Cracked Header pipe

[The Brun]

Gday I have a crack in the (ps) side header pipe and was wondering if anyone had welded cast steal before and what sort of rods you used ? Thanks for any help.

[pfillery]

I have welded it before with standard (3mm) cigweld welding rods in a $50 arlec arc welder. It does work if you just want to plug up the exhaust leak as a temporary thing but structurally it isn't going to hold for long. Last time I did it I used the highest amp setting and did a lot of very quick "hits" because it doesn't really arc that well on the cast. Seems to work more like spot welding just using the heat and electricity to fuse the metal.

Probably get you out of a pickle as it did for me but then so would some heatproof gasket maker or a muffler patch if you just want to stop it leaking. Might be better to replace it.

[langy]

I had good results on a cast iron vice with the ferrocraft ( or was it ferrocast ?) black welding rods (If you have a stick welder).