Another mx3 ebay screw up

[hgallegos915]

Ok So I ordered a t3 flange for my car since I have a 4 bolt and needed the 5 bolt...

I get it and I realized that ALUMINIUM will not weld to our stainless steel pipes(AS what ive heard)


anyone know if this is true? anyway I can get it welded or should I just request a refund and look for a steel one?

[Ryan]

aluminum is hard to weld to start with, and I doubt it would easily mix with the steel.

I'm no pro, but I vote you need steel.

[94drumx3]

i too have only ever HEARD of aluminum being hard to weld. i do a crap job with just steel i cant even imagine aluminum. but i'd also have to vote going with steel.

[onlytrueromeo]

To weld alum to steel I believe you'd need a bimetal strip...I wouldn't suggest attempting this yourself. Why can't you make a flange or get one made at a machine shop? You dont NEED stainless per say...shouldn't be too bad to use carbon steel, though thick SS could get more expensive.

[wytbishop]

You definitely shouldn't weld aluminum to steel. They are chemically dis-similar materials. Like oil and water.

[RS_OBD'oh_2]

there should never have been an aluminum flange in the first place.. bad idea. any chance you can drill out the al flange and mate it to the steel one?

[hgallegos915]

I hit it with a hammer, and it seems to bee aluminium coated, the inside is copper. would it be a problem if I sand it down to the copper? or should I just buy another one made of steel?

[RS_OBD'oh_2]

hmmm.. what is the weight of it? Will a magnet work on it?
If it is copper... it would be tinned.. but with the price of copper these days, it would be worth many times that of steel.. and useless to anyone for anything other than conducting. Give it a scratch and do the magnet test.

[hgallegos915]

I didnt scratch it but I did a magnet test and the magnet sticks, i tried the magnet on aluminium cans, rims, foil paper, the turbine housing(cold) and it doesnt stick. SO that means this is probably steel.


I tried pennies on the magnet and they dont stick.. so it means this is some sort of copper colored steel.. not aluminium aka good for weld right? Just sand the aluminium coating?

[RS_OBD'oh_2]

it must be steel. Copper would cost waay too much to make into a flange.

just saw your edit.

I highly doubt it's an aluminum coating.. maybe tin or nickle.. something to prevent rust. I'd probably do some light grinding to remove it. You can always do a couple quick tack welds to see how it's holding before you commit.

[hgallegos915]

so would it be safe to weld I should just take it and try to weld it and go from there?