Welding.

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
User avatar
Huskyxantia
Donor 2023
Posts: 1939
Joined: 30 Jul 2018, 22:11
Location: Surrey Kent sussex border
My Cars: Past cars
Xsara Picasso 2019 to 2022 r.i.p
Xantia mk1&2 1.9D & 2.0Hdi
Peugeot 206 sw 1.4hdi
Other models
Skoda fabia,escort van,ford ka,Vauxhall astra g car & estate, Vauxhall corsa b, Suzuki swift
Escorts mk 1,2,3,4,5 fiestas mk 1,2, Sierra diesel mk1 Mondeo mk1 diesel .
Peugeot 207 , 307sw

Now cars
Picasso 2.0Hdi now gone to scrappie
Citroen zx estate 1.9D the cherished one
Peugeot 206cc raised from the dead & saved from the crusher traded up to a 308cc
307sw traded for the 207 .

Wish list.
Peugeot 405 diesel
106 or 206
Mondeo Mk1 diesel once owned 1.8tdi was real nice.
x 395

Welding.

Post by Huskyxantia »

I was thrown in at the deep end at 18 I'd been driving for a while (17 road legal). On farms from the age of 6 . The deep end was doing my own welding, my first car suffered the tin worm death so wasn't worth saving mk5 Cortina.
The car after that was mk1 fiesta 998cc ! It failed mot on rot , so a friend of a friend had to weld both sides of the car floor full length just so the new sills had a new lip to weld to, looking back now ... Why did i bother any way it cost £150 all in it took the chap a weekend to do he did a brilliant job , car back on road and after 4 years and a respray cost 50£ rattle cans, I sold it on for 450£.. The next car mk 2 fiesta needed plates on boot floor and this is were I was thrown in at the deep end, a friend of the family was the local guy you went to regarding anything to do with cars ... I asked for help he showed me what to do with a welder and after me having a go and as he said first attempt was mot pass quality... Off i went back home took off the battery disconnected the alternator as shown, out with my welder I brought several months before i had the metal I cut out the rot cut templates and did the job , ....car passed mot the chap in the garage passed me some work on cars he didn't have time to do and I picked up a lot being thrown in the deep end.

My question is...
Anyone ever placed straight over the top of a bad area that needed welding and it came out ok ?

Anyone or have you always cut out the rot, templated the area then welded good metal in.

I've got 2 sills for my Picasso and the original ones are plate welded in the usual place and there in good condition everywhere else for its age 2003, Do i pop the new over the top and weld them up or cut them right out and replace fresh...
The weather will be my problem time of year and so on , But I've a full years mot so could wait till late next spring when it warms up again.

Or... By a younger Picasso 2.0l hdi cos the 1.6 is .. Naff... Or is it ??
Then keep the sills for the next Picasso.. ????
Husky. :?
User avatar
KennyW
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2499
Joined: 17 Jan 2006, 21:22
Location: Letham, Fife
My Cars: Current Citroen's
C5 x7 2010
SWMBO C3 2012
Previous Citroen's
Xantia 2.0 90hp estate
Xantia 1.9 TD estate
x 132

Re: Welding.

Post by KennyW »

When I have had any welding done, it was cut out rot, cut metal to size, tack on, check for fit and weld in thereafter smooth down seams paint over. Looks good and no sign of welding.

Kenny
C5 x7 2.0 HDi 160 hp Estate exclusive, the newbie
Xantia 2.0 Hdi 90hp 1999 only 189,000 and rising!!!!!!! Moved on to a new home
C3 1.4 petrol (SWMