Electrodes for Cast Iron

NickelRod #99
(ENiCl) With this extruded electrode, the weld deposit is predominantly
nickel, hence the welds are hard, yet machinable. Excellent for
joining, filling and buildup of all special cast irons. Exceed specs.
for AWS ENiCI.

NickelRod #55
(ENiFeCl) The weld deposit contains less nickel than #99 and is more easily
machinable. The arc is stable, bead shape is excellent and the
deposits are smooth and uniform. The narrow weld fusion zone
reduces the hard areas of the HAZ to a minimum. Exceeds specs
for AWS ENiFeCI.

NickelRod #42
Nickel-Copper alloy electrode. High strength, corrosion resistant
electrode for welding wrought and cast forms of commercially
pure nickel; joining nickel alloys to steel; surfacing steel with
nickel, etc. Aufhauser 42 is widely used in the chemical, food,
dairy and oil refining industries (but is not recommended where
sulphur or lead are present.

NickelRod #33
Nickel-Chromium alloy electrode. Universal electrode for welding
nickel-copper alloys; joining nickel-copper alloys to steel; welding
the clad side of nickel-copper alloy clad steel; and surfacing steel
with nickel-copper alloy. It is excellent on applications requiring

_________________________________________________________________

Guidelines for Welding Cast Iron

Background

Cast iron is difficult, but not impossible, to weld. In most cases, welding on cast iron
involves repairs to castings, not joining casting to other members. The repairs may be
made in the foundry where the castings are produced, or may be made to repair
casting defects that are discovered after the part is machined. Mis-machined cast iron
parts may require repair welding, such as when holes are drilled in the wrong location.
Frequently, broken cast iron parts are repaired by welding. Broken cast iron parts
are not unusual, given the brittle nature of most cast iron.

While there are a variety of types of cast iron, the most common is gray cast iron, and
these guidelines are directed toward this type of material.

A few facts about cast iron help in understanding the welding challenges. Cast iron
typically has a carbon content of 2% - 4%, roughly 10 times as much as most steels.
The high carbon content causes the carbon to form flakes of graphite. This graphite
gives gray cast iron its characteristic appearance when fractured.

When castings are made, molten iron is poured into a mold and allowed to slowly
cool. When this high carbon material is allowed to cool slowly, crack free castings can
be made. Remembering this is helpful when welding cast iron: during and after
welding, the casting must either be allowed to cool slowly, or should be kept cool
enough that the rate of cooling is not important.

A critical temperature in most cast iron is about 1450 degrees F. When at this
temperature, conditions that can lead to cracking occur. While the arc will heat the
casting to temperatures above this level, it is important that the casting not be held at
this temperature for long periods of time.

Electrode selection

If the part is to be machined after welding, a nickel-type electrode will be required.

Use Lincoln Softweld 99Ni stick electrode for single pass, high dilution welds.
Softweld 55 Ni is preferred for multiple pass welds. Sometimes, root passes are put in
with Softweld 99 Ni, followed by fill passes with Softweld 55 Ni. For welds where
machining is not required, and where the weld is expected to rust like the cast iron,
Lincoln Ferroweld stick electrode can be used.

To Heat, or not to Heat

In general, it is preferred to weld cast iron with preheat--and lots of it. But, another
way to successfully weld cast iron is to keep it cool--not cold, but cool. Below, both
methods will be described. However, once you select a method, stick with it. Keep
it hot, or keep it cool, but don't change horses in the middle of the stream!

Welding Techniques with Preheat

Preheating the cast iron part before welding will slow the cooling rate of the weld, and
the region surround the weld. It is always preferred to heat the entire casting, if
possible. Typical preheat temperatures are 500-1200 degrees F. Dont heat over 1400
degrees F since that will put the material into the critical temperature range. Preheat
the part slowly and uniformly.

Weld using a low current, to minimize admixture, and residual stresses. In some cases,
it may be necessary to restrict the welds to small, approximately 1-inch long segments
to prevent the build up of residual stresses that can lead to cracking. Peening of weld
beads can be helpful in this regard as well.

After welding, allow the part to slowly cool. Wrapping the casting in an insulating
blanket, or burying it in dry sand, will help slow cooling rates, and reduce cracking
tendencies.

Welding Techniques without Preheat

The size of the casting, or other circumstances, may require that the repair be made
without preheat. When this is the case, the part needs to be kept cool, but not cold.

Raising the casting temperature to 100 degrees F is helpful. If the part is on an engine,
it may be possible to run it for a few minutes to obtain this temperature. Never heat
the casting so hot that you cannot place your bare hand on it.

Make short, approximately 1 long welds. Peening after welding is important with
this technique. Allow the weld and the casting to cool. Do not accelerate the rate of
cooling with water or compressed air. It may be possible to weld in another area of the
casting while the previous weld cools. All craters should be filled. Whenever possible,
the beads should be deposited in the same direction, and it is preferred that the ends of
parallel beads not line up with each other.

Sealing Cracks

Because of the nature of cast iron, tiny cracks tend to appear next to the weld even
when good procedures are followed. If the casting must be water tight, this can be a
problem. However, leaking can usually be eliminated with some sort of sealing
compound or they may rust shut very soon after being returned to service.

