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Car people: Welding a downpipe?

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
I punched a hole in my downpipe before the cat when I made a boneheaded wrong turn on a dirt road. Is it possible to get it welded and patched by an exhaust shop, or will I need to pick up a new one?
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Welding exhaust is easy, Yelo hit it right though make sure to disconnect the battery before you start..... If its a crack, weld it, its its a hole or the metal is deformed at all..... Replace it. Any reputable exhaust shop can do it alot cheaper than a new preformed pipe from the dealer.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
if you punched a hole in it I am assuming the metal was pretty thin and rusty already? no sense trying to weld on old thin rusty metal, easier to just replace it.

If you punched a hole in it with something sharp and the metal is still good welding is no big deal.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Not a dent, an actual hole punched. It's prolly the original on the car, too (it's an 87).

Of course, it's not as bad as the hole I put in the oil pan...which requires dropping the front suspension crossmember. 10 hour job. Awesome.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Update? Try it now..
I haven't touched the pile of sh!t yet...Will def. update when I do.

My bigger concern is the oil pan. It's got cooling fins on the outside, so welding/JB welding over the crack isn't really an option. Guess I'll have to drop the front suspension to get to it...
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
I haven't touched the pile of sh!t yet...Will def. update when I do.

My bigger concern is the oil pan. It's got cooling fins on the outside, so welding/JB welding over the crack isn't really an option. Guess I'll have to drop the front suspension to get to it...
Braise the pan, drill some small holes at each end of the crack to keep it from spreading, clean up the metal, and braize soem brass on the crack and into the holes... Life will be good
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Braise the pan, drill some small holes at each end of the crack to keep it from spreading, clean up the metal, and braize soem brass on the crack and into the holes... Life will be good
Think I can pull it off with the pan still on? That's the big issue - getting the pan off requires 10 hours of (quoted shop) labor.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
A tig wont be putting brass on it, but Tig would be ideal for alloy repairs like this. But if your gonna have it TIG welded, then itll need to be super clean inside and out... IE itll need to come off. If he is good with an oxy acetalyne torch, braizing would be the way to go, not as hot as welding, and dont need inside and outside super clean.