Fixing a broken Ragualar manifold?

fixerupper · Oct 28, 2012

Son's friend is working on a Regular and this is what the manifold heat exchanger looks like.

I cleaned all of the carbon/rust/junk out and it can be clamped together to pretty much close the cracks. Have any of you guys fixed these or is it junk? My brazing skills are very rusty, haven't brazed cast for years so I'm swaying back and forth trying to figure out if I still have it in me. If it can be fixed by a novice like me, how would you go about doing it? I'm trying to save this guy some $$$. It has a piston/sleeve that's rusted too bad to be saved so this afternoon I did get a couple of P&S out of a donor F-20 and it looks like I have a good one. Once we get past the manifold the rest is just normal engine work. Jim

fixerupper · Oct 28, 2012

Just looked at the posted pic. The lower crack does not get into the lower threaded area. Jim

Oldiron29 · Oct 28, 2012

Jim, What do you have to loose! You need to heat it up slow and cool it down slow. Brazze it and if it holds you save some $$. If you need another manifold regulars and F-20 are still common. Should be able to find someone on here that would have part. oldiron29

Ron-MO · Oct 28, 2012

Here is a manifold I fixed on a Ford 5000. Like you, my brazing skills were a bit rusty, but came back to me. Just need clean, and rid of the rust, and plenty of flux - I used a good flux coated rod. Still holding up fine today.
Repair I did a while back....

Ron-MO · Oct 28, 2012

Oh, almost forgot before photo/post. Much better after grafting a new pipe in where I removed the old mess.
before post....

D7fever · Oct 28, 2012

I would weld it, gas with cast iron rod or ni-rod
with stick.

fixerupper · Oct 28, 2012

Sorry about misspelling the word Regular. The fingers were moving faster than the brain. If I would have posted this misspelling in TT I would have been crucified! Jim

Paul from MI · Oct 28, 2012

I'd give brazing a try. I repaired a broken lug on my 1937 JD B that way and it's fine after 4 years. Sandblast to clean first, clamp as tight as you can. Maybe put an overlay on as much as you can to help support it and spread the force out over a bigger area.

fixerupper · Oct 28, 2012

You guys sound encouraging to me so I think I'll give her a try. Gotta dig out the sandblaster in the morn. Maybe I'll hit it with the needle-scaler to shake a little more junk loose first. I could possibly use the scaler to peen it as it cools but I won't want any cold air blowing on it. Jim

Brownie 450 · Oct 29, 2012

Pre-heat the entire piece slowly, & then use nickel rod with DC reverse polarity--about 65 to 75 amps. Weld an inch on each end of the break & then apply more heat.

Southern Ray · Oct 29, 2012

Mine wasn't so bad as yours when I fixed it.
Two ports had large holes brunt through.
Fixed it with copper patches and high temp putty.
Finally found a nice replacement.

Fixing a broken Ragualar manifold?

fixerupper

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fixerupper

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Oldiron29

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Ron-MO

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Ron-MO

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D7fever

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fixerupper

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Paul from MI

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fixerupper

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Brownie 450

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Southern Ray

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