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Thread: Billet alloy m50/m52 t-stat housing

  1. #1
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    Billet alloy m50/m52 t-stat housing

    Hey guys as the tittle says im after a billet alloy t-stat housing (not cast alloy ) i will be welding dash20 bungs on the ends and want to make sure its a good clean weld .
    James.

  2. #2
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    Doesn't mean there isn't one, but I've never seen a billet t'stat housing for these cars. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to get a decent weld to a cast housing. Hey, if anything it might improve the housing by filling in any porosity in the casting!

    Neil

  3. #3
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    I was looking at this one but it isn't for our cars. However I wonder if it would actually bolt up and the seal is identical in shape? If so it should work, but even then, you gotta have some extra dough laying around.

    http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/s...t-housing-kit/

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by NeilM View Post
    Doesn't mean there isn't one, but I've never seen a billet t'stat housing for these cars. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to get a decent weld to a cast housing. Hey, if anything it might improve the housing by filling in any porosity in the casting!

    Neil
    I have limited experience welding cast aluminum, but one of the problems I run into is with cheap (thin) castings, impurities tend to gas-out during the welding process. Basically boiling holes into the weld. Pass-throughs tend to form at the edges of the weld puddle and leak. You can get a strong enough weld, but not air/water tight. Again, I'm not a licensed welder, but that's my limited experience. A pro might have a method to get around this?

  5. #5
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    Would it be easier to get a billet tube and weld your bungs to it and splice it inline a few inches away from the t-stat on one of the rad hoses? Just an idea, I don't know exactly what you are doing.
    Chris Leone
    chrisleonemotorsports.com
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    1984 318i now 325is
    1994 325is STU racecar
    1988 325is donor

  6. #6
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    You could weld to the stock one, if you're unsure of your skills take it to a professional.

    here's one example
    Larry_Chen_Speedhunters_engine_bays_of_Formula_drift_2015-48-1200x800.jpg
    instagram @andyitslit

  7. #7
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    Welding good cast ally isn't really all that difficult. It helps a lot when it's new. Only tough part is finding a good casting, most of the aftermarket replacement stuff for the m5x is kinda crappy. It can still be done tho. Run a pass, grind it out, repeat until its good.
    Back into a BMW, this time a track rat....and it won't be BMW powered and no, not a V8 either!
    Couldn't help myself, boosted e36 m52 street car in progress also!

  8. #8
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    Quote Originally Posted by aeronaut View Post
    I have limited experience welding cast aluminum, but one of the problems I run into is with cheap (thin) castings, impurities tend to gas-out during the welding process. Basically boiling holes into the weld. Pass-throughs tend to form at the edges of the weld puddle and leak. You can get a strong enough weld, but not air/water tight. Again, I'm not a licensed welder, but that's my limited experience. A pro might have a method to get around this?
    It's hard to make a high quality thin wall casting, and none of the aftermarket t'stat housings I've seen seem thin. Porous, maybe! But not thin. I'm fortunate in that I bought my alloy housing 20 years ago, before the cheap and nasty ones hit the market.

    Given that these housings aren't very expensive, I'd have the bung welded on, hope for the best and keep an eye on it for a while.

    Quote Originally Posted by Press22 View Post
    You could weld to the stock one, if you're unsure of your skills take it to a professional.

    here's one example
    Larry_Chen_Speedhunters_engine_bays_of_Formula_drift_2015-48-1200x800.jpg
    Uh, that's aftermarket. The stock housing is plastic.

    Neil

  9. #9
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    I guess you're right, it's not stock. The "good" quality ones were made by active autowerke, Turner Motorsport sells it still.
    GLHF.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Press22 View Post
    I guess you're right, it's not stock. The "good" quality ones were made by active autowerke, Turner Motorsport sells it still.
    GLHF.
    The few AA parts I bought were heche in China.

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