Aluminium stick welding help

[8HRR52J]

Hi guys!
I'm new to the forum and to welding so really throwing myself in the deep end trying to weld aluminum!

I bought some BYS aluminium welding rods (3.2mm, 4043 grade, positive @ 90 amps,) and i'm trying to patch up 2 small holes in my cylinder head (after some clumsy and violent exhaust porting!)

It will strike but I cannot get an arc, it just keeps sticking. As this is my first time welding I thought I would try with some steel; approx 3mm rod on a scrap stainless sheet and I could keep an arc, but instead of welding I just burnt a massive line through the steel and then got bored, so went back to my cylinder heads!

Having to constantly twist off the rod and try again is very frustrating! I've been at it for about an hour but to no avail. I tried turning up the amps to about 120 but that did not help. also, as the metal is very thin probably about 1mm around the hole, I do not want to blow out an even bigger hole by using too much current!

can someone please lend me some experience as I have watched a couple of youtube videos on welding and aluminium welding but there are so few examples with an arc, most are tig.

All help greatly appreciated,

Zach.

 

[Brad93]

You need to tig weld a cylinder head. Aluminium stick rods are an "emergency get yourself out of a hole" type of repair.

The weld will be too porous for s cylinder head.

 

[cianh91]

As above Alu rods are rough work not repair of tolerance type work

 

[Kent]

A long time ago I used these a fair bit on waggon backs. Totally unsuited to your application, even in the most skilled hands. TIG and lots of cleaning and hand it to someone who has done lots of the same even then.

 

[Tom Orrow L]

As the lads have said, if you can get it TIG'd it be best. The reason for you not getting a good arc with the aluminium rods is probably because the open circuit voltage on the set you're using is most likely too low.

 

[zx9]

I'm new to the forum and to welding so really throwing myself in the deep end trying to weld aluminum!

That's not the deep end that's the middle of the ocean.

i'm trying to patch up 2 small holes in my cylinder head (after some clumsy and violent exhaust porting!)

Did you cut into a water / oil gallery or is it just you went a bit too far? Post a couple of pictures of the damage, there are plenty of folk here who like a challenge and may be able to offer other ways depending if it is an inlet or exhaust port.

 

[8HRR52J]

That's not the deep end that's the middle of the ocean.



Did you cut into a water / oil gallery or is it just you went a bit too far? Post a couple of pictures of the damage, there are plenty of folk here who like a challenge and may be able to offer other ways depending if it is an inlet or exhaust port.

Yes i did! Water channel:

The second one is much smaller,
you can see where i've been trying to weld it

strange for it to only happen on 2 / 6 though, I went to the same depth in all of them.

thanks for your replies guys! I was a bit optimistic thinking I could stick weld aluminium with a 20+ year old welder and some jumper cables ahaha
I've found a welding company not too far who said they would try and tig it for me. I'll let y'all know how i get on