I know there's a better suited forum, but this one is the most active with (I think) the best advice + it's for my '79 300. Anyways, I have some work to do on my exhaust system. When I bought my truck about a year ago there was no tail pipe on it. The only thing left was rusted pipe about six inches off the muffler (muffler was shot too). To get to the point, I ended up replacing the converter, muffler, and tail pipe. I tried the clamps for the exhaust system, but they don't seal well. What's a good method for welding thin walled pipe? I assume gas welding (oxyacetlyene) would be the easiest choice next to brazing. I'm just curious what some of you other driveway mechanics do to get good fit up that lasts with minimal distortion and no burn through. I'm looking for a simple process that will leave a clean weld. I don't have the equipment for MIG or TIG. I also have a larger walled pipe off the exhaust manifold that I'm going to modify in order for me to fit a '81 exhaust manifold on my '79 (lossing the doughnut without the pre-converter). There are some factory welds on this piece that appear like stick. Any ideas? Suggestions for a good filler rod?

 

Exhaust systems are where I get stuck too. I can usually get by with everything else as far as fabrication/repair, but you need the equipment for the exhaust. Although, if you have a torch, you can heat the pipe to bend it enough, and I know a guy who did braze his joints. I usually like to do my own exhaust (or wish I could) when I have nothing to get me to the exhaust shop. But I will tell you, the shops in my area can do it for the same price as I can go to advance auto and buy the components. I thought this was a odd situation the first time it happened, but time and time again, I pay the guy at the exhaust shop the same amount to install an exhaust as I would if I would do it myself.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 23-Jul-01 AT 02:26 AM (EST)[/font][p]Now you're talkin' my language. Forget TIG. Thats for aluminum.
MIG will work good with 0.008 flux core or gas shielded wire. I prefer to use 3/32" 6010 5-p's for d.c. Or 6011 5-p's for a.c. They work great on new or like new exauste pipe. Torch will work also. But it takes practice. It's easy to make a brittle bead that wont last long under too much stress. The best filler rod I've ever used was plain-jane, right-off-the-farm bailing wire. the type actually used for bailing hay. Clothes hangers work good also. But the coating on them should be lightly burned off first. Otherwise you will get porousity. Bubbles in the weld. Thats not good. Best thing is to practice on some junk pipe before you apply the work to something you want to last. With practice you wont even have to use a filler. You'll be able to fuse two pieces together and run a perfect bead down them. Another rod is the 5/64" 6010 5-p's. Those and the 3/32" rods work great for pipe.
Another good alternative filler rod is to knock the flux coating off of some sticks. They work real well.
on edit< the small diameter sticks has always work best for me.
I've applied them to every thing from asian imports to Detroit V-12 192's



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I used my Oxy setup to do my headers and it worked much better with some real thin rods. I had trouble with burn thru when using the thick 1/8" rods, but it went pretty smooth with the thinner rods.

I like to tack it at about 4 different spots, then go back a fill in the rest. It takes some practice, but you'll have better overall welding skills afterwards.

 

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I like coat hanger too, but I do keep a nice roll of the soft baling wire referred to above.

Just be sure to weld the exhaust while it's off the truck, o.k., please? We don't need no explosions from welding. It will ruin your week among other things.
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