Welding Flapper Doors

[drewvr4]

Alright my Holset is comming and im running an external gate, I was wondering had anyone else welded the flapper door closed. And if so were you able to do it with a MIG welder or did you need a TIG?

Or are there any other options for doing what i need that i havent thought of?

 

[assault187]

What is your location for the external wasetgate? you could run it off the O2 housing and remove the flapper and just Mig weld the hole where the arm comes out. There are many vendors that sell the o2 housings to run an external wastgate off of it (usaully flanged for a Tial 38 or somthing similar) Unless you plan on running it off your manifold.

 

[gixrman]

Since its cast iron its alittle tricky to weld. Why don't you just go with a external gate housing?

 

[joeracer321]

I welded one shut, I tig welded it.

 

[JWoodley]

I'd sell the exhaust housing you have and buy one setup for an external gate.

 

[drewvr4]

i already have everything for an external gate off the manifold, i know my options

and you tig welded it? i figured thats what would happen with it being cast

 

[blcknspo0ln]

If you're running off the manifold, just leave the flapper door as it is and spot weld the ARM to the turbine housing. This way you don't mess anything up with the flapper arm/door and it's reversible, while still allowing you to run your WG off of the manifold.

 

[silvreclips]

My friend mig welded mine shut. Just turn the heat way. Its not going to be as strong as a regular weld but if will hold fine for your application. Just make sure you put a good bit on there.

Welding the arm is a better option IMO, that way it is reversible if you ever want to sell the turbo or something.

 

[tkelly27]

+1 for the arm. Or keep it shut mechanically with wire or something. You don't need it to seal perfectly, you just need it to exist to block the gases from coming out.

If you are welding anything to cast iron, make sure to pre-heat it and cool it slowly in sand or an oven. The problem with the dissimilar ferrous junctions are the cooling rates. With iron being brittle it wants to crack when getting stressed on by the joint. I just blasted a mild steel to cast iron with no heating one time, felt strong, but I could hear it going *tink tink* as it cooled.

 

[97gstjosh]

Tig welded mine shut OH WELL
Its all in personal preference

 

[TimG]

Tig welded mine as well on the Holset. Heat up the cast before you weld and find a filler rod with near-equal expansion rates to the cast and the flapper door.

Mine has held for over a year now.

 

[99gst_racer]

The last one I did, was a Bullseye housing. This was a couple years ago, and I didn't own my own welder, nor could I weld. I took my housing to a buddy's grandpa's garage, and he stick welded it. I was sure it wouldn't hold, but nevertheless, it's been 2-3 years since, and it's still holding great for the newest owner.

I would recommend tig welding for the best penetration, but if done properly, almost any type of weld will hold.

 

[JusMX141]

I normally Mig a spot on either side of the arm that way it can be easily removed later in case the next owner wants to convert back to an internal flapper.....but under extreme high boost situations I will mig two spots on either side of the flapper as well just to be sure. They can still be removed easily.

Or, if you're really worried about losing boost past the flapper....

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....a little <b>extreme</b> if you ask me!

 

[SBR Joe]

If you're running off the manifold, just leave the flapper door as it is and spot weld the ARM to the turbine housing. This way you don't mess anything up with the flapper arm/door and it's reversible, while still allowing you to run your WG off of the manifold.

Thats how i did mine, but i ended up having to tack the flapper itself to the housing becuase you could hear it rattling around in there. BTW i mig welded mine.


Joe

 

[drewvr4]

u guys have all been extremely helpful, i appreciate it

 

[JOEY A]

You can weld it and it will hold............Just dont JB weld it

 

[Slippi84]

What do you guys think is the best way to REMOVE a welded flapper. Like take a look at this do you guys think it will be possible to unweld this or better just to get another housing?

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[blcknspo0ln]

That looks easy enough, just use a dremel with some cutting discs to take off the tac welds. If you end up damaging the door itself, you can order a new one and shotpeen it in yourself.

 

[Slippi84]

That looks easy enough, just use a dremel with some cutting discs to take off the tac welds. If you end up damaging the door itself, you can order a new one and shotpeen it in yourself.

I don't want to run a internal I just want to take the whole thing and and probably port it some too.

 

[Boostdclips99]

I didn't have a welder handy so I just took a piece of wire and wrapped it around the arm so it could stay open and all times. That way if the next owner wants to return to internal gate they don't have to remove the turbo and grind off the weld. I'm running punishment racing's o2 with tial 38mm wastegate