The Studding Method

One method used to repair major breaks in large castings is to drill and tap holes over
the surfaces that have been beveled to receive the repair weld metal. Screw steel studs
into the threaded holes, leaving 3/16 (5 mm) to (6 mm)of the stud above the
surface. Using the methods discussed above, weld the studs in
place and cover the entire surface of the break with weld
deposit. Once a good weld deposit is made, the two sides of the
crack can be welded together.

Weldability of materials

Cast irons
Cast irons are iron based alloys containing more than 2% carbon, 1 to 3% silicon and
up to 1% manganese. As cast irons are relatively inexpensive, very easily cast into
complex shapes and readily machined, they are an important engineering and
structural group of materials. Unfortunately not all grades are weldable and special
precautions are normally required even with the so-called weldable grades.

Material types
Cast irons can be conveniently grouped according to their structure which influences
their mechanical properties and weldability; the main groups of general engineering
cast irons are shown in the first figure.
Grey cast irons

Grey cast irons contain 2.0 - 4.5% carbon and 1 - 3%

silicon. Their structure consists of branched and
interconnected graphite flakes in a matrix which is pearlite,
ferrite or a mixture of the two. The graphite flakes form
planes of weakness and so strength and toughness are
inferior to those of structural steels.

Nodular cast irons

The mechanical properties of grey irons can be greatly

improved if the graphite shape is modified to eliminate
planes of weakness. Such modification is possible if molten
iron, having a composition in the range 3.2 - 4.5% carbon
and 1.8 - 2.8% silicon, is treated with magnesium or cerium
additions before casting. This produces castings with
graphite in spheroidal form instead of flakes, known as
nodular, spheroidal graphite (SG) or ductile irons. Nodular irons are available with
pearlite, ferrite or pearlite-ferrite matrices which offer a combination of greater
ductility and higher tensile strength than grey cast irons.

White cast irons

By reducing the carbon and silicon content and cooling rapidly, much of the carbon is
retained in the form of iron carbide without graphite flakes. However, iron carbide, or
cementite, is extremely hard and brittle and these castings are used where high
hardness and wear resistance is needed.

Malleable irons

These are produced by heat treatment of closely controlled compositions of white

irons which are decomposed to give carbon aggregates dispersed in a ferrite or
pearlitic matrix. As the compact shape of the carbon does not reduce the matrix
ductility to the same extent as graphite flakes, a useful level of ductility is obtained.
Malleable iron may be divided into classes. Whiteheart, Blackheart and Pearlitic
irons.

Whiteheart malleable irons

Whiteheart malleable castings are produced from high carbon white cast irons
annealed in a decarburising medium. Carbon is removed at the casting surface, the
loss being only compensated by the diffusion of carbon from the interior. Whiteheart
castings are inhomogenous with a decarburised surface skin and a higher carbon core.
Blackheart malleable irons

Blackheart malleable irons are produced by annealing low carbon (2.2 - 2.9%) white
iron castings without decarburisation. The resulting structure, of carbon in a ferrite
matrix, is homogenous with better mechanical properties than those of whiteheart
irons.

Pearlitic malleable irons

These have a pearlite rather than ferritic matrix which gives them higher strength but
lower ductility than ferritic, blackheart irons.

Weldability
This depends on microstructure and mechanical properties. For example, grey cast
iron is inherently brittle and often cannot withstand stresses set up by a cooling weld.
As the lack of ductility is caused by the coarse graphite flakes, the graphite clusters in
malleable irons, and the nodular graphite in SG irons, give significantly higher
ductility which improves the weldability.

The weldability may be lessened by the formation of hard and brittle microstructures
in the heat affected zone (HAZ), consisting of iron carbides and martensite. As
nodular and malleable irons are less likely to form martensite, they are more readily
weldable, particularly if the ferrite content is high.

White cast iron which is very hard and contains iron carbides, is normally considered
to be unweldable.

Welding process

Braze welding is frequently employed to avoid cracking. Braze welding is often

called 'Bronze welding' in the UK. Bronze welding is a varient of braze welding
employing copper-base fillers, it is regulated by BS 1724:1990. As oxides and other
impurities are not removed by melting, and mechanical cleaning will tend to smear
the graphite across the surface, surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned, for example, by
means of a salt bath.

In fusion welding, the oxy-acetylene, MMA, MIG/FCA welding processes can all be
used. In general, low heat inputs conditions, extensive preheating and slow cooling
are normally a pre-requisite to avoid HAZ cracking.

Oxy-acetylene because of the relatively low temperature heat source, oxy-acetylene

welding will require a higher preheat than MMA. Penetration and dilution is low but
the wide HAZ and slow cooling will produce a soft microstructure. Powder welding
in which filler powder is fed from a small hopper mounted on the oxy-acetylene torch,
is a very low heat input process and often used for buttering the surfaces before
welding.
MMA widely used in the fabrication and repair of cast iron because the intense, high
temperature arc enables higher welding speeds and lower preheat levels. The
disadvantage of MMA is the greater weld pool penetration and parent metal dilution
but using electrode negative polarity will help to reduce the HAZ.

