JB weld and intercooler...

[reaper0995]

so i remember at one point seeing someone use jb weld to fix the notched holes in the cooler for a lowered drag bike (tire clearance notch).  now my question is did i remember right? and secondly, can i patch tiny cracks with it?


ok, so here we go... i got a used mcxpress intercooler and the simple end tank side (hot side, not the complex compound curve side thankfully!) was cut off since it was damaged in a wreck.  there are some small cracks if i remember correctly in the end plate (were the fins end... that piece) and i need to fix them.  i dont think a welder can get inside to fix them though, no matter how good.  so i thought that once i got a new end tank welded up on there, i would just patch the tiny cracks with jb weld, or SOMETHING!!

now, i wont be running huge boost.  most likely 15 or so psi from a kinda small turbo (evo 3 16g).  at the MOST it wouldnt ever get over 20psi (i mean over the course of me OWNING the bike, years down the road if i still crank it out!).  but it would be years before i got even close to that though.  so namely 15 ish psi.

[BrianK]

i never had any long term luck with jb weld

[reaper0995]

anything else then to recommend?  the part wont be under stress though.... well kinda.  it will have a tiny bit of boost (15psi on a .0001 square inch surface, so not even like an once of pressure total), and i guess heat cycles....  but it wont be on a moving dynamic part.

[Dan.J]

ill bet J/B weld or something similar would be sufficient for that type of application

[sportbikeryder]

I would take a small drill (1/16" or less) and drill a hole at each end of the crack if possible. This will prevent the crack from getting longer. Then scuff the surface with a fairly rough grit sandpaper / file and go for the JB weld (not the "JB Quick" stuff, it doesn't seem to be as good). There are other things that would likelt work as well (used to use something caled Marine-Tex....nasty stuff.

I vote for the JB weld on a cleaned surface with the ends of the crack drilled.
John

[bobu]

If the jb doesnt hold, it will be in the crack and be harder to make a good weld if you have it tiged. I have this prob when folks bring me a boat, it nearly always has jb or silicone or tar or something they have tried before doing it right.

[Dave.C]

I recall something called devcon it is some sort of crack filler Get with a auto parts supplyer or someone that knows 3M products real well tell them what your trying to do,

[reaper0995]

If the jb doesnt hold, it will be in the crack and be harder to make a good weld if you have it tiged. I have this prob when folks bring me a boat, it nearly always has jb or silicone or tar or something they have tried before doing it right.

i dont really have the alternative of welding it though i dont think.  i may take it by a welder and see what they think first.  but my first thought is that it couldnt be welded but i could stick a q-tip with some jb weld in it.  i know what you mean though, so i will check it out before i do anything...

[Chris Horoho]

silver solder?
or alumaloy?


my opinion is to weld repair it though

[BrianK]

nix the jb weld idea

[1BADASSBUSA]

This is a crazy idea, why not send it to a place that professionally repairs them??  I am sure there are plenty of locations that can handle that repair for you.  On a Turbo system itself is no place to save money, get it done right...

[ICBM]

You can use a product called Durafix. It works great and I have done a lot of aluminum welding with it. Paid for itself after 3 small projects. Top notch stuff and anybody can use it. Just need a small torch (Butane, propane, etc.) and these Durafix rods. Heat the object needing the weld job and rubbed it on kinda like brazing copper or solder. Very strong, in fact as strong as weld imo.

http://durafix.com/

[Dave.C]

silver solder?
or alumaloy?


my opinion is to weld repair it though

I seen something like what you might use at a welders supply melted with a propane torch?

[ZXALAN]

BTW, I have a brand new NOTCHED MCX intercooler, directly from MCX, it seems they used some kind of putty/JB weld type to seal the tubes in the notch...its some kind of silver colored putty or silicone...its definetly not welded though..

On another note, WATERWELD by JB weld is the best freakin shit you can use for sealing anything....We use it to patch radiators on group rides when rocks get shot through radiators(at least 2 a weekend) and the shit seals up instantly, even as coolant is pouring out...>never seen one leak after it was put on...I think it would be easy to shape and fit in the tubes, its a putty, not a liquid epoxy.

Just throwing that out there.

[BLACK_DEATH]