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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Transmission mounting ears

Posted by: ClayPerrine Aug 15 2005, 11:34 AM

Anyone know if the transmission mounting ears can be welded back onto the tail housing?

Posted by: Cano Aug 15 2005, 11:37 AM

Isn't that magnesium? Not sure, but I would think that would just catch on fire if welding is attempted.

Posted by: Crazyhippy Aug 15 2005, 11:52 AM

I have seen it done.

Held up w/ a v-8 in front of it too.

Posted by: URY914 Aug 15 2005, 12:01 PM

QUOTE (ClayPerrine @ Aug 15 2005, 09:34 AM)
Anyone know if the transmission mounting ears can be welded back onto the tail housing?

How did it break off?

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Aug 15 2005, 01:37 PM

QUOTE (ClayPerrine @ Aug 15 2005, 09:34 AM)
Anyone know if the transmission mounting ears can be welded back onto the tail housing?

Yes, they can. People weld mag all the time. Seen a ton of them over the years. Might be more cost effective to simply replace the cover, however. The Cap'n

Posted by: dlee1967 Aug 15 2005, 01:43 PM

Clay, why bother? There are plenty of spares around. DLee

Posted by: John Jentz Aug 15 2005, 03:45 PM

Mine have been welded by a DPO.

Posted by: Aaron Cox Aug 15 2005, 03:47 PM

plenty o tailshift ones running around... even with a sideshifter....you can use the functionless tail hsifter housing.,.,,,,

seen it on a brumos 914 race car

Posted by: hmeeder Aug 15 2005, 04:56 PM

Someone here has a spare, I'm sure.

Hell, I have a spare from a tailshifter you can have for the price of shipping, as long as you can live with the tailshift shaft dangling there like a dead dick.

Posted by: Series9 Aug 15 2005, 05:22 PM

My welding reference book says magnesium can be TIG welded, but that the welding should be accomplished outside due to the risk of fire. Filings and magnesium dust should be kept away from the area to help prevent the part from lighting up.

As we all know, magnesium supports its own combustion, so if it catches fire, stand back and let it burn.

Send it to me. I'll give it a shot.

Posted by: jkeyzer Aug 15 2005, 05:32 PM

My car has a welded ear. It has held up fine (so far).

Posted by: Mueller Aug 15 2005, 05:40 PM

make sure you preheat it with your oxy-act. touch first......actually you can use gas weld it as well.....

outside with the proper exting. agent is a good idea

Posted by: ! Aug 15 2005, 05:51 PM

QUOTE (hmeeder @ Aug 15 2005, 02:56 PM)
as long as you can live with the tailshift shaft dangling there like a dead dick.

Us married guys thank you for that visual....

Posted by: Racer Chris Aug 15 2005, 05:57 PM

I welded a crack in one ear on my freshly rebuilt race box just a month ago.
It requires pure magnesium filler wire. Don't gas weld it, TIG it. The technique is similar to welding aluminum but a little more difficult, using AC.
Grind a groove with a carbide mounted in a die grinder. Use a stainless wire brush to keep the weld area clean. While welding it may fume a bit of white powdery stuff. This is normal.
Be carefull not to overheat the weld zone. The puddle will have no strength and drop a snot which may catch fire.
The casting has a lot of porosity which will end up inside the weld. You have to grind it out after welding and reweld in order to have any decent strength. This may be required a couple of times.

Posted by: Wild 6 Aug 15 2005, 07:24 PM

I broke both of the ears off of my 915 gearbox. I took it to a Porsche shop who then took it to a boat shop for welding. It turns out that the boat shops weld aluminum and magnesium all the time. It's held up ever since.

Andy

Posted by: ClayPerrine Aug 15 2005, 09:09 PM

I actually didn't break one. I got a tailhousing with a broken ear. I was just wondering if it was hard to fix. I don't know anyone who can weld magnesium, so I thought I would ask.

Posted by: Red-Beard Aug 15 2005, 09:28 PM

Find a type I shop. They will know where to get mag welded.

Posted by: Racer Chris Aug 16 2005, 06:24 AM

If you can't find anyone local, ship it to me and I'll weld it for you.

Posted by: kwales Aug 16 2005, 02:44 PM

Both ears of mine were broken and welded. I probably don't want to know what happened that made that repair necessary .....

Also had to have a bellhousing crack welded later. I used a local VW Bug shop. Ask if they do MAG.

Ken