MIG and FCA MIG (dip transfer) and especially the FCA processes can be used to
achieve high deposition rates whilst limiting the amount of weld penetration.

Filler alloys

In oxy-acetylene welding, the consumable normally has slightly higher carbon and
silicon content to give a weld with matching mechanical properties. The most
common MMA filler rods are nickel, nickel - iron and nickel - copper alloys which
can accommodate the high carbon dilution from the parent metal and produces a
ductile machinable weld deposit.

In MIG welding, the electrode wires are usually nickel or Monel but copper alloys
may be used. Flux cored wires, nickel-iron and nickel-iron-manganese wires, are also
available for welding cast irons. Powders are based on nickel with additions of iron,
chromium and cobalt to give a range of hardnesses.

Weld imperfections
The potential problem of high carbon weld metal deposits is avoided by using a nickel
or nickel alloy consumable which produces finely divided graphite, lower porosity
and a readily machinable deposit. However, nickel deposits which are high in sulphur
and phosphorus from parent metal dilution, may result in solidification cracking.

The formation of hard and brittle HAZ structures make cast irons particularly prone to
HAZ cracking during post-weld cooling. HAZ cracking risk is reduced by preheating
and slow post-weld cooling. As preheating will slow the cooling rate both in weld
deposit and HAZ, martensitic formation is suppressed and the HAZ hardness is
somewhat reduced. Preheating can also dissipate shrinkage stresses and reduce
distortion, lessening the likelihood of weld cracking and HAZ.

Table 1: Typical preheat levels for welding cast irons

Cast iron type Preheat temperature degrees C

MMA MIG Gas (fusion) Gas (powder)
Ferritic flake 300 300 600 300
Ferritic nodular RT-150 RT-150 600 200
Ferritic whiteheart malleable RT* RT* 600 200
Pearlitic flake 300-330 300-330 600 350
Pearlitic nodular 200-330 200-330 600 300
Pearlitic malleable 300-330 300-330 600 300
RT - room temperature
* 200 degrees C if high C core involved.

As cracking may also result from unequal expansion, especially

likely during preheating of complex castings or when preheating
is localised on large components, preheat should always be
applied gradually. Also, the casting should always be allowed to cool slowly to avoid
thermal shock.

An alternative technique is 'quench' welding for large castings which would be

difficult to preheat. The weld is made by depositing a series of small stringer weld
beads at a low heat input to minimise the HAZ. These weld beads are hammer peened
whilst hot to relieve shrinkage stresses and the weld area is quenched with an air blast
or damp cloth to limit stress build up.

Repair of castings
Because of the possibility of casting defects and their inherent brittle nature, repairs to
cast iron components are frequently required. For small repairs, MMA, oxy-acetylene,
braze and powder welding processes can all be used. For larger areas, MMA or
powder technique can be used for buttering the edges of the joint followed by MMA
or MIG/FCA welding to fill the groove.

Remove defective area preferably by grinding or tungsten carbide burr. If air

arc or MMA gouging is used, the component must be preheated locally to
typically 300 degrees C.
After gouging, the prepared area should be lightly ground to remove any
hardened material.
Preheat the casting to the temperature given in Table 1.
Butter the surface of the groove with MMA using a small diameter (2.4 or
3mm) electrode; use a nickel or Monel rod to produce a soft, ductile 'buttered'
layer; alternatively use oxy-acetylene with a poder consumable.
Remove slag and peen each weld bead whilst still hot.
Fill the groove using nickel (3 or 4mm diameter) or nickel-iron electrodes for
greater strength.

Finally, to avoid cracking through residual stresses, the weld area should be covered
to ensure the casting will cool slowly to room temperature.

If you would like more information on any aspect of cast irons, contact Bill Lucas.

Welding cast iron

General
Cast Iron is considerably less weldable than low-carbon steel. Cast iron contains
much more carbon and silicon than steel, with the result that cast iron is less ductile,
and is more metallurgically deformed when welded. However, there have been many
successful cast iron repair welds performed in maintenance and casting reclamation
applications. The degree of brittleness and likelihood of cracking of the welded
material will depend on the type of casting the heat treatment and the welding
procedure.

Preparation
The most important aspect of welding cast iron is to have the surface clean and free of
defects prior to welding, since castings that have been in service are likely to be
impregnated with oil or grease. All surface contaminations should be removed with
solvents, commercial cleaners, or paint removers. Casting skin should be removed
from surfaces to be welded. Blind cracks and pits must be completely dressed out to
sound metal by mechanical means such as grinding, chipping, rotary filling or shot
blasting. Cracks should be excavated to their full length and depth. Excavate spongy
areas and pinholes.

Impregnated oil or other volatile matter can be eliminated by using an oxidizing oxy-
acetylene flame to heat the casting or weld groove to approximately 900 F for about
15 minutes and then wire brushing, grinding or rotary filling to remove the residue.
This method has the advantage of de-gassing the casting and removing some of the
surface graphite as well.

New castings present less of a cleaning problem than castings that have been in
service. However, casting skin, sand, and other foreign materials must be removed
from the joint to be welded and the adjacent surfaces of the casting.

