Need to weld some thin stuff

[Richard.]

2.5mm wall is thick for an exhaust . I would expect if you can keep any fit up nice and tight and are able to get to in in position that is not going to be a difficult mma job at all. Obviously if your dealing with gaps, holes and rust its a different ball game altogether.

 

[cianh91]

3.2 rod bout 45 amps spot all around then turn amps up and run over it in 15mm stitches job done unless it's a turbo manifold it'l hold just fine done hundreds of exhausts this way yet to have any complaints . Turn welder to bout 120 first on scrap to heat the tip of the rod

 

[Richard.]

3.2 rod bout 45 amps

That doesn't sound right. Are you sure you meant 3.2.
I think at 45 amps you'd be lucky to get it struck.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Even with an inverter a 3.2 won't light at 45 amps...that's under half the recommended lowest setting...

Anyway...but of a development now...Mrs took it to work this morning as she had no other way of getting in, she is going to try and book tomorrow and Wednesday off but she did say that as she was going in it started to sound worse...as if there was no exhaust on it...my money is now on the crap mig welds I did (I knew they were crap when I did them but it was all I could get out of the sealey) have cracked and the cat is no longer connected to the centre section...if this is the case I can get the rear off quite easily, get the cat off and weld them off the car then I'm pretty sure the whole lot should fit Over the rear axle if I remove the lower shock bolts and let it drop...I'm fed up of spending money on it so for the sake of a few rods if I can seal it up I will

 

[dobbslc]

I use to be like that!
But now my time is more important than the money with things like that.

 

[rikrobson]

The exhaust might have started at 2.5mm but I doubt it is now. I have a feeling that stick wil blog straight through and add to you woes.
If it won't fit over the axle then cut it and make a sleeve.
Although it sounds like a new exhaust is the answer

 

[Richard.]

Depending on the car and cat price if the cat is shot It may not be worth the replacement.

 

[rikrobson]

Its The Megane. £90 cat £70 Exhaust on ebay

 

[PTvor]

Its The Megane. £90 cat £70 Exhaust on ebay

That seems particularly cheap.

For that much for new items, it seems hardly worth messing about, unless it's a very easy job - and it doesn't sound as if this is.

 

[Richard.]

That seems particularly cheap.

For that much for new items, it seems hardly worth messing about, unless it's a very easy job - and it doesn't sound as if this is.

My thoughts exactly if a cat can be sourced that cheap I'd just buy one and the other parts needed rather than trying to lash it up with an arc welder.

 

[BrokenBiker]

well, its sorted. no need for welding...one of the 3 bolts that hold teh car flange to the manifold falnge had snapped, and the other 2 had bent so the cat wasnt actually pressed up agains teh manifold...have managed to get the 2 bent ones out and replace them with new bolts, but cant get the broken bit out of the top hole as there is barely enough room for my hand let alone any grips. manifold needs to come off to sort it properly and im not going to have time for that for a long time...i have put new stainless bolts in the bottom 2 holes, tightened down as far as they will go and put nuts on the back to try and stop then vibrating loose as thats what appears to have happened with the previous ones as they were half out when they bent by the looks of it.

with regards to buying a new exhaust and replacing the old one...i dont think you understand just how difficult that job would be on this car...i replaced the whole system for the mot in november and it took 3 days of fitting it, bending it, cutting it, welding it, cutting it a bit further up, welding again, then putting rear section on and having to bend that, then cut a bit and weld it again, then have it blow so have to use some bandage material, then realise that is a sh*te method and end up welding it up anyway because even the garage that did the mot could get it to stop blowing...i cant see the point in doing all this again when i could just have welded up a hole if it was there...the exhaust hasnt had time to thin out from rust yet, it still looks immaculate so im confident that it is still 2.5mm. as it happens i didnt need to weld it though. if i was going to buy a new exhaust for this car i would buy an aftermarket one piece stainless system as none of the cheap ones fit properly (and ive had 3 of them in as many years because the hangers keep snapping, they are also sh*te, and damages the exhaust when it hits the gound at speed) and always need modifying...couple that with the fact that the hangers on my car arent where everyone else says they are i really cant be bothered with another 3 days fitting an exhaust

 

[pedrobedro]

I buy exhausts from the car spares shop my wife drives for and if they don't fit I take them back as they have a warranty and I am not going to invalidate that by cutting and welding them. If the hangers broke off within the warranty period they would go back for that as well. What manufacturer are they from I don't know any who use 2.5mm steel for any part of their system ? Cheap aftermarket use cheap materials.

 

[PTvor]

If it's sorted with a minimum of messing about and no welding, that's great.

Sometimes when you describe a problem, especially without pictures, it's hard for others to visualise what you are doing and have a full appreciation of the problems.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I buy exhausts from the car spares shop my wife drives for and if they don't fit I take them back as they have a warranty and I am not going to invalidate that by cutting and welding them. If the hangers broke off within the warranty period they would go back for that as well. What manufacturer are they from I don't know any who use 2.5mm steel for any part of their system ? Cheap aftermarket use cheap materials.

i have taken poorly fitting sections back...only to be given another poorly fitting section and it gets to the point where its easier and quicker to just alter it to fit...

this one i have now is the only one that is 2.5mm, the others have been thin tat, but this one is the thickest i have had for any car.

im still not sure why the hanger mounts have been moved...they are a good few inches from the original points which means adding a bracket to the exhaust to match the hanger points...the originals are still there but stripped and instead of repairing them, who ever did it just welded a nut on in a new location and cut the bolts to fit.

now that i know i dont have to weld anything i am bit happier about repairing it...i have got it to being quiet again although it it still blowing, i may just leave it as it is for now and see if it gets worse again...if it does i will whip the manifold off and get the broken bolt out, if it doesnt get worse im not going to bother...

i am going to view a car tomorrow night...a mate has been buying and selling for a while, his work is brilliant and he doesnt bodge about just to get a car shifted...he has a 1999 bmw 728i auto, full leather and all the toys that were available for that model, 4 new tyres and he is putting a new (recon) box in it as we speak, once its fitted and he has driven it for a few days to make sure all is well it will be up for sale so if i like it im sure a deal can be struck...my mrs father had an identical model and it was beautiful to drive and comfy too

 

[Robotstar5]

...i am going to view a car tomorrow night...a mate has been buying and selling for a while, his work is brilliant and he doesn't bodge about just to get a car shifted...he has a 1999 bmw 728i auto, full leather and all the toys that were available for that model....

Looking forward to the "help needed on BMW" thread

wheel/door/exhaust has broken/fallen off/stuck (delete as applicable)






Sorry, had to be done

 

[pedrobedro]

If I want to add a hanger to an exhaust in a non standard place I use a piece of flat with a bend and fasten it on with a clamp. Not everything has to be complicated with welding in awkward situations. I hope you have more luck with the next motor than with the migraine but the 728 needing a new auto box sounds like a recipe for disaster and nothing on them is cheap.

 

[rikrobson]

Well the beamer isn't French so that's a start lol

 

[BrokenBiker]

Well the beamer isn't French so that's a start lol

It's German with a full service history...guy that owned it only sold it because he was daft enough to go to bmw for a price on a new gearbox. Decided it was best to get another car instead but my mate knows a company that deal in recon boxes etc and they had one cheap so he bought it. Will be going to see it once wickes have dropped, I've had the megane tracked and new tyres and put a duff tyre back on the Alfa (video will be provided purely for entertainment) after having to batter the wheels to free them off the hubs this morning

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Oooooh, 7 series

 

[BrokenBiker]

Oooooh, 7 series

Yes, and it's one of the good looking 7's too, not the newer overweight ones.