Can I get this fixed??

[RockinRobin]

Went to change oil in drag car and found hole in header. I called TTI and ordered new headers but they say at least 3 weeks to ship. I have 2 important races in the meantime that I dont want to miss. Can this be welded up?
Your opinion please.

 

[1WildRT]

Absolutely.. It might have been difficult on the car... Off the car, no problem..

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Yes off the car and then cut them between the outer tubes and they won't crack like that.

 

[Demonx2]

Get you a mig welder and have at it. 5 minutes tops. If I can mig weld, ANYBODY can mig weld!!

 

[1WildRT]

Get you a mig welder and have at it. 5 minutes tops. If I can mig weld, ANYBODY can mig weld!!

Tig would be better..

 

[MOPARMAGA]

Went to change oil in drag car and found hole in header. I called TTI and ordered new headers but they say at least 3 weeks to ship. I have 2 important races in the meantime that I dont want to miss. Can this be welded up?
Your opinion please.
View attachment 1716566678View attachment 1716566679

That is easily welded by tig or mig.

 

[Demonx2]

Tig would be better..

Tig? I could use this but my talent is certainly lacking compared to what I can do with Mig.

Plus I'd have plenty of confidence in a mig weld on that.

 

[jbc426]

Tig? I could use this but my talent is certainly lacking compared to what I can do with Mig.

View attachment 1716566828Plus I'd have plenty of confidence in a mig weld on that.

I have good luck on thin metal like that using a mig with .025" or even .030" wire set a bit hot with a stitch weld pattern. Practice on some similar metal thickness, and it can look like coins in a row.

There's good advice above about cutting the flange, so it can expand and contract without stressing the header.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Yes it absolutely can be repaired. I'd do it differently, though. I'd cut that piece completely out and toss it in the garbage. Then, I'd grind the perimeter of the hole back to good metal. Next, I'd make a patch out of some good metal the same thickness and weld that in. Because the edges of both the broken piece and the tube are now burnt and rusty and that will be difficult to get a good weld on. I also agree with @Oldmanmopar's idea of separating the tubes from the flange. He gives that suggestion on a regular basis. It's a good idea and usually falls on deaf ears.

 

[MopaR&D]

Yes it absolutely can be repaired. I'd do it differently, though. I'd cut that piece completely out and toss it in the garbage. Then, I'd grind the perimeter of the hole back to good metal. Next, I'd make a patch out of some good metal the same thickness and weld that in. Because the edges of both the broken piece and the tube are now burnt and rusty and that will be difficult to get a good weld on. I also agree with @Oldmanmopar's idea of separating the tubes from the flange. He gives that suggestion on a regular basis. It's a good idea and usually falls on deaf ears.

Agreed, gotta get that carbon and crud out of there before trying to weld or it's not gonna fuse. Trying to weld dirty contaminated metal is a nightmare. You could also carefully cut that piece out, get it and the hole clean to bare metal (solvents and wire wheel) and weld it back in.

 

[MOPARMAGA]

Tig? I could use this but my talent is certainly lacking compared to what I can do with Mig.

View attachment 1716566828Plus I'd have plenty of confidence in a mig weld on that.

Done yet ? Lol

 

[RockinRobin]

Absolutely.. It might have been difficult on the car... Off the car, no problem..

Good. As you can see it is off the car. Taking it to local muffler shop tomorrow to see if they will take a crack at it. I only need it to last 3 weeks until the new ones come in.

 

[33IMP]

Weld the crack..... and then weld a patch over the top . (Small piece of muffler tubing). Easy-peasy. That's what I've done a couple times with my 40 yo hookers.
Edit: clean and bare metal where the patch goes.

 

[1WildRT]

That's what I've done a couple times with my 40 yo hookers.

40 years is kinda old for Hookers

Guess that's why you are fixing cracks..

 

[MrCab]

Are you talking about Hooker headers or?

 

[33IMP]

Are you talking about Hooker headers or?

That's a terrible thing to imply about my girlfriend! Lol!



Yeah, actually hooker adjustable headers for 62-65 b-body. Patched em up when needed, finally got all eight pieces coated. Seems to have helped.
Bought em used at the orange Co.raceway swap meet. OCIR closed in 1983,

 

[PROSTOCKTOM]

Tig would be better..

TIG would be great if you could get it all clean enough which is highly unlikely on used headers.

MIG is your friend, as it will melt rust and debris right in.

Tom

 

[harrisonm]

I am a little confused on something. Why would you spend close to a thousand dollars on new TTI headers when that small flaw is so easily repairable. The repair could be done so seamlessly, it would be literally invisible after a bit of grinding. It is, of course, your choice, but that is such an easy repair.

 

[1WildRT]

That's a terrible thing to imply about my girlfriend! Lol!



Yeah, actually hooker adjustable headers for 62-65 b-body. Patched em up when needed, finally got all eight pieces coated. Seems to have helped.
Bought em used at the orange Co.raceway swap meet. OCIR closed in 1983,

Didn't realize it was that long ago.... We sure ain't gettin any younger...

 

[RockinRobin]

I am a little confused on something. Why would you spend close to a thousand dollars on new TTI headers when that small flaw is so easily repairable. The repair could be done so seamlessly, it would be literally invisible after a bit of grinding. It is, of course, your choice, but that is such an easy repair.

Good question. The answer is these headers are 3 years old. They are the only ones I know of that will fit my application, and they have this big of a hole in them after running for only 3 years and it looks like the other 3 tubes are starting to show the same condition so I didn't want to take any chances. I dropped the header off at a local muffler shop this morning he says no problem to repair it just as you say, so I'll keep the new ones on hand for when and if the old ones give out. Whoever said drag racing is not an expensive hobby probably never drag raced!

 

[9secRR]

mig it and be done with it. 10 minute job. easy fix

 

[famous bob]

Good question. The answer is these headers are 3 years old. They are the only ones I know of that will fit my application, and they have this big of a hole in them after running for only 3 years and it looks like the other 3 tubes are starting to show the same condition so I didn't want to take any chances. I dropped the header off at a local muffler shop this morning he says no problem to repair it just as you say, so I'll keep the new ones on hand for when and if the old ones give out. Whoever said drag racing is not an expensive hobby probably never drag raced!

we had a small sponsor /friend that bought us a st of hookers for the hemi , when hooker first came . Had been running Dougs with no problem , the hemi blew those hookers apart so many times we got tired of fixing them , bur finally got them to stay together ...no more for me ...

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

It may crack again if simply mended/welded back up. Like oldmanmopar said, cut the flange so they can expand and contract.. and I know aesthetically it may look kind of ehh.. but I'd almost put like a little patch welded over that with another piece of exhaust tube cut out and placed over the top. To each their own.

 

[dadsbee]

Real welders don't grind.....

 

[MrCab]

Real welders don't grind.....

Are you saying real welders in Canada don't grind V into two pieces that are butting together before welding them together on both sides, top and bottoms ?