2006-11-19 13:02:16 · 13 answers · asked by suzanne m 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
Well pistons are made of aluminum so you can't use a conventional welder on them. The way to weld aluminum is called heli arching. It is very expensive to have done and it can deform the shape of the aluminum so I wouldn't recommend doing it on a piston. You are better off replacing it.
2006-11-19 13:06:27 · answer #1 · answered by ? 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Notice not one welder among the lot! The answer is yes, but let me put it to you this way. It would be more effective to form the old piston and melt the one with the hole and recast a new piston then to weld it. It depends on where the hole is located relative to the piston and great care has to be taken to avoid porosity, piting and voids in the weld. If the hole is on the side wall, forget it. If its in the center, you'd have to look at whats under the hole and judge if it could be filled. I have done some and it depends on what its on and the use its getting. Forklifts get it all the time for a quick fix until a new one can be installed. What everyone is right about is the cost. A welder worthy to do an excellent job will charge you the equivalent of 5 new pistons. Listen, guess what they do to turbines with cracks in the impellers of the compression fan on commercial airlines? THEY WELD THEM! And your all so worried about a little piston doing 8000 rpm, lol. The reason its not done is that it isn't cost effective, thats all. Get a new piston and keep going.
2006-11-19 13:53:25 · answer #2 · answered by cuttlekid 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i welded up a piston for a custom built engine once. it came apart at 10 000 rpm after about 50 runs and tore off the head and jug. when the rod broke the biggest part of the piston flew about 500 yards and went through a windshield.
after that, we had to use shrapnel blankets around the whole power train
so the short answer is yes you can weld a piston
BUT for $50 why wouldn't you just get a wiseco?
Possum
2006-11-19 13:27:31 · answer #3 · answered by hillbilly named Possum 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a new piston,but find out first why your bike was running so lean to hole the piston.
2006-11-20 00:24:32 · answer #4 · answered by gdwrnch40 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
physically i'm sure it can be done,but not ideally.
piston's are made of a silica and aluminum alloy,I'm not sure it would be a good idea.It would create a weak point on the piston face or skirt,which isn't a good thing when your compressing then detonating any air/fuel mixture.Piston's aren't that expensive,and I would never personally used one that was welded.
2006-11-19 13:08:51 · answer #5 · answered by playtoy_18 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the quick answer is no, because you can't make the weld smooth enough to not have any hot spots on the piston when firing
2006-11-19 13:06:52 · answer #6 · answered by wheeldave2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
do you really want to take a chance on it comming apart again when you can get a used one for around 5 bucks. besides the piston is balanced when you weld on it its not the same anymore.
2006-11-19 13:06:03 · answer #7 · answered by roy40372 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Nope, pistols are aluminum, you can't weld them and make it work, just buy a new piston, they are cheap.
2006-11-19 13:31:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
just buy a used one, there cheap and theres less work.
2006-11-19 13:23:07 · answer #9 · answered by fekd_up 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
in one word no
2006-11-19 15:25:57 · answer #10 · answered by John B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