Bonding Cast Iron

SC Farmall · May 18, 2017

I somehow managed to break one of the "ears" off my carburetor where it mounts to the intake manifold on my Super C. It was a clean break and the carb will mount up correctly, however it is not overly sturdy, and may allow air to come through the break and past the carb.

Whats the best way to reattach this broken ear? I do not have the capacity to weld Cast Iron, nor does anyone local. What about JB weld? For this low stress application could this band-aid style fix work? Any other bright ideas?

glennster · May 18, 2017

if its cast iron, you could either braze it or silver solder it. brazing would be stronger.

old · May 18, 2017

Depending on the break some times one can use a washer so as to over lap the broken area and that will hold the carb up as it needs to be. As for welding it any good welding shop should be able to do it but ya now days good is a thing of the past. Shoot I could do it in my shop and never think twice about doing it

TimV · May 18, 2017

SC Farmall: I successfully JB Welded the carb ear on an old B&S model 19 several years back and it's still holding, but that carburetor was pot metal and thus very difficult to weld. However, I believe you'd be better off going with Glennster's suggestion if possible--done right, it will be much stronger than JB Weld, and I think you'd be surprised how much force that ear is actually holding.

rustyfarmall · May 18, 2017

Any of the methods already mentioned will work for awhile. Eventually you will be hunting for a replacement carburetor. May as well start looking right now.

Hank ABAB · May 18, 2017

Yup, brazing is my suggestion also.
Did one on my 8N years ago.

Just make sure it is truly aligned and flat after the operation.
I Vee-d out both sides, brazed both sides, then filed it true.

Still on there since about 1980.

BarnyardEngineering · May 18, 2017

You're assuming it is cast iron. Being a carburetor it could very easily be pot metal and unweldable.

rustyfarmall · May 18, 2017

(quoted from post at 12:41:13 05/18/17) You're assuming it is cast iron. Being a carburetor it could very easily be pot metal and unweldable.

Yes, several of the Super Cs were equipped with Carter carburetors. Those are made of aluminum, and if it IS a Carter, and can't be fixed, don't feel bad about trashing it. The Zenith and Marvel-Schebler carburetors are MUCH better.

SC Farmall · May 18, 2017

Its a Zenith. I believe I will try soldiering, if that does not work JB weld it is.

Steve@Advance · May 18, 2017

Your easiest and "most likely to work" solution would be to put out a heartfelt plea for someone to sell you a parts carburetor.

Who knows, they might even give you one!

Keith Molden · May 18, 2017

Post the number or a picture. Someone might have one , you never know what we might have in the junk drawers. I think I have a Zenith somewhere in the shop. Keith

RandyB(MI) · May 18, 2017

I agree with "glennster" way below. IF..it is cast iron..bevel and with a cut-off disc (1/16" make some "tying" cuts to add strength and you might even "pin" it by drilling a 1/8" hole and use an old junk 1/8" bit for a pin and braze right over all the cuts/pin and fill in bevel. Brass can be shaped perfectly afterwords and it sounds like the actual gasket surface will be undetectable once you fit pieces back together. Any microscopic imperfection on gasket face can then be JB ed. It isn't going to "give" once brazed like this. If you have to pay others for all this , then probably cheaper to replace body.

Adirondack case guy · May 18, 2017

Here is a repair on a Case G310G dozer that I am fixing for a friend. It had the ear broke off the intake manifold rather than the carb., but someone stick welded it with nickel rod.
I can't believe that there is not a welding or fab shop near you that can fix you up for not a lot of money.
Loren

jeffcat · May 18, 2017

Nope I will disagree. Pot metal can be soldiered with Alumaloy rods.
It works pretty darn well. Those guys sell it by the pound at car
shows. You need to be meticulous in your prep, but it does work.

TimV · May 18, 2017

Yup. Have used it myself a few times with excellent results. Didn't want to try on the Briggs carb as I was out of the rods--a friend and I used to set up at sports shows with a guy who made a VERY good living doing demos and selling it in pound packages, but that was 20+ years ago and I'd used up what we'd got from him and lost the reorder slip. Nowadays it's easy to find online, but when I did the Briggs carb I went with JB Weld because the part would have been worth more than the engine if I had to buy another one. It's still running, so I haven't had to redo it, which is just as well. Even in the Internet age I imagine I'd pay more for a replacement carb than the engine's worth. Pot metal, or at least some alloys of it, can also be TIG welded, though it's not for beginners.

gene bender · May 18, 2017

There was enough of the ear left that would hold the head of the bolt on mine and its been that way for many yrs.

donjr · May 18, 2017

Use a good 2 part epoxy. It is usually tough as nails and easy to work with. A neighbor had a similiar problem with the carb on
a D-19. He used a die grinder to make a shallow groove around the ears and base of the carb and then epoxyed over a piece of wire
in the groove. It's held up well for ten or twelve years now....

jeffcat · May 18, 2017

First time I ever used the stuff was in the mid 70s. Was working in the shop on the farm and this guy pushing a motor cycle comes walking up the lane. He has a BMW cycle. In a very thick German accent he tells me he bottomed out coming over the county bridge and busted off his bottom water manifold. I had just bought some of those rods not a week before at the New Hope car show. Took his casting off, cleaned it with 5he stainless brush, put just enough heat with a propaine tourch, and soldered it back together. He was just totally blown away. He was touring some of the USA. It held water and he would find a BMW dealer when he could. Neat memory.

teddy52food · May 18, 2017

As others have said, get it brazed. V it out & bolt it to a plate to keep it straight. Don't monkey around with JB weld as it will make it harder to fix when it fails. Send it to me if you can't find a welder there.

sms · May 19, 2017

I have an old D4 here that the pony motor carb was broken right on the
throttle plate shaft. I brazed it years ago, works no problem.

HenryO · May 19, 2017

for quick and easy repair I would go with the JB weld. Have used it successfully for lots of repairs and it lasts forever. Fast easy, and strong. Clean parts with acetone before applying.

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