Dawg Mod Fail (Page 1/2)
tnkgnr AUG 17, 09:39 PM
So I came across a spare intake and decided to try my hand at some aluminum brazing in an attempt to recreate the Dawg mod. Brazing rods melted well enough to the new aluminum, but wants nothing to do with the base intake material and wouldn't fuse at all. Anyone good at this to give me some pointers? My best guess is that I'm not getting the intake side hot enough.

Here's my ugly attempt:
Notorio AUG 17, 11:55 PM
I don't know anything about this but am just interested to hear what your set up is. MAP gas with the standard Home Depot torch? What type of rods are you using? Any flux?

[This message has been edited by Notorio (edited 08-17-2022).]

Raydar AUG 18, 10:13 AM
I was thinking the others were TIG welded. I could be wrong, however.
A_Lonely_Potato AUG 18, 10:55 AM
I would have expected those to be welded too. I would definitely clean up the surrounding area more though, theres a lot of paint right on the seam where you're brazing. I don't know if the adage is applicable to braze, but as they say "80% of a weld is surface prep"
theogre AUG 18, 11:47 AM
Very likely you can't make enough heat using Propane or "MAPP" torches for large intake manifold. Worse, these torches breath normal air and contaminated the aluminum your trying to heat.

⚠️ All Current "MAPP" is Not the same like Bernzomatic MAP-Pro and often perform different then discontinued MAPP made years ago. see MAPP wiki...

Bernzomatic makes ox/mapp torches for consumer use but only have a very small tip and likely won't help here or cause more problems.
Even if you buy the torch kit, finding the small oxygen "bottles" are hard in many places.

Find a welding shop to TIG or MIG weld the parts.

------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

cvxjet AUG 18, 01:13 PM
A buddy of mine welded my manifold mod- did great job and I tested it going up-hill on a freeway in fourth...My 85 V6 (3.4 f-body/Getrag) Fiero did 4500 un-modified, then with the modified manifold it did 4800 rpm.

[This message has been edited by cvxjet (edited 08-18-2022).]

tnkgnr AUG 18, 08:50 PM

quote
Originally posted by Notorio:

I don't know anything about this but am just interested to hear what your set up is. MAP gas with the standard Home Depot torch? What type of rods are you using? Any flux?




Just using a standard propane torch with some aluminum brazing rods. https://www.harborfreight.c...ding-rods-44810.html
tnkgnr AUG 18, 08:55 PM

quote
Originally posted by cvxjet:

A buddy of mine welded my manifold mod- did great job and I tested it going up-hill on a freeway in fourth...My 85 V6 (3.4 f-body/Getrag) Fiero did 4500 un-modified, then with the modified manifold it did 4800 rpm.




That's a beauty!
cvxjet AUG 18, 10:06 PM
He is not only a good welder- he took metallurgy classes so he actually knows what's going on when he is welding. Back around 2001 he spent a whole Saturday shortening my boat trailer (To fit my garage) and would not let me pay him...Later, I bought him a copy of a great book (Muscle Car Chronicle) and he wanted to pay me for it- I told him "Take it or else!"
82-T/A [At Work] FEB 21, 12:59 PM

quote
Originally posted by cvxjet:

He is not only a good welder- he took metallurgy classes so he actually knows what's going on when he is welding. Back around 2001 he spent a whole Saturday shortening my boat trailer (To fit my garage) and would not let me pay him...Later, I bought him a copy of a great book (Muscle Car Chronicle) and he wanted to pay me for it- I told him "Take it or else!"




CVXJet, is he interested in possibly doing this for other Fiero members? I can weld like it's no one's business... but only with a flux-core and anything less than 1/8th inch steel. I would feel much better having you're buddy do it for me. Would you be willing to ask him?