Lower Unit Oil Leak: Fix with Epoxy?

[CI STV]

Hard to see how thick that bondo is but maybe weld an aluminium plate over it?
Because they might have gone overboard with the grinder with multiple thin spots!
I thought the cayman islands where suppose to be a tax evasion paradise!?

Good idea. The filler is pretty damn thick where the leak is. Looks like he got carried away with the grinder for sure.
Cayman is only tax free for big multi-nationals like Starbucks. The rest of us pay our taxes (we call them “duties” down here) up front (“consumption tax”), since we import everything. This is the most expensive place in the world to live and it’s only getting worse with this Stupid-19 pandemic.

[phillnjack]

what about cleaning it and using some of the low temp alloy welding rods, you can buy the cheapo Chinese one. ive recently been given a couple of rods and tried them was incredibly surprised how good it is. I used a little tiny pencil flame and got it to melt and join 2 bits of aluminium and was shocked how good and strong it is. goes on like a sort of solder but very good, a few years back I tried the allumaweld and that was extremely good... very touch stuff and can drill and thread it etc , every bit as strong as the parent material....... its very cheap and can be easy to play with , get the case up to around 400 degree and the rods just melt onto it... got to be better option than a sticky glue like epoxy..i would drill a hole in the coned area down low to be able to tapa thread in and put in a grub screw so you can drain it off after use , ?

[Dave Strong]

what about cleaning it and using some of the low temp alloy welding rods, you can buy the cheapo Chinese one. ive recently been given a couple of rods and tried them was incredibly surprised how good it is. I used a little tiny pencil flame and got it to melt and join 2 bits of aluminium and was shocked how good and strong it is. goes on like a sort of solder but very good, a few years back I tried the allumaweld and that was extremely good... very touch stuff and can drill and thread it etc , every bit as strong as the parent material....... its very cheap and can be easy to play with , get the case up to around 400 degree and the rods just melt onto it... got to be better option than a sticky glue like epoxy..i would drill a hole in the coned area down low to be able to tapa thread in and put in a grub screw so you can drain it off after use , ?

He said he has a Geiger carrier, drain screw in back like a Sporty, the rest of your comments?

Dave

[phillnjack]

I meant to drain water in cavity between the normal case and the cone that would normally be filled with epoxy.... just thinking of getting rid of any excess water..... and low temp alloy welding /brazing has to be better than epoxy /glue on the sides... you dont go hot enough to destroy any seals in the case and dead simple to use.

[CI STV]

I did a little bit of research on this Alumiweld and it looks like you need to heat the metal to ~730 degrees F to get the rod to melt.
https://www.alumiweld.com/h2uaw.html
That’s low compared to any other welding, but I’m still not sure whether that would damage any seals in the case or not?
I would prefer to weld it, but I’m hoping I don’t have to pull it down.

[LakeFever]

First time I tried that aluma braze rod I was at a flea market in the 80’s and there was a vendor there selling it and showing everyone how easy it was to use. He was welding beer cans and small boat props and whatnot. I thought this was the answer to my prayers as aluminum welding has always been a chore especially back then.

well... I bought some and got home and fired up the map gas torch and boy did I make a mess. I couldn’t get that stuff to bond without melting the aluminum I was working on first. I tried quite a few times with poor success each time. I have bought a couple different types over the years with about the same results. Nothing worth using for me

I know of others who seem to get it working ok but I sure didn’t. I now have a mig with a spool gun for aluminum. Works great, easy to use. Anyways I figured I’d add that in here because that’s a pricey part there and if your not certain about welding it’s a heck of a thing to gamble on with those rods and a torch

Those little leaky spots could be tacked easy enough without pulling seals I would think.

[Dave S]

Ya got ripped off from a S/F......Crook. If ya look where it's leaking it has been welded..... 2 different colors of Aluminum....the weld is lighter in color. It's been welded in the bearing area...........JMO

[CI STV]

Ya got ripped off from a S/F......Crook. If ya look where it's leaking it has been welded..... 2 different colors of Aluminum....the weld is lighter in color. It's been welded in the bearing area...........JMO

Yeah, I think you’re right. I’m now convinced that I got ripped off.
I also discovered today that oil is also seeping from under the epoxied area, so it’s more than the two spots I’ve already uncovered. It looks like this case was a POS that was badly welded up and never pressure checked and he just slapped some epoxy on.
I’m now starting to wonder whether it even has the internals it’s supposed to have. It definitely has a billet carrier, but I have no way of knowing what the gears inside looks like.
I’m going to write him tomorrow and see what he says. I’m sure I’ll get a recital about his impeccable reputation and how many of these cases he’s built for this and that racer, etc.

