I have a Lincoln mig welder and I'm wanting to modify my Magnaflow exhaust. I want to cut the converters out of the exhaust and put in a piece of pipe. The pipe I want to use is 16 gauge mild steel. Can I weld the mild steel to stainless without any trouble with my Mig welder. I only have flux core wire now, I know this is not the best stuff but I haven't gotten any gas for the solid wire yet. Will this work on the stainless to mild steel weld. I don't really care about the looks of the welds, I just want it to hold on the exhaust.
Mig welding stainless to mild steel...i have questions.
- Thread starter S/CCobra03
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I don't think you will have much luck with it, but I could be wrong. Sorry but I am too lazy to go digging through the books to see if there is a wire made for that or not.
EDIT: If it does work you will almost guaranteed burn the chromium out of the stainless and therefore it won't be stainless anymore. Brazing is a much better way to go if you have that capability. The easier solution is to find a piece of stainless pipe that you can weld in, 304 stainless is a common alloy that will weld to most any stainless alloy.
EDIT: If it does work you will almost guaranteed burn the chromium out of the stainless and therefore it won't be stainless anymore. Brazing is a much better way to go if you have that capability. The easier solution is to find a piece of stainless pipe that you can weld in, 304 stainless is a common alloy that will weld to most any stainless alloy.
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I teach welding and am a professional fabricator too....there was another thread here earlier on and I made a few posts in it ....read it and you will find a few answers.
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266397
You can't do what you want to do and have it work good. A better thing to do would be to cut out the cats and get a piece of stainless pipe (most custom muffler shops have it) the same length as what you cut out to go in their place and clamp them in. No need to weld or even to have the pipes overlap. Just use Stainless band clamps that will hold the pipes in place. The beauty of that is if you leave a short section of pipe on each side of the cats you will be able to slip them in place with the band clamps if you ever need to go for inspection......... :burnout:
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266397
You can't do what you want to do and have it work good. A better thing to do would be to cut out the cats and get a piece of stainless pipe (most custom muffler shops have it) the same length as what you cut out to go in their place and clamp them in. No need to weld or even to have the pipes overlap. Just use Stainless band clamps that will hold the pipes in place. The beauty of that is if you leave a short section of pipe on each side of the cats you will be able to slip them in place with the band clamps if you ever need to go for inspection......... :burnout:
BlackBolt9 said:
Brazing is not an option .....very weak with no holding power when subjected to dymamic loads...(vibration or movement) As well brazing can melt out and let go if temperatures get too high....such as on an exhaust manifold.....brazing may be good for lawn furniture ...not cars.
So what you're saying is mig welding this together is not going to work? I don't really car about corrosion protection because the car will never see rain or snow. I just want this thing to stick together 
. Can I use the flux core wire and then just paint the exhaust with exhaust paint and be okay?
. Can I use the flux core wire and then just paint the exhaust with exhaust paint and be okay?
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S/CCobra03 said:So what you're saying is mig welding this together is not going to work? I don't really car about corrosion protection because the car will never see rain or snow. I just want this thing to stick together
No ...No :nono: read my posts and the other thread and learn something ...I gave you the solution with the band clamps....best way to go for what you want to do.....don't be like some of my students...and not listen...... :rockon:
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SVT04 said:
Yeah I agree, my bad, I call it brazing but technically its oxy acetylene welding with coat hanger wire of course
oke: ;-)BlackBolt9 said:Yeah I agree, my bad, I call it brazing but technically its oxy acetylene welding with coat hanger wire of course
Well that would be better, oxy acetylene welding ,fusion welding mild steel...coat hangers will work but better is the proper rod. R45 gas welding rod will give better results as it has the deoxidizers thal coat hangers don't....still no good for stainless steel though. :burnout:
SVT04 said:
I listen fine :fm: but you are not answering my question. I can't do what you are saying because there isn't enough room for a band clamp between the x-pipe and the converter. Also this is on a race car so I will never need the converters again. So, can I join stainless steel to mild steel with flux core wire from the mig welder and have it hold. Again I don't care about corrosion protection.
go pay some-one $50 at a muffler shop to do it before you F*** something up
Ben 98 said:
Thanks for your useful input.
A more cost effective and sneaky method is to hollow out the cats. Works every time and adds more exhaust tone.
I don't know why everyone is so reluctant to do this. You convert them to collectors. Problem solved.
I don't know why everyone is so reluctant to do this. You convert them to collectors. Problem solved.
I've done this on a street car but I want to completely remove the converters for the track.05 Roush said:A more cost effective and sneaky method is to hollow out the cats. Works every time and adds more exhaust tone.
I don't know why everyone is so reluctant to do this. You convert them to collectors. Problem solved.
S/CCobra03 said:
Why??? It's not like a pipe is gonna make all that much difference. :idea:
S/CCobra03 said:
If you paid attention I did answer your questions and gave you a few things you could learn about welding ,metallurgy etc. No you can't do what you want to do. The welds will not hold for long because along with lack of corrosion resistance the stainless steel side of the pipe will be weakened and prone to cracking and falling apart next to the weld. OK so you don't have room for band clamps and will never need the cats again. So do things properly then. Get some stainless exhaust tubing to weld in and find someone with a TIG welder to weld it in for you......with ER347 SS TIG wire......why not do it right..... :burnout:
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