replace head or try to fix? pics showing damage

[78sharpshooter]

In case my previous post was not showing enough detail (and because I need advice ASAP). I have a Miller diversion TIG and can weld aluminum acceptably and I also have a mill. So I was considering milling out the corroded area and the filling it in (is there a special filler reccommended for this?) and then milling it flat. Or I was considering getting a new head from dieselvw.com. (I fell in love with diesel after getting into the Ford IDI and recently picked up this 85 NA jetta that had a used motor installed from an 81).

[burn_your_money]

Do a search from Prothe before buying anything from that site.

You'd be better off with a used head.

If you have the time and skills you may as well try and save it.

[Mark(The Miser)UK]

Assuming the head is flat, the only issue is picture #3. I would give that corrosion a good clean-up, roughen lightly, glue the whole hole up with best epoxy type, and then drill some pilot holes away from the corrosion, and towards the middle area of the glue.

[745 turbogreasel]

When I got my valve job, they welded  two or three spots not quite as bad as that for ~$20.
Results seemed perfect, but Ii have no idea what rod they used.

[arb]

I would strip the head, bead blast that area, and weld with the same rod I use for 6061...  I think the rod is 4043.

[Mark(The Miser)UK]

Welding is best.
As a poor , but improving [slowly ] welder, what's it like to MIG Ally?

[arb]

Welding is best.
As a poor , but improving [slowly ] welder, what's it like to MIG Ally?

I used to weld aluminum with MIG... the problem is you can't continuously change the amps (heat) - at first you need quite a bit to get a good puddle of liquid aluminum, and as you go, you need less and less as the work piece heats up. You can minimize this by preheating the work piece, but this can lead to warpage.

[78sharpshooter]

MIG would be hard to use in this case because pulling the trigger for a split second would put quite a bit of aluminum into that hole. I considered getting a MIG for aluminum but you need a spool gun and you really should have a pulse MIG for aluminum. But you just don't have the fine control with MIG so I opted for the TIG and after a little practice and cleaning the base material 10 times in a row, you would be suprised at how quickly one can pick up TIG welding. After 2 hours of practice I was at this point

Welding is best.
As a poor , but improving [slowly ] welder, what's it like to MIG Ally?

[arb]

MIG would be hard to use in this case because pulling the trigger for a split second would put quite a bit of aluminum into that hole. I considered getting a MIG for aluminum but you need a spool gun and you really should have a pulse MIG for aluminum. But you just don't have the fine control with MIG so I opted for the TIG and after a little practice and cleaning the base material 10 times in a row, you would be suprised at how quickly one can pick up TIG welding. After 2 hours of practice I was at this point

Welding is best.
As a poor , but improving [slowly ] welder, what's it like to MIG Ally?

Nice bead...

"Once TIG, never back" :-D

[78sharpshooter]

I used waterweld for repairing a hole in an oil cooler on an 85 F250 6.9 diesel and that repair job was still intact when I sold that truck. I have a couple of sticks of waterweld in my vehicles and my boat; that stuff is great.

Assuming the head is flat, the only issue is picture #3. I would give that corrosion a good clean-up, roughen lightly, glue the whole hole up with best epoxy type, and then drill some pilot holes away from the corrosion, and towards the middle area of the glue.

[arb]

I used waterweld for repairing a hole in an oil cooler on an 85 F250 6.9 diesel and that repair job was still intact when I sold that truck. I have a couple of sticks of waterweld in my vehicles and my boat; that stuff is great.

Assuming the head is flat, the only issue is picture #3. I would give that corrosion a good clean-up, roughen lightly, glue the whole hole up with best epoxy type, and then drill some pilot holes away from the corrosion, and towards the middle area of the glue.

Got more info on waterweld ? Sounds like an interesting epoxy.

[78sharpshooter]

They sell it at walmart for around $7 and it is a putty type epoxy that you pinch a chunk off and nead with your hands and then slap onto almost any substrate and it cures VERY hard. I think it can be applied underwater too and can patch a fuel tank http://jbweld.net/products/water.php
[/quote]

Got more info on waterweld ? Sounds like an interesting epoxy.
[/quote]

[arb]

They sell it at walmart for around $7 and it is a putty type epoxy that you pinch a chunk off and nead with your hands and then slap onto almost any substrate and it cures VERY hard. I think it can be applied underwater too and can patch a fuel tank http://jbweld.net/products/water.php

Got more info on waterweld ? Sounds like an interesting epoxy.
[/quote]
[/quote]

Ah, its by JB weld.... got to be good stuff. Don't think I've use it on this head as it looks like it would be exposed to combustion gases...