To repair cracked castings, drill a hole at each end of the crack to prevent it spreading
further and grind out to the bottom. Begin welding at the drilled end of the crack,
where restraint is greatest and move towards the free end.

Casting which have to transmit fairly heavy working loads often have the weld joint
assisted by mechanical means, such as bolt straps, or hoops which are shrunk on.
Broken teeth of large cast iron gears are sometimes repaired by studding. Holes are
dilled and tapped in the face of the fracture and mild steel studs screwed in. These are
then covered with weld metal and build up to the required dimensions. They are
machined afterwards or ground to shape.

Precautions when welding cast irons

Factors to consider are the same whatever the type of cast iron
1. Low ductility with a danger of cracking due to stresses set up by welding. (This is
not so important when welding SG iron due to its good ductility)
2. Formation of a hard brittle zone in the weld area. This is caused by rapid cooling of
molten metal to form a white cast iron structure in the weld area and makes the weld
unsuitable for service where fairly high stresses are met.
3. Formation of a hard, brittle weld bead due to pick-up of carbon from the base
metal. This does not occur with weld metals which do not form hard carbides such as
Monel and high nickel alloys. These are used where machinable welds are desired.

Although much can be done without preheating, to avoid cracking (due to lack of
ductility of castings, especially complicated shapes) may be minimized by suitable
preheating.
In general all cast irons need to be pre-heated when oxyacetylene welding. This pre-
heating reduces the welding heat-input requirements. High pre-heat is needed when
using a cast iron filler metal because the weld metal has low ductility near room
temperature. To avoid such pre-heating requirements, you may use Aufhauser
NickelRod #99, with the base metal at or slightly above room temperature. The weld
readily yields during cooling and relieves welding stresses that might otherwise cause
cracking in the weld.

1. Local preheating occurs where parts not held in restraint may be preheated to about
500C in the area of the weld, with slow cooling after welding is completed. Cracking
from unequal expansion can take place during the preheating of complex castings or
when the preheating is confined to a small area of a large casting> This is why local
preheating should always be gradual.

2. Indirect preheating involves preheat of 200C for other critical parts of the job in
addition to local preheating. This is done so that they will contract with the weld and
minimize contraction stresses. Such a technique is suitable for open frames, spokes
etc.

3. Complete preheating is used for intricate casings, especially those varying in

section thicknesses such as cylinder blocks. It involves complete preheating to 500C
followed by slow cooling after welding. The preheating temperature should be
maintained during welding. A simple preheating furnace may be made of bricks into
which gas jets project. Another may be filled with charcoal which burns slowly and
preheats the job evenly.

Post weld Heating:

Post weld heat treatment may consist of either full annealing or stress relieving: when
heat treatment is not applied, the welded casting is usually cooled slowly from the
welding temperature to room temperature by covering it with insulating material such
as lime, ground asbestos, or vermiculite.
Stress relieving at 1150F and then furnace cooling to at least 700F is recommended
whenever feasible.
Full annealing at 1650F is sometimes employed to produce greatest softening of the
weld zone or a more complete stress relied. However, annealing lowers the as-cast
tensile strength of all but the softest irons.
In critical applications that require radiographic or ultrasonic inspection after heat
treatment, castings often are inspected before treatment also, to save unnecessary
costs if an internal defect should be present.

Peening
Satisfactory welds may be made on cast iron without preheating by using electrodes
depositing soft metals and peening the weld with a blunt tool (such as a ball hammer)
immediately after welding. This spreads the weld metal and counteracts the effects of
contraction. Good practice is to deposit short weld runs (50 mm at a time) and then
peen before too much cooling takes place. (Aufhauser NickelRod #99 is soft and
allows peening).
Shield metal-arc welding of cast irons
The most suitable electrodes for Shield metal-arc welding is Aufhauser NickelRod
#99 and NickelRod #55.

Grey Cast Iron

NickelRod #99 is more suitable for single layers and for filling small defects as the
deposit remains highly machinable. Single-layered welds of NickelRod #55 are not as
machinable as NickelRod #99, however they do have increased strength and ductility.
NickelRod #55 welds are more tolerant towards contaminants such as sulphur and
phosphorous and are superior to NickelRod #99 electrodes when welding casting high
in phosphorous.
Peening is a must for grey cast irons.
Joining of cast iron to steel can be performed with either cast NickelRod #55 or
NickelRod #99, but NickelRod #55 is preferred. Ferrous based electrodes, including
hydrogen controlled types are generally not recommended fro welding cast irons.
Brackets, lungs and even wear plates can be attached to casting using the correct
parameters and NickelRod #55.

Ductile cast iron

Ductile cast iron can only be repaired using NickelRod #55 due to its higher tensile
strength and better ductility. When welding ductile cast irons, penetration should be
low and wide joints or cavities should be built up fro the sides towards the centre.
Stringer beads or narrow weaves should be used. Deposits short beads and allow
cooling to preheat temperature. Peening is advisable but not as critical as when
welding grey cast iron.

Austenitic cast irons

These are usually welded with NickelRod #55. Although austenitic castings can be
welded with NickelRod #55 the weld may be unsuitable for applications where
corrosion/hear resistance qualities do not match the parent metal.

