Zorst Welding

[Anthraxnz]

my exhaust has a large hole about 6cm long by 1cm wide, i tried to bog it but that only lasted a week lol and now it sounds like a v8 with a loud hiss.

i have a AC stick welder, can i weld directly onto the zorst without having to do anything?

apparently if you dont use some kind of surge protector you can blow the alternator up and damage some of the electrics, but my welder uses AC not DC so would this make any difference?

the reason i want to weld it still attached to the car is because i probably wont be able to remove the nuts and i would also have to remove the Steering rack.

unfortunately its the part which connects the headers to the 2.5" zorst so its a mission to get the drivers side undone.

any pro welders or panel beaters out there who can give me advice?

Thanks

heres the problem

[VT-565]

can't see the pic, but i'm guessing its' a pain to get to.
You should really take it off to do a 'proper' job, replacing that section of pipe at least. If you really have to do a dodge, get another piece of tube the same diameter, so you can split it and put it over the wrecked piece. This of course only works on a straight section. If its' on a bend, you're best to pull it off and get it fixed.

[greenfoam]

It wont be easy to weld thin rusted pipe with a stick welder but if you can do that then go for it, I'm not sure how much more tingly an AC stick welder gets but there's no problem welding on them with DC. As for the actual repair a bif of pipe cut to overlay that rust hole will be fine

[Matt_vp]

just disconect the battery before welding and put a patch over the hole, but since u are using a stick i would put a thicker bit of plate over it to take some of the heat, i dont think a zorst place would charge much to patch that up though.
Matt

[Anthraxnz]

cool cheers guys i will give it ago on the weekend

[Reaper]

Good luck welding that one. The tube will be thin and rusty. I'd just take it to a zorst shop and get them to make up a new section. Should cost $50 max.

Reaper

[Anthraxnz]

yeah i got some 2mm electrodes and tried welding a piece of steel of similar thickness and just ended up making a massive hole.

so to the zorst shop i guess

[VT-565]

yeah i got some 2mm electrodes

you mean 2.5mm

[Anthraxnz]

lol yeah thats the one

[Andrew426]

Give it a go, keep the arc length as short as possible (around .8mm) and backstep (weld 2cm or so at a time). Filling the exhaust with an inert gas like argon or C02 will help keep you from blowing through too. Oh and try and keep your travel speed up to minimize heat input. I think If you are careful you should be able to manage it - the only issue you will have is the fact that its in the overhead position.

Im taking my exhaust off on friday to weld in a hotdog and fix up a very untidy patch on it, though Il probably be using TIG for that. Probably post some pics on here if I do a tidy job.

[Anthraxnz]

yeah, wish i had some flash gear but unfortunately its only a cheap $100 Repco ARC welder so not much can be done.

[88GreenVN]

You will make a sive. Being a boiler maker welder by trade - I'd be taking it off and making a sleeve to go all the way around and far enough away from the rust spot. If you dont it will blow through over and over.

Now if you had a MIG you may be able to do the job on the car.

Stick - little hope of success. Good luck.

[Anthraxnz]

yeah i've pretty much given up on that idea, think ill try some of that muffle hole fixer stuff with the tin that you strap around the exhaust. not in any great hurry ill probably end up just getting a new piece from a wreckers.

[centy]

possible fix is to get 1.5mm rods.
proably easier to get another y piece from the wreakers and replace it.