I am using a lincoln mig welder with gas and can use either solid core for steel and aluminum wire for aluminum. Whats the best approach for welding aluminum to aluminzed steel (blowoff valve to 3" aluminzed tubing).
__________________ R.I.P. - Kailee Ann Clark 3/7/08 - 5/1/08 (My Angel)
Aluminized steel is just steel that has a coating to prevent rust (for at least a little while) and welding it is not a good idea because it offgasses and can be bad for your health...the coating also contaminates the weld and makes it weak...the heat of the weld will burn the coating off making it very easy for it to rust, and thus you generally need to prep the area you want to weld with a wire wheel or some other means of removing the coating before you even try.
That said, you cannot weld aluminum to steel, regardless of coating. You should be using aluminum tubing.
Aluminized steel is just steel that has a coating to prevent rust (for at least a little while) and welding it is not a good idea because it offgasses and can be bad for your health...the coating also contaminates the weld and makes it weak...the heat of the weld will burn the coating off making it very easy for it to rust, and thus you generally need to prep the area you want to weld with a wire wheel or some other means of removing the coating before you even try.
That said, you cannot weld aluminum to steel, regardless of coating. You should be using aluminum tubing.
As you can tell, I have not been welding any other materials than steel itself and was going with aluminized for weight (at least I was told mild steel is heavier than aluminized). I always rough up the surface before I weld anyways and was planning on shooting a layer of black paint on the charge pipe's.
What about running stainless for charge pipe? Pretty much aluminum only bonds to aluminum, period? I would use aluminum but have NEVER welded aluminum before and don't really trust myself with a complete seal not knowing the material.
How hard is aluminum to weld with a mig?
Also, I can fab up a pipe for the blowoff valve out of mild steel to take place of the aluminum.
__________________ R.I.P. - Kailee Ann Clark 3/7/08 - 5/1/08 (My Angel)
Aluminized steel *is* mild steel. It just has an aluminum coating on it, as was mentioned.
I'd weld a mild steel pipe and flange on to the aluminized tubing, and then somehow bolt or attach the BOV to that. Use silicon hose and a pair of clamps if you have to, to attach the BOV to the pipe/flange/whatever (that's what the turbo kit I have did - a steel tube, silicon hose, and then the BOV). But don't try to weld aluminum to steel.
Most companies offer both steel and aluminum flanges for their valves. If you can find a steel flange you can weld attach it with your mig to the aluminized piping.
Be sure to remove as much of the aluminized coating as possible before welding. It will make fore a poor weld and the fumes can harmful.
Aluminized steel *is* mild steel. It just has an aluminum coating on it, as was mentioned.
I'd weld a mild steel pipe and flange on to the aluminized tubing, and then somehow bolt or attach the BOV to that. Use silicon hose and a pair of clamps if you have to, to attach the BOV to the pipe/flange/whatever (that's what the turbo kit I have did - a steel tube, silicon hose, and then the BOV). But don't try to weld aluminum to steel.
Thanks man! Thats easy enough!
Question, why is aluminized steel so much cheaper than mild steel?
__________________ R.I.P. - Kailee Ann Clark 3/7/08 - 5/1/08 (My Angel)
Most companies offer both steel and aluminum flanges for their valves. If you can find a steel flange you can weld attach it with your mig to the aluminized piping.
Be sure to remove as much of the aluminized coating as possible before welding. It will make fore a poor weld and the fumes can harmful.
B/O valve is 50mm JGS, very nice piece and came with a notched aluminum flange with v-band clamp. Sound pretty easy to weld a 1.5" mild steel pipe to the aluminized and use a silicone coupler with clamps to secure it.
__________________ R.I.P. - Kailee Ann Clark 3/7/08 - 5/1/08 (My Angel)
Aluminzed is thin, and the tubing I've seen (as I recall) is welded-seam, so it's very inexpensive. True rolled tubing is more expensive than welded seam.
B/O valve is 50mm JGS, very nice piece and came with a notched aluminum flange with v-band clamp. Sound pretty easy to weld a 1.5" mild steel pipe to the aluminized and use a silicone coupler with clamps to secure it.
That sounds like it will work fine. Just remember to wire wheel/grind/something the area of the aluminized steel before you weld. It will probably weld "ok" because this isn't anything structural (like holding the car together), but the outgassing of the coating when you weld isn't great for your health, grinding the aluminized coating off in the area you'll be welding first is safer.
You might want to paint the piping when you're all done welding, to try to keep it from rusting.
Aluminized tubing is typical exhaust tubing. It is not A500 quality and will not withstand the temperatures needed in a turbo setup. If it is only for your charge tubing make it out of thin wall stainless. It will shine up nice and you can run a thinner wall to offset the weight.
__________________ 1999 Z28 M6, C5R timing chain, K&N Filter, Spiffy Black Seats, 1OTL, BPU+++
2006 Duramax 3500 DRW Crew
Edge juice w/attitude, intake, magnaflow turbo back, trans go jr. shift kit
2007 Genuine Rattler 110, when you dont feel like shifting.
dont try and kid yourself spool guns suck aluminum is best left for a T.I.G. welder if your turbocharging something get off your wallet and do it right the first time with aluminum charge tubing and stainless exhaust tubing aluminized is for stock replacement honda accord exhausts not a turbocharged ls1
dont try and kid yourself spool guns suck aluminum is best left for a T.I.G. welder if your turbocharging something get off your wallet and do it right the first time with aluminum charge tubing and stainless exhaust tubing aluminized is for stock replacement honda accord exhausts not a turbocharged ls1
I totally agree with what you are saying, I was only making the point that the only way to mig weld aluminum is with a spool gun. TIG is the cleanest and best weld for this job, although ALOT more expensive.
__________________ 97 C5 Corvette Black
LS7 - on its way
I remember trying to weld Al with a MIG and no spool gun... it took me forever to get all the bunched up wire out of my cable
There is a way you can attatch Al to steel.... 3M panel bond adhesive PN 8115. It's good enough to hold the body onto the frame of a Corvette it'll hold your BOV on just fine.
I remember trying to weld Al with a MIG and no spool gun... it took me forever to get all the bunched up wire out of my cable
There is a way you can attatch Al to steel.... 3M panel bond adhesive PN 8115. It's good enough to hold the body onto the frame of a Corvette it'll hold your BOV on just fine.
I totally agree with what you are saying, I was only making the point that the only way to mig weld aluminum is with a spool gun. TIG is the cleanest and best weld for this job, although ALOT more expensive.
TIG is by far the best for aluminum and stainless steel. It is alot more expensive but you will end up with a better looking product. I am a TIG welder for a machine shop and when a customer brings in something to be TIG welded the shop charges 95 per hour and has a 2 hour minimum.
I remember trying to weld Al with a MIG and no spool gun... it took me forever to get all the bunched up wire out of my cable
There is a way you can attatch Al to steel.... 3M panel bond adhesive PN 8115. It's good enough to hold the body onto the frame of a Corvette it'll hold your BOV on just fine.
LMFAO!
I forgot about this thread. And it was a pretty stupid question, but like they all say, gotta start somewhere, lol. I did the exact same thing and it took me about 2 hours to finally get all the wire out of my feed line. I'll NEVER attempt that again!
__________________ R.I.P. - Kailee Ann Clark 3/7/08 - 5/1/08 (My Angel)
Welding aluminum to aluminized steel. 
