prep the metal (even heat) and put waaaaay more material in there than you think you'd have to. A good welder should be able to tell you if they can do it right away - I'd go to Morse Muffler in Burbank, ask for Tim I think :)

[LB.Motoring]

You could allways ARC weld it with the Cast Sticks, there like a multi material, there like 3 bucks a stick,
that would be the cheapest way...


In the past, cast iron was always difficult to repair: heat the part slowly in an oven, make the weld with a nickel rod, slowly cool the part in an oven--and hope the cast iron would not recrack

[pr0ject TRUENO]

No. Just replace the housing.

[skylindrftr]

Thanks Jeff, I will call the guy and see if I can get down there, my local welding shop said he couldn't do it and there are multiple cracks and some in the inside of the turbo, so I don't even know if it is worth it to weld, do you think I should just get another one, opinions?

Errr it is hard to find a .86 A/R hot side (GTiR), what would be the difference if I switched to an s14 hot side performance wise?

Cost wise, what are the differences of having the hot side re-machined or just getting a new one?

[skylindrftr]

Oh and also, someone just told me that the s14 t28 and s13 t25 hot sides are identical, is this true?
Also, it seems that I am going to have to mix and match parts anyways to get my car running, I have been looking at s14 and the gtir turbos and some say that you should get the s14 compressor and put in place of the gtir t3. Also, the center section of an s14 is ball bearing right? and the gtir is journal. So would the ideal hybrid turbo be : S14 T-O4B compressor housing, s14 bb center section, gtir inconel 79 trim wheel + .86 a/r gtir exhaust side?

[GSXRJJordan]

PM'd ya back... for any with the same question, the quick answer is it's not worth it. /thread.

[LB.Motoring]

super not worth it.

[Matt Cramer]

I once tried to use a ghetto turbo manifold that was a turbo flange welded onto a cast iron exhaust manifold. It didn't last very long at all (although I don't know who did the welding or how as it was something I'd picked up from somebody else's abandoned project).

I wouldn't recommend trying to weld cast iron - particularly if the repair is going to get heated red hot like a turbo hotside.

[Sir]

New turbo time
they're not that expensive.

[skylindrftr]

A new hotside runs 250 for my car, (.86 a/r) from cheapturbos.com does this sound right?