No, but I have used the "Alumi-rods" from HF. Have a aluminum oil tank on my Triumph (ridgid) cracked and broke the mounts.. Bonded pretty solid, and sealed.
Keep us posted, I'm also curious.

 

I've used HTS-2000 it's one of the types where you have to sand off the oxide layer, not particularly awesome.

 

Second the alumi-weld rods, yeah you have to do a good cleaning but they work fine, I've fixed quite a few things with them. Trick with the cleaning is to heat the metal up a bit then brush off the surface to open up the pores, then just act like its a really hot solder, flows sorta like brass rod but you can keep the pool fluid longer.

 

Gave this stuff a try last night. 3/4 x3/4" bar brazed to a bit of scrap. I filed the bar but not the scrap. I used a turbo torch with map gas and really had to pour the coals to er. It was held in my vise with aluminum jaws and it really sucked the heat out. I was heating it from the bottom because the flame would have blown the scrap off. Applied it too cold at first and it balled up and sat there and eventually got pasty but never seemed to re-flow. I did flow some good, and got the whole mess to join. Actually started melting the bar from the bottom. But, it is solid stuff. Here's a pic of the back side after filing to show there is no gap and capillary action and flux did their job. I'll have to practice more but the plan is to braze bungs on a crankcase cover for oil cooler lines.

 

Keep us posted.. any info helps..
Thanks

 

I would just look for a replacement cover on Ebay but I am curious to see how your repair goes.

 

Id like to practice more, but the problem is finding meaningful stuff to practice on instead of junk lying around. I'll keep this thread gong.

 

I milled out a patch that I could clamp in place and set up a little fire brick stand, thinking I could run a smaller torch propane torch under it to help hold the heat. Hit the top with mapp gas.

View attachment 273432
What a disaster

The rod would not melt. I kept heating until all hell broke loose. By then it was too late. The cast cover kinda swelled up and turned a dark gray, and then just gave way. I suppose I had way too much heat in it. The billet patch came through fine. You can see how porous and spongy the cast looks after it melted away. Maybe zinc or something burned out? Idk, I wish I would have done it outside. I guess when it gets warmer I'll experiment with oxy-acetelyne but it's toast. It could probably be built up with bondo for use as a sand cast pattern.

 

Tig weld would have been the right choice . Easy for a tig welder to say though

 

Nothing tried nothing gained.. so it don't go the way u wanted..
You didn't sit by and say "what if"... no matter the outcome, you progressed. Thank you for giving it a shot and posting the results.
You can easily sell that cover for someone looking at adding a "window" to use a timing light to set the ignition timing and not having oil leak..,

 

You're right Rob. I'm glad I didn't try on good parts. I'll be trying again with the oxy-acetylene when it gets warmer out. $70 for the muggyweld which I was convinced was a superior product. Maybe not.

 

Might try a copper backing plate. Also, send your results to the manufacture and ask for their suggestions. They might have a lower temperature rod.

 

$70... that stuff isn't cheap! For damaged hard to find parts (exhaust manifold repairs) I can see spending the money on the rods.. but honestly, if I can afford something RARE and expensive.. I'm having a experienced professional do the repair..
Head to H.F. And try their "alumiweld" rods, the part is already toasted.. the rods are cheap.. give it a shot

 

No, I got a good amount, but it's over twice as much as other stuff on the market. It may be the cats meow for other stuff. I know I'm a fool, and probably a sucker, but maybe I should have tried a lower temp solder in this case. I did find this article that may shed some light.
.https://www.thefabricator.com/artic...cle/aluminumwelding/aluminum-workshop-the-truth-about-welding-aluminum-castings
Pretty sure it's a die cast part. Question is about the zinc content. I think there's a way to figure it out by measuring water displacement and specific gravity. And then there's the trapped gas and flux and al/zinc compound chemical reaction that may have occurred. I have some harbor freight rods. I was just so convinced this was gonna work. Wishful thinking

 

These parts are 40+ years old and from overseas... who knows what the make up of the metal is.. But then again Honda did and still do "have their act together"... so your assessment was pretty much safe.