262's 85 Fiero SE LX9 F23 swap thread lots of pics

[ericjon262]

How are you planning on welding the headers? I'm trying to plan my headers out for my 3900 fiero swap.

with a welder? not sure I follow the question...

[bob442]

tig, mig, stick, flux core, brase, batterys and booster cables, JB weld....

[ericjon262]

I've got a mig welder with flux core, and a buddy of mine has a big miller mig with argon and a tig, I'll probably tack the headers together with mine for mock up, and then take them to my buddy's shop for final welding. I'll be running a true dual setup, at least until turbo time, and even then I may just run twins. I'll use supertrapps for the mufflers. I can't wait to hear it!

[NateD4]

Just curious. TIG is the way to go especially if you can back purge the inside of the tubes. It can be quite time consuming. Any idea how many bents per pipe you are looking at? One of my concerns is the radii required to make equal length headers...

[carbon]

What are you mounting this to on the front of the tranny?

[ericjon262]

What are you mounting this to on the front of the tranny?

that was the original intent, but I'm not 100% sure I'm still going to use it.

[carbon]

What are you doing for a front tranny mount then? I am doing the same swap on my 88GT but I haven't gotten all the stuff together yet. Transmission mounts are what have me worried the most...

[ericjon262]

What are you doing for a front tranny mount then? I am doing the same swap on my 88GT but I haven't gotten all the stuff together yet. Transmission mounts are what have me worried the most...

I may still use it, but I'll use it in conjunction with a mid mount, similar to the one used in L67's swap thread on pennocks.

[ericjon262]

got headers?

anyone ready for some updates???

[bob442]

life is easier if you only tack everything together with 2 good spot welds, and when its all said and done and test fitted, cut the spot welds at the collectors and flanges, weld up each primary, then put them back on.
what are you using to weld? what gauge wire? looks like mig work. .025 will give you a nicer finish

[ericjon262]

life is easier if you only tack everything together with 2 good spot welds, and when its all said and done and test fitted, cut the spot welds at the collectors and flanges, weld up each primary, then put them back on.
what are you using to weld? what gauge wire? looks like mig work. .025 will give you a nicer finish

unfortunately, it's flux core. my buddy's mig machine was broken in transit on its way to his brother's shop. all I have left for the rear header is to weld the flange and collector tight.

I think I've done pretty good for 4 hours worth of work.

[MidnightriderZ24]

i personally like .30, you can up the voltage and not worry about burning through, with enough speed, that is.

[ericjon262]

the wire is .030 flux core(Lincoln innersheild). honestly, I'm leaning as I go, I'm not the most proficient welder, but each weld, I do, I see an improvement. unfortunately, I pressure checked my original welds, and they leaked like crazy! I re did them and I don't see any more leaks now, but that ate up a day that was supposed to be spent on the front side header...

[bob442]

if you use a smaller wire,you can crank the heat, and turn up the wire speed, have a better penitration, and less excess material. i have a trick that i use which is i swirle the stick, the weld balls up on the torch, then drops on the metal like a piece of hot solder and does a crazy finish. kinda looks like a tig weld. not easy to master, and is very time consuming because you heat up the metal alot. so it has to sit and cool till you can weld again.

[ericjon262]

I'm not as worried about the welds looking perfect as I am about them being sealed tight. I'd like to try and do what you're talking about. I'm going to weld up my new motor mounts with my buddy's stick welder later this week, and we're going to try to use his TIG welder to weld the pinches in his 5.0 mustangs intake so it can be ported out more.