Has any one ever welded on the LT1 waterpump??
Plan on removing the oil cooler spout from the waterpump and was planning on just using a aluminum tab welded over it.
I took some aluminum to be welded yesterday and the guy told me there is "pipe" style aluminum that basically you can't weld.
Just don't want to pull it off and not be able to fix it.

The Timing chain cover in my opinion is a lot like the aluminum that the waterpump is and I see people weld up the top passage for EWP's.
Plan on doing this as well.

 

yeah you can weld it....

But what I have done....take the tubes out...they are just pressed in... You can then tap the hole and instal a NPT plug, I used the AN ones....

All I have is 2 big hoses, an inlet and outlet

 

I thought about just using a NPT fitting. You wouldn't have any pics of your would ya?? I am keeping Heat so I need the other Spout.
How the heck did you get your out???
Thats what I am worried about getting the damn things out, lol.

 

Give me a little while. I will get you some pics but they were blue plugs.....I painted everything black so they are hard to see......

Take a small cold chisel and get under the little lip that is pressed flush....work it slow. It will pop right out.....you could also tap one side of it so you collapse it and it will come out pretty easy....I have done a few. Save alot of time over welding.

I'm sure you know this but...take it all apart before welding

 

You used 1/2 NPT didnt you???
I might just do that so I can just be done with it quicker and I don't have to remove everything off of it, lol.

 

side....


Front....

 

I think it waqs 1/2" npt.....

 

1/2 NPT is what I used to plug the holes in mine. I removed all but the top one on the passenger side. I used chrome plugs I found at Autozone.

 

1/2" Earl's aluminum NPT plugs installed backwards (Royal PITA) before welding. Going for the "never had a hole there" look:

 

By the way:

The vast majority of aftermarket aluminum pipe plugs are anodized. Unless you can find some that are bare aluminum you'll have to strip the anodize coating off before you can weld. You can do this with a can of "heavy duty" Easy-Off Oven cleaner. (Sodium Hydroxide is the stripping agent.)

It took me two good dousings with the Easy Off to get them totally clean and all the anodize out of the threads. You only need to let it sit for a minute or two before rinsing.

 

I put plugs in all my holes, the 2 front ones were 1/2 the one under the thermostat was 3/8

 

I plugged my oil cooler line with a 3/4" brass freeze plug, worked great and a lot easyer than taping or welding it.

 

I did the same thing. A freeze plug was quick,easy, and cheap. No trouble so far.

 

thesoundandthefury
I noticed you plugged the coolant sensor in the waterpump??
What is your thought on that??

 

Well I have some quarter size aluminum cirlces (Fit perfect over the timing chain cover for the EWP install) that I thought about using, but if I can get the spout out of the water pump while on the car I will just press in a 3/4freeze plug and be done with it.
I don't think I would ever have any problems with a freeze plug coming loose?