Okay to solder the air filter pipe?

Post by **Chief** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 11:35 pm

Hi,
I'm in the process of cleaning up the air filter, and the larger pipe on the lid has a couple of small hairline cracks round the very base of it.
Is it okay to solder them, or does the air filter get too hot for solder to stay in one piece when the engines running. (or do some people just use duck tape

).

Thanks

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 11:53 pm

You can try to solder it - but i doubt it will last. Better chance of success with brazing.

Post by **MoggyTech** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 3:30 pm

It would be wise to remove and refit the pipe before it falls off. It can be brazed/soldered by cutting a few slots at the filter end of the pipe, shoving it through the hole, bending the slotted tabs over and soldering with a 300W iron, or brazing. A lot of Minors have that pipe missing

Post by **Chief** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 3:33 pm

Well these were a really small hairline fracture at the base, so not quite ready to fall off.

Also it was brazed about 3 or so hours ago by our local garage (for free!

).
Now just gotta prime/paint it ... when the rain goes away

Post by **MoggyTech** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 3:38 pm

Chief wrote:Well these were a really small hairline fracture at the base, so not quite ready to fall off.

Also it was brazed about 3 or so hours ago by our local garage (for free! ).
Now just gotta prime/paint it ... when the rain goes away

Free is my favourite price

Nice to see some garages still giving loyal customers some freebies.

Post by **Willie** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 5:23 pm

I would have thought that brazing it would make it very brittle.
If it is still in one piece at the moment you could do what I did which was
make up a thin aluminium angled bracket which was then pop riveted to the pipe/base plate. It stops future vibration from fracturing the thin metal and doesn't show up when painted.

Post by **Orkney** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 5:46 pm

Sounded like a job for chemical metal !

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 5:55 pm

Could be ! It's not safety critical.

Post by **IaininTenbury** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:04 pm

Or just weld it. If you go carefully with a gas torch it should be ok.

Post by **kennatt** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:33 am

what effect if any does it have to have the pipe missing

Post by **Willie** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:08 am

With no pipe it will not pick up as much warm air which could effect the running in cold weather although these days we don't seem to have really cold winters (famous last words)! You might hear an increase in induction roar too!

Post by **IaininTenbury** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:29 am

Thats true, theres a formula for working out the optimum length and bore of the inlet tube, for air flow and silencing, not that I can remember it these days tho... It was in a text book from higher education days!

Post by **Willie** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:08 pm

For example, I cut an additional 1 1/2" hole in the air filter casing to aid air flow(where it wouldn't show) and the increase in induction roar was quite marked so I quckly plated the hole over!