Question About Welding Intake Manifold

[4BTA4ME]

My 2001 tdi engine mostly survived a major car accident but I need to  weld up a broken aluminum intake manifold.  I will need to either set up my Lincoln 135 MIG or a Lincoln 185 TIG or braze with maybe one of those exotic aluminum rods you can buy now.
What are my options here? Not sure what kind of wire or rod is going to be compatable.

[935racer]

Definitely use Tig, use a 3/32 or 1/16" diameter, and 5356 grade filler. Clean the crap out of the material before you even attempt welding these, the castings are full of crap and are difficult to weld. If you don't feel confident to do it yourself we'd be happy to do it for you, we weld up quite a few of these every week.

[4BTA4ME]

Thanks. Should I apply much of a bevel to the two surfaces?

[935racer]

Yeah get a decent bevel, they are about 3/16 thick. You'll need about 150-170 amps if you don't pre heat it, if you pre heat to about 350-450 degrees you can get away with about 130 amps.  You don't want to get the puddle too hot and get full penetration, you'll get carbon from the backside(inside) of the material enter the weld pool and it will cause major contamination and swearing :lol:

Actually yeah, maybe don't preheat and just weld at 130ish amps, if you get full penetration you will hate me. Use some acetone on the to be welded area after you bevel.

[4BTA4ME]

I should be able to clean the entire interior of the broken pieces; even run a burr over the interior cracks to remove any penetrated carbon.

BTW, Is it worth cutting off the intake and making a new intake box for better flow distribution? I've wondered whether it's woth it to go through the extra effort in making one.

Also. Does anyone know a good product to clean up severe aluminum oxidation? The battery acid from the accident got all over my transmission and valve cover and looks like a winter snow scene now with all the white oxidation all over.