[rusthater89]

I wanna patch a rust hole on a radiator support.

i cut out the hole to a neat square and I cut out the patch for it.

When I went to weld it simply burned through cause the surrounding metal was pitted.

The problem is most of that area of the radiator support is pitted. (This is the part where the battery tray mounts so I assumed its seen its share of leaky batteries.)

I am using an arc welder with 6013 rods, Its not the best but I have welded several patches with this before.

[Rick0087]

What I have found that works good for me is to put something brass like a brass spoon if ya got one or even a brass punch. Brass will take on some of the heat and let the weld flow out instead of just burning through if there is enough metal there. If possible turn the heat down as much as you can or rent or borrow a mig or tig welder. good luck!

[rusthater89]

I do have some copper plates and such but the curvature of the rad support makes it damn near impossible to have it lay flat on the back of the hole I need to weld.

I am gonna cut out my crappy burn through tomorrow, make a new cardboard template and try a different approach.

I'm gonna take some thick 7014 rods that I have collecting dust and scrap all the flux off them with a razor. I'm gonna use them as filler metal along with my electrode.

[alittle1]

Is the purpose of patching the rust hole on the rad support, just for looks or strengthening it or ?

To give it some strength and a better look, try brushing on a coat of POR15, add a layer of fiber type window screen on either side, recoat with a coat or two of POR15 to build thickness, sand to improve looks, and add one final coat.

What's the rad support from? Can you not replace it with a section from a similar rad support?

[tech69]

I use mig to weld holes, and it's generally only something I do at work or if I know it's pitting from the side I'm viewing and can see it's not a waste of time. I turn down my amps and turn up my wire speed. I use a good amount of light to see I'm aiming my wire directly at a spot that I can assume isn't the thinnest or an area that has metal around it to disipate the heat. I do my first tack really fast, not worrying so much about proper penetration, but more like something to absorb the heat when I weld hotter and longer. My next tack will be longer and hotter but I aim onto the last tack. Then I tack longer and move the gun a bit to enclose the hole but not worried about getting it too early, or too late for that matter. then I turn my welder up and use all the weld boogers to take the heat and I weld hot and swirl it around a bit to remelt that metal and penetrate good. In the end the welds look flat cause of that last weld. I then use a cutt off wheel and carefully cut it down, then lightly grind it down but not too much cause the metal could be thin in that area.

[rusthater89]

Originally Posted by tech69

I use mig to weld holes, and it's generally only something I do at work or if I know it's pitting from the side I'm viewing and can see it's not a waste of time. I turn down my amps and turn up my wire speed. I use a good amount of light to see I'm aiming my wire directly at a spot that I can assume isn't the thinnest or an area that has metal around it to disipate the heat. I do my first tack really fast, not worrying so much about proper penetration, but more like something to absorb the heat when I weld hotter and longer. My next tack will be longer and hotter but I aim onto the last tack. Then I tack longer and move the gun a bit to enclose the hole but not worried about getting it too early, or too late for that matter. then I turn my welder up and use all the weld boogers to take the heat and I weld hot and swirl it around a bit to remelt that metal and penetrate good. In the end the welds look flat cause of that last weld. I then use a cutt off wheel and carefully cut it down, then lightly grind it down but not too much cause the metal could be thin in that area.

I wish I had a gas welder, I use the thinnish rods possible with 40 amps. On un pitted metal as thin as 22 gauge it is great. But on 22 gauge pitted metal like what I got. It is frustrating.

[rusthater89]

Originally Posted by alittle1

Is the purpose of patching the rust hole on the rad support, just for looks or strengthening it or ?

To give it some strength and a better look, try brushing on a coat of POR15, add a layer of fiber type window screen on either side, recoat with a coat or two of POR15 to build thickness, sand to improve looks, and add one final coat.

What's the rad support from? Can you not replace it with a section from a similar rad support?

It is a 78 Trans Am rad support. Yes, it is for better look as well as strength. The years of corrosion left that one side of the rad support looking like a pitted piece of junk while the rest of the support looks brand new.

I am on a serious budget. I am a poor college student who makes money doing odd jobs. I have to make do with what I have.

[41'srfun]

If you don't have access to a wire welder or tig machine, or acetylene torch, the next best thing to use on thin pitted or rusty metal would be a small diameter 6011 rod, I've welded a lot of thin and pitted rusty metal with 3/32" diameter 6011 rods. They also make it in a 1/16" diameter and if you turn the machine down low enough you will be surprised what you can patch with it. The 6013 and 7014 rods make a pretty bead when run correctly, but they don't work too well on thin or rusty metal especially if you have much gap to fill.

[rusthater89]

Originally Posted by 41'srfun

If you don't have access to a wire welder or tig machine, or acetylene torch, the next best thing to use on thin pitted or rusty metal would be a small diameter 6011 rod, I've welded a lot of thin and pitted rusty metal with 3/32" diameter 6011 rods. They also make it in a 1/16" diameter and if you turn the machine down low enough you will be surprised what you can patch with it. The 6013 and 7014 rods make a pretty bead when run correctly, but they don't work too well on thin or rusty metal especially if you have much gap to fill.

Really? 6011 rods. I actually have some 1/16 6011 rods. I always thought 6013 was for thin metal which is why I was using the 1/16 6013 rod at 40 amps. The 3/32 7014 rods that I have don't strike arcs well with amps lower than 60 so I am not using it. (it has a real erratic flickering arc lower than 60 amps.)

I'll experiment on my free time tomorrow.

[DanielC]

Get a piece of copper pipe, and flatten it, and bend it to the contour you need to back up your weld.

[OneMoreTime]

Sometimes one just has to put in some new material when you run into that situation...

Sam

[Irelands child]

Originally Posted by OneMoreTime

Sometimes one just has to put in some new material when you run into that situation...

Sam

X2 (or more).

Cut out the rot - go beyond the pits and thinned metal on each side and weld in some fresh new steel by spot welding a small bead at a time (less then a half inch)

[rusthater89]

My idea of adding metal using another rod worked. I even had a crappy fit with huge gaps and they were able to be filled.

I just gotta weld in between my little tacks and grind, I'll be done.