GMAW
Cast irons are generally considered unweldable using the GMAW process.

FCAW welding of cast irons

Flux cored welding of cast iron is carried out using higher current than that for
Shielded metal-arc welding. This is offset by faster travel speeds as for normal Flux
Cored Arc Welding. Both grey, ductile and malleable cast irons can be welded using
the Flux Cored Arc Welding process. Preparation and heat treatment are much the
same as for shield. NickelRod #55 and NickelRod #99 are most suitable for FCAW
welding of cast irons.

Oxy-acetylene welding of cast irons

For successful oxy fusion welding, it is essential that the part be pre-heated to a dull,
red heat (approximately 650C). A neutral or slightly reducing flame should be used
with welding tips of medium or high flame velocity. The temperatures should be
maintained during welding. As with Shielded Metal Arc Welding preparation it is
necessary to use a furnace to ensure even heating of large castings. It is important that
the casting be protected from draught during welding and provision should be made to
ensure that the required preheat is maintained. It is important to avoid sudden chilling
of the casting otherwise white cast iron may be produced which is very hard and
brittle. This may cause cracking or make subsequent matching impossible.

Oxy welding is suitable for grey cast irons with an AWS A5.15 RCI (Aufhauser RCI),
RCI-A type electrode and should used with a suitable flux such as Aufhauser Cast
Iron Flux.

Austenitic cast irons can only be oxy welded with an AWS RCI-B type consumable.

Braze welding of cast irons

Braze welding should only be used to repair old casting because of the poor color
match achieved with newer castings. Braze welding is suitable for grey, Austenitic
and malleable cast irons, however joint strength equivalent to fusion welds are only
possible with grey cast iron. A neutral or slightly oxidizing flame should be used.

Technical and trade information

Braze welding has advantages over oxy welding in that the consumable melts at a
lower temperature than the cast iron. This allows lower preheat (320-400C). As with
other forms of welding the surface must be properly cleaned so that carbon doesn't
contaminate the weld deposit.
The application consumables to use are AWS RBCuZn-C (Aufhauser 681 Low-
Fuming Bronze) Types and AWS RBCuZn-D (Aufhauser 773 Nickel Silver) Types.

Brazing of cast irons

Any brazing processes suitable for steel are applicable to cast irons. Pre- and Post-
braze operations should be similar to that of a standard brazing processes.
Consumables suitable for brazing carbon steel can be used for cast irons.

Powder Spraying of cast irons

Powder spraying is particularly suited to edges, corners, shallow cavities and thin
sections as there are usually no undercut marks. Porous areas must be ground out o a
saucer or cup shape with no overhanging edges. Sharp corners, edges and protruding
points must be removed or radiuses as they may go into solution in the molten metal
causing hard spots.
Spraying and fusing should be as per the normal powder spraying process.
Poor quality or difficult irons can be joined by coating both parts separately with 1-2
mm of spray-fused alloy and then joining the coating together with a suitable nickel
Shielded Metal Arc Welding electrode. Consumables are based on a nickel-silicon-
boron mixture.

Soldering of cast iron is usually limited to the repair of small surface defects, often
sealing areas from leakage of liquid or gases. The casting must be thoroughly cleaned.
In the past, cast iron was always difficult to repair: heat the part slowly in an
oven, make the weld with a nickel rod, slowly cool the part in an oven--and hope
the cast iron would not recrack (it frequently did). Most welders wouldn't even
attempt to weld cast iron due to the tempermental nature of such repairs.
Fortunately, times have changed. Muggy Weld offers two solutions for cast iron
repair: arc electrodes and gas torch rods.

How are our electrodes different? First, the elongation is up to 300% higher than
nickel-type electrodes for cast iron--which allows the weld to stretch and absorb
weld contraction (and prevents cracking for the base metal AND the weld).
Second, the metallurgic makeup of our rods are softer than nickel rod. Ni rod
cools and forms a hard spot in the cast iron, which is a magnet for cracks--
(envision a glass window with a rock cooled into the center). Third, our rods are
highly machinable, which is atypical of most cast iron electrodes.

The combination of crack resistance and machinability make Muggy Weld

electrodes the rods of choice for cast iron welding.

For torch welders, we offer our 56% silver solder for cast iron repair. While we
prefer our arc electrodes, this high strength alloy is suitable for thin castings,
exhaust manifolds, and small cast iron cracks.

Cast Iron Lincoln Water Pump Repair

Chris Wantuck sent us a disc showing his repair of a Lincoln water pump, using
our 77 electrode.
The disassembled water pump, ready to be repaired.
Another angle, prior to welding.
As you can see the cast iron has several broken pieces.
After securing the part in a jig, Chris is ready to begin welding.
In a matter of minutes, the cracks have been eliminated.
Now the water pump is ready to be finished.
After grinding down the excess material Chris is ready to make the final repair.
Corrosion has eaten away the cast iron flange.
By simply using Muggy Weld's 77 electrode and a grinder, Chris' part is good as
new, and ready to reassemble.