[Dave Strong]

Yeah, I think you’re right. I’m now convinced that I got ripped off.
I also discovered today that oil is also seeping from under the epoxied area, so it’s more than the two spots I’ve already uncovered. It looks like this case was a POS that was badly welded up and never pressure checked and he just slapped some epoxy on.
I’m now starting to wonder whether it even has the internals it’s supposed to have. It definitely has a billet carrier, but I have no way of knowing what the gears inside looks like.
I’m going to write him tomorrow and see what he says. I’m sure I’ll get a recital about his impeccable reputation and how many of these cases he’s built for this and that racer, etc.

Well if your a suporting member of S&F and the seller is Greg will sort tbis out.

Dave

[Chaz]

Slap some (any kind) more glue over top of a dirty , oily ( 90/140 no less) , non prepped crack(s) , bondo .. paint to a mirror finish .. and wait for the oil to return.

The case is broken .. let me say that again .. the case is broken . Not the end of the world. We can't really see where , because like most , the picture of the crack(s) was taken too close to see where the problem area is. If it's in the pinion area, I would be more concerned with the drive shaft retaining nut threads than the crack. If it didn't break the pinion gear, so bad that it tried to shove the driveshaft out the top .. then it's a savable case.
Yes it needs to be taken apart. Yes it needs to be jet washed at the autoparts/machine shop .. or boiled in a big vat of soapy water . I like a carbide tool finish , but if you don't mind floating the sand and glue from the 36 grit wheel .. then your ready to start the welding process. Call the people from the hoarders TV show if you can't stand to throw away the AlmostAluminuSolder/Tin/Copper/Silver/WalletLighteningRods.
Preheat the case to 200-250 degrees , use 4043 TIG wire , that pedal .. use it to control the heat . You actually want a little burn thru .. not big stalactites hanging off inside , just a little ripple to show you were there. Admire your work for a moment, then drape an asbestos (yes I know) tent over it , or a tent made from scrap metal so it can come back to room temp ... slowly. Smooth out the inside , throw as much glue on the outside as you like ... paint it purdy .. hang it back together .. Go for a ride .. many rides.

[Whaaaaat]

Chaz you back gas something like that?

[FUJIMO]

...time for a new housing...

...and i repeat... you can more than likely save all the innards now, before they get wet. after they get wet...not so much...

[XP300]

Chaz you back gas something like that?

We Do Here
Sure cant Hurt.

Aluminum porous casting with a Gear Lube Chaser
What a Combo
Hospital Clean always Helps.

[Chaz]

Chaz you back gas something like that?

I'm not a big fan of wasting argon ...

With aluminum , once the weld is complete , the post flow really only cools the tungsten . If there is a back side issue , i have enough torches on quicky connects , that I can just about reach anywhere. If it's bad enough , I'll tape a mixing stick and use a mirror .. It's one thing to weld ambidextrous , but seeing bass-ackwards brings it too a new level .. LOL

For stainless I always use Solarflux B and a gas lens . I really like the Edge system. It uses the gas lens and a secondary screen . One of my friends says , What, you too ******* good to use steel wool .. I still do that on some occasion's , but I'd rather use the big azz cup and two stage screen if i can ..
I got a bunch of rubber corks and drilled them all 3/16" and shoved a short piece of leftover stainless brake line in each one. I have a ball valve to aquarium hose , so it's easy to fill stainless header tubes. Anything less than 5-8 scfm doesn't seem to preserve the color much .. anything over that spits metal on my tungsten...
I would rather take a couple Flannigan's cups .. cut , glue , tape a house together and weld in the box . Solarflux deals with the black nuggies inside , external argon deals with "the look" ..

[Chaz]

We Do Here
Sure cant Hurt.

Aluminum porous casting with a Gear Lube Chaser
What a Combo
Hospital Clean always Helps.

Words to live by ...