Rate my welds

1357913579 Death Cog Machine
edited July 2010 in Man Cave
So, I've been working on restoring an old dirtbike (1974 TY250A). Lately it's been running fine, but yesterday the back half of the exhaust simply fell off on some trails to a public lake behind my house.

Turns out the mount on the frame had been rusted and broken off and re-welded on so many times, it just disintegrated.

Seeing as how I recently got my dad's old oxy-acetylene setup working, I thought I'd give it a try. This was only my 3rd attempt at welding steel ever, I've only really used oxy torches for cutting and brazing (Metal shop teacher thought I was bullshitting him, he said the brazes looked like his they were done so well).

I don't think I did too bad, I used coathangers for filler rod. Penetration was excellent, much easier than the last thing I attempted to weld.

Before:

dsc00225bs.jpg

After:

dsc00226o.jpg

Also, when I went to make another mount for the silencer (Part the fell off) I found that because the other mount hung so low, it wasn't sealing properly with the rest of the exhaust system. I ended up raising it a good 2 - 3 inches and modifying it a bit (Odd, because the mounting bracket on it was stock, yet it wasn't sealing right).

I might just be crazy, but it seems like it has a bit more power now that it seals better. There's one more exhaust leak near the head on the pipe, waiting to seal this up tomorrow.

Comments

  • muffinsmuffins Regular
    edited July 2010
    The exhaust on a two stroke plays a fair amount in the power of it, see annimation below

    expansionchamber.gif


    Any leak near the exhaust outlet can cause a lean condition and affect power, so yeah sealing it up will help alot.


    As far as the weld goes its not a show bike so as long at it holds its good but imho opinion those are birdshit welds, no offense.

    0906crup02zmetalmelting.jpg''


    something to shoot for (and even thats a 80% quality weld)
  • mashlehashmashlehash Regular
    edited July 2010
    Better than anything I can weld.
  • 1357913579 Death Cog Machine
    edited July 2010
    muffins wrote: »
    The exhaust on a two stroke plays a fair amount in the power of it, see annimation below

    expansionchamber.gif


    Any leak near the exhaust outlet can cause a lean condition and affect power, so yeah sealing it up will help alot.

    Ahh, I've heard that, but never understood how or why. I guess there was also a felt gasket where the silencer slides into the rest of the exhaust, long gone though. Everything lines up now though, no more thick black goop dripping down and smoke leaking from where they meet :D
  • MasterMaster Acolyte
    edited July 2010
    Probably not going to hold too long IMO. The reason is because you're going to get whats called crater cracking. Because the puddle wasn't filled before it was cooled, it creates a surface tension which leads to cracking. Probably hold for a little while though, but you might want to get someone to weld it with GMAW (MIG) or SMAW (stick).
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