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Diesel Exhaust Manifold Repair

Watch the Video Clip of this repair h
This cast iron manifold from a Cummins diesel truck was headed for t
not have a cast iron welding rod to repair it. At a cost of $400 to repl
inexpensive alternative.
We started by beveling out the crack to prepare the cast iron. We used
the cast iron was heat affected and the 72 anchors into the affected cas
to finish the weld.
 With just one pass of each rod, the repair was made for around $1
manifolds on his junk pile that can now be repaired instead of trashed
time waiting for a new part.

Exhaust Manifold Repair with Silver

Solder
Watch the Video Clip of this repair here

Cast Iron exhaust manifold cracks are common problems repair shops face daily.
Due to the expertise usually required when welding cast iron, many shops won't
even attempt to repair the part. Unfortunately, new manifolds can range from
$150 to $1200--and many of those replaced manifolds could have been saved with
our SSF-6 Silver Solder.
 This cast iron exhaust manifold has first been prepared by beveling the cut.

Using a size 1 tip with an oxy-acetylene torch, Mike easily brazes the cast with
SSF-6 Silver Solder.
 The final result is a beautiful weld, with 100,000 psi holding strength.

The biggest problem encountered in cast iron welding is most welders use a high
nickel rod. Because nickel is very hard, when the weld is performed, it leaves a
hard spot in the cast, which is almost guaranteed to re-crack.

Attempts to combat this cracking have typically been to slowly heat and cool
down the cast iron, and hope for the best.

Our cast iron welding rods eliminate the cracking, because our rods have 300%
of the elongation of nickel rods. There is no need for preheating if the cast is
under 3/4" thick, and no special cooling rituals are necessary.

This cast iron engine block from a CASE backhoe has a 1 1/2 inch hole caused by
a thrown rod.
After light grinding, we laid pass after pass of our 77 electrode to fill the hole.

When applied properly, 77 is guaranteed not to re-crack.

A quick grinding is the finishing touch on this once impossible repair... for less
than $20
 77 Information
Available in 1/8"

Tensile (as welded): 52,500 - 55,000 PSI

Tensile (slightly worked): 56,100 - 58,250 PSI
Elongation (in red zone): 71%
Elongation (in weld room temp. 70): 59%
Yield (as welded): 44,550 PSI
Yield (slightly worked): 45,750 PSI
Color match (Grey Iron): Good
Machinability: Excellent
Weld Appearance: Excellent
Weldability: Excellent

Cross Strength (Build up

* Points
area)
(In total Sq. Ins. Area) Thickness 100 Index
8 sq. ins. 1/4" 90
16 sq ins. 3/8" 88
32 sq ins. 1/2" 87
64 sq ins. 1-1/2" 84

How to Apply
Begin by beveling the joint. Drill holes 1/2" from each end of the crack to
prevent further cracking while welding. Tack weld to retain alignment. Use AC
or DC with reverse polarity. (60-110 amps for 1/8" rods, 90-140 amps for 5/32"
rods) Maintain a short to medium arc and make short passes and peen each pass
promptly to chip off slag before cooling. Continue back whipping and
overlapping until all deposits are connected. Cool naturally.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Repairing Cast Iron Engine Blocks &

Exhaust Manifolds
Our 77 cast iron electrode has super elongation which acts as a
built-in stress reliever. Cast iron engine blocks and cast iron
exhaust manifolds can now be repaired using this procedure:

Locate the crack in the cast iron and bevel it halfway

through the thickness of the wall. With a file or
grinder, clean the scale from the cast iron 13 mm on
either side of the crack.
BE SURE TO DRILL A SMALL HOLE JUST
BEYOND BOTH ENDS OF THE CRACK TO
STOP THE CAST IRON FROM FURTHER
CRACKING AS HEAT IS APPLIED.

In the center of the crack, drill a hole and tap it to

accept a 6 mm cap screw. Screw the cap screw up to
the thread ends. To leave a flush surface, be sure to
saw off the excess screw. (The bolt will keep the
crack from "breathing" and will prevent the
movement of the cast iron when heat is applied).

Dry crack with a oxy-acetylene torch. (Be careful to

not heat above 330 degrees F). Drying the crack
prevents water from interfering with the cast iron
weld.

Using a back-step procedure, weld the cast iron.

Start 2 inches from one end of the crack and weld to
end. Then step back 2 inches and weld into
proceeding weld. Continue until weld is completed.
This procedure helps to eliminate the stress cracking
normally attributed to heat travelling in front of the
weld.

On cast iron manifolds, it may be necessary to fill with the 72 rod

first to anchor the 77 into the crack.

I found this post on a Dieselram.com bulletin board from April 6,

2004. We get several calls about this process each week, so I
thought it might be of interest to our viewers.

Oregonpharmer:
I have had a lot of e-mails and questions about the process I use to
fix the dreaded cracked "53" blocks, so I will post it for everyone's
reference.
To do the fix, the engine has to be in the truck and able to run and
have coolant added after the work and the block heater plugged in,
to get the heat stress distributed properly.

There is a relatively new cast iron welding product on the market

from a company called Muggy Weld, and it is their #77 cast iron
welding rod. http://www.muggyweld.com/blocks.html. You need at
two lbs of that on hand before you start.

