Thread: TIG aluminum welding question...

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I know when welding aluminum it is best to preheat the part. I am having a local welding outfit do some work for me on a set of aluminum heads. They will be welding on some intakes I made for IDA Webers.

Question 1) Will they preheat my heads before doing any TIG work?

2) Should they???

3) How high temp?

4) Do I need to strip my new valves, springs, and seals before taking them?

A friend of mine who does weld heads says that pre heating is not necessarily needed, depending on the pention needed, he also says that it is rcomended that you strip the heads, so as not to damage/burn any thing.

I dont do "alot" of aluminum welding most of the stuff i work with is 1018 or simuliar steel but any time i do have to weld aluminum if the part is around 1/2" thick or thicker i will pre heat it to about 150-175 degress.

Mainly what this does is it just removes any surface moisture from the aluminum so that you get better penetration.

Any experianced welding shop should know the proper procedure.

Also i would remove the valve train from the heads myself so there is no risk of damage.

I've heard a preheat of 250 degrees and to put the head in some kind of stand that will prevent it from warping. I have heard that aluminum heads will bend around the weld.

I've been learning to tig aluminum. I like the welders with a square wave power supply because it blasts the oxide layer off of the aluminum and you can see the molten pool you're working with. Other tig welders just melt the alumium underneath the oxide layer which covers the pool.