Blower housing restoration

[Wheelhorse#1 1,667]

Hello all

Since I’m rebuilding this motor a k301 . I thought I would give it a coat of paint too,something I don’t usually do much

 

Anyhow all the tins are in great shape except this blower housing.I has pretty bad rust rot at the bottom where I guess rain settled in.Previous owner kept it outside. 

Anyone have any experience in how to repair damage like this ?

 

[roadapples 6,983]

Someone should have a replacement, at a reasonable price....

[daveoman1966 3,752]

I have a good used K301 shroud for $35..shipped.  No rust.  

[oilwell1415 563]

That's not worth fixing.  Eventually these parts will dry up and it will be, but not today.  If it was just at the bottom it wouldn't be too bad to cut out the bad portions and weld in a panel, but since it's on the face as well it is a pretty complex repair.  That's professional metal worker territory. 

[Wheelhorse#1 1,667]

Thanks for the offer on a replacement ,good price btw.

Since I’m strapped for cash right now I decided to go ahead and try and half ers it.

Im going to use mesh screen and bondo to patch it.It won’t be perfect but figure it will be close enough.Not looking for show quality on this one ,just better than it was.

Already have the material .
And since  it’s mostly on the bottom won’t see it anyway.I’ll post a pic when done.

I’ll replace it down the road after the filler falls out 😉

 

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

35 minutes ago, Wheelhorse#1 said:

screen and bondo

 

Think about fibreglas instead?

 

Or even POR-15 and glas cloth! There are vids on YT that show plastic bumper cover repair using this method.  It looks very promising.  Given the circumstances it would be my go to choice for that.

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[AMC RULES 37,130]

Whatever method you decide to try, make sure you build up your repair on the outside of the blower housing.

Because your flywheel will be taking up all the available space on the inside.

[C-85 685]

It's too bad this happened!  If I had my way, this would be less likely to happen because I would have liked to have had these painted on the under side to begin with!  Over the years I've seen many air shrouds rust out.  Engines on snow blowers, on the back of pick ups salt and sanders and tractors.  I think most of this could be avoided with less than a dollars worth of paint when they paint these at the factories!  I think the past big 3, (B&S, Tecumseh, and Kohler) never painted both sides of these shrouds, and I'm that newer companies like Honda do! 

 

C-85

[kpinnc 12,087]

I have seen some old school folks use lead to fill sheetmetal in lieu of bondo or some other filler. They used the same process as copper pipe sweating. Mighty strong when compared to other fillers.

 

Edit: Now that I put this up- I'm not sure how it tolerates heat, but the blower housing would be relatively cool at the bottom 

Edited September 29, 2021 by kpinnc

[RandyLittrell 3,884]

Even old cotton sheets can be cut up and soaked with resin, I've known a couple of guys prefer this when making custom parts. 

 

 

 

Randy

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

9 hours ago, kpinnc said:

lead to fill

 

That's a lost skill!  It's difficult too!  You need to use the correct lead / tin alloy and temperature is CRITICAL.  I tried to learn it a long time ago and was not successful!

[Wheelhorse#1 1,667]

On 9/29/2021 at 10:06 AM, kpinnc said:

I have seen some old school folks use lead to fill sheetmetal in lieu of bondo or some other filler. They used the same process as copper pipe sweating. Mighty strong when compared to other fillers.

 

Edit: Now that I put this up- I'm not sure how it tolerates heat, but the blower housing would be relatively cool at the bottom 

 

Interesting,It sounds difficult though but sure it would work on a blower housing.

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

4 hours ago, Wheelhorse#1 said:

sounds difficult

 

The hardest part is staying in the temperature range where the lead/tin alloy remains 'plastic' so it can be 'molded' into the needed shape.

When I was trying to learn it I kept getting it too hot and all the lead I had managed to apply melted and ran right out... usually into  the top of my shoe causing me to do the 'hot potato' dance.

 

It tools VERY easily after it's set, but you need a type of rasp that won't get clogged up with the lead.   You'll ruin a flat b4st4rd in a heart beat!

[Wheelhorse#1 1,667]

Well ,all finished .I used corse mesh fiberglass tape I had laying around then filled in with Bondo then sanded flat.

I then used JB weld to skim coat ,sanded smooth, primer and paint.

Nor perfect and Not sure how long it will last but it should do for now.

 

Hats off to the guys that can do restoration on these tractors.It sure does take a lot of time and work and patients something I don’t have .

 

 

Edited October 2, 2021 by Wheelhorse#1

[cleat 6,046]

Looks good.

 

[Lee1977 6,666]

Don,t sell yourself short, you did a great job on the housing.

[Wheelhorse#1 1,667]

29 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

Don,t sell yourself short, you did a great job on the housing.

Thanks 

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Looks good to me. Once you get a layer of paint on, that little patch disappears. Plus, like you said, its on the bottom of the housing where not many people will look.

 

Overall, two thumbs up