First is Muggy's process, off their website, and following that is

how I do it to make it last on the baby Cummins:

Muggy:
Our 77 cast iron electrode has super elongation which acts as a
built-in stress reliever. Cast iron engine blocks and cast iron
exhaust manifolds can now be repaired using this procedure:

Locate the crack in the cast iron and bevel it halfway through the
thickness of the wall. With a file or grinder, clean the scale from
the cast iron 13 mm on either side of the crack. BE SURE TO
DRILL A SMALL HOLE JUST BEYOND BOTH ENDS OF THE
CRACK TO STOP THE CAST IRON FROM FURTHER
CRACKING AS HEAT IS APPLIED.

In the center of the crack, drill a hole and tap it to accept a 6 mm

cap screw. Screw the cap screw up to the thread ends. To leave a
flush surface, be sure to saw off the excess screw. (The bolt will
keep the crack from "breathing" and will prevent the movement of
the cast iron when heat is applied).

Dry crack with a oxy-acetylene torch. (Be careful to not heat above
330 degrees F). Drying the crack prevents water from interfering
with the cast iron weld.

Using a back-step procedure, weld the cast iron. Start 2 inches

from one end of the crack and weld to end. Then step back 2 inches
and weld into proceeding weld. Continue until weld is completed.
This procedure helps to eliminate the stress cracking normally
attributed to heat travelling in front of the weld.

Now for my spin!

I use a helper and a propane torch instead of the Oxy-acetylene,

and have them keep everything hot for 6" above and 3" beyond all
my welds. I also have them use a laser thermometer and keep track
of the temperature so it does not get too hot or too cold.

My process:
Leave the engine in the truck.
Pull the right side fender and inner panel (assumes the cracking is
in the normal location, but this can be also done on the Driver's
side is it is cracked below the lifter gallery). If you need a
procedure for fender removal, Jacobs has a PDF file on their
website for their Jake Brake installation in an 03 Dodge - the
process is similar on the earlier trucks.

Put a jack and block under the engine, and remove the right side
motor mount and brackets.

Now, start the truck and let it get fully warm. Then shut it off and
drain all the water from the block. Start heating the crack with a
propane torch (you can use Oxy-acetylene, but it takes a rosebud
to generate a broad enough flame to do any good, and that is
dangerous with a helper).

Heat the block with enough heat to dry all the cracks.

Keep heating the block, and be careful, you are working with a 300
degree cast iron fry pan at this juncture.

Keep a CO2 fire extinguisher handy and a bucket of water, just in

case!

Drill both ends of the crack, tap and install the bolts. On the
Cummins you only need to drill the first end and the last end on
the entire lower end of the block. AND you are going to do this
with it hot, so be careful! Never drill deeper than 9 MM, so tape a
reference mark on your drill bit. You should be through a "53"
block in about 6 mm, but some are a bit thicker.

Grind a shallow V in the entire crack, from end to end, even

through adjoining small weep cracks. Keep the block hot! Keep
heating to 300 degrees! You want the V just reaching into the water
jacket, but do not actually open it up more than just a fraction of
an inch.

Take a high speed hand grinder with a flap wheel and polish the
side of the block, from the crack to about an inch above and below,
which will take you to the pan gasket flange.

Weld the crack with the Muggy Weld #77. This will take about 2
lbs of rod, so be prepared to burn a lot of it. Clean all the slag and
use the flap wheel between weld passes. Only weld as deep as the 6
or so millimeter casting, no deeper. Keep your sidekick heating just
enough to keep the temperature at 300 or so!

Lay on a second pass of welding rod above and below the original
crack that you welded. Keep heating so it stays at about 300
degrees!

Polish the welds with the flap wheel. Weld a heavy bead between
the flange for the oil pan and the side of the block, use the back
weld technique and 2" segments. This will look like a third grader
has spread peanut butter, but is needed to distribute stresses from
the cylinders as they vibrate, so you do not re-crack the block.

Polish again, weld again, polish again, and weld again. You want a
total buildup of about 3/8" above the existing casting and it will
taper into the block about an inch above the crack and nearly
conceal the pan gasket flange on the bottom.

Let the engine block cool to about 200 degrees, no more and it can
be as low as 150 F. You want it too hot to touch, but not hot enough
to boil water.

Do a final polish with the flap wheel, and fill the cooling system
with preheated antifreeze solution. You want it boiling on the stove
when you dump it in. You will be going into a still warm engine,
just dump slowly and let it sink into the engine.

Fill the cooling system and plug in the block heater. This is
important to let the stresses slowly relieve.

Reinstall the motor mount and bracket while the engine is still
warm, let the engine weight rest on the mount, and remove the
jack and bock from under the engine. Then reinstall the fender
liner and fender and wait for the remainder of the 24 hours with
the engine heater still plugged in heating the engine.

The Cummins block cracks from two factors, one is harmonic

vibration of the cast-in cylinder walls as they work against the
block skirt, and the other is cavitation from the coolant allowing
bubbles to form as it vibrates, which slowly eats through the block.
The "53" only seems to crack when the power is taken above 230
horses, and that is why it was discontinued in motor homes.

When you are done and have waited the 24 hours for the heat
stresses to work their way out, put a large jar of Bars Leak in the
radiator and let the engine run and distribute the material. The
Bars Leak solves future cavitation problems, and seals the threads
on the two bolts you installed, so they do not weep to the weld and
cause a pocket.

Sometimes it is necessary to replace the pan gasket if it gets hot

enough to burn. Most times it is not a problem.

I have also used this #77 on dry engine castings, but they have to
be buried in at least 14" of chopped fiberglass for 24 hours after
 the welding, to slow down the heat loss so the stresses work out.
That, in conjunction with using an oven large enough to heat the
entire block is a pain. Plus the engine has to be disassembled when
it is dry welded because all the seals tend to burn out in the oven.

So, there is life after death for the infamous "53".

Guidelines for Welding Cast Iron

Background

Cast iron is difficult, but not impossible, to weld. In most cases, welding on cast iron
involves repairs to castings, not joining casting to other members. The repairs may be
made in the foundry where the castings are produced, or may be made to repair
casting defects that are discovered after the part is machined. Mis-machined cast iron
parts may require repair welding, such as when holes are drilled in the wrong location.
Frequently, broken cast iron parts are repaired by welding. Broken cast iron parts
are not unusual, given the brittle nature of most cast iron.

While there are a variety of types of cast iron, the most common is gray cast iron, and
these guidelines are directed toward this type of material.

A few facts about cast iron help in understanding the welding challenges. Cast iron
typically has a carbon content of 2% - 4%, roughly 10 times as much as most steels.
The high carbon content causes the carbon to form flakes of graphite. This graphite
gives gray cast iron its characteristic appearance when fractured.

When castings are made, molten iron is poured into a mold and allowed to slowly
cool. When this high carbon material is allowed to cool slowly, crack free castings can
be made. Remembering this is helpful when welding cast iron: during and after
welding, the casting must either be allowed to cool slowly, or should be kept cool
enough that the rate of cooling is not important.

A critical temperature in most cast iron is about 1450 degrees F. When at this
temperature, conditions that can lead to cracking occur. While the arc will heat the
casting to temperatures above this level, it is important that the casting not be held at
this temperature for long periods of time.

Electrode selection
If the part is to be machined after welding, a nickel-type electrode will be required.
Use Lincoln Softweld 99Ni stick electrode for single pass, high dilution welds.
Softweld 55 Ni is preferred for multiple pass welds. Sometimes, root passes are put in
with Softweld 99 Ni, followed by fill passes with Softweld 55 Ni. For welds where
machining is not required, and where the weld is expected to rust like the cast iron,
Lincoln Ferroweld stick electrode can be used.

To Heat, or not to Heat

In general, it is preferred to weld cast iron with preheat--and lots of it. But, another
way to successfully weld cast iron is to keep it cool--not cold, but cool. Below, both
methods will be described. However, once you select a method, stick with it. Keep
it hot, or keep it cool, but don't change horses in the middle of the stream!

Welding Techniques with Preheat

Preheating the cast iron part before welding will slow the cooling rate of the weld, and
the region surround the weld. It is always preferred to heat the entire casting, if
possible. Typical preheat temperatures are 500-1200 degrees F. Dont heat over 1400
degrees F since that will put the material into the critical temperature range. Preheat
the part slowly and uniformly.

Weld using a low current, to minimize admixture, and residual stresses. In some cases,
it may be necessary to restrict the welds to small, approximately 1-inch long segments
to prevent the build up of residual stresses that can lead to cracking. Peening of weld
beads can be helpful in this regard as well.

After welding, allow the part to slowly cool. Wrapping the casting in an insulating
blanket, or burying it in dry sand, will help slow cooling rates, and reduce cracking
tendencies.

Welding Techniques without Preheat

The size of the casting, or other circumstances, may require that the repair be made
without preheat. When this is the case, the part needs to be kept cool, but not cold.

Raising the casting temperature to 100 degrees F is helpful. If the part is on an engine,
it may be possible to run it for a few minutes to obtain this temperature. Never heat
the casting so hot that you cannot place your bare hand on it.

Make short, approximately 1 long welds. Peening after welding is important with
this technique. Allow the weld and the casting to cool. Do not accelerate the rate of
cooling with water or compressed air. It may be possible to weld in another area of the
casting while the previous weld cools. All craters should be filled. Whenever possible,
the beads should be deposited in the same direction, and it is preferred that the ends of
parallel beads not line up with each other.

Sealing Cracks
Because of the nature of cast iron, tiny cracks tend to appear next to the weld even
when good procedures are followed. If the casting must be water tight, this can be a
problem. However, leaking can usually be eliminated with some sort of sealing
compound or they may rust shut very soon after being returned to service.

The Studding Method

One method used to repair major breaks in large castings is to drill and tap holes over
the surfaces that have been beveled to receive the repair weld metal. Screw steel studs
into the threaded holes, leaving 3/16 (5 mm) to (6 mm)of the stud above the
surface. Using the methods discussed above, weld the studs in place and cover the
entire surface of the break with weld deposit. Once a good weld deposit is made, the
two sides of the crack can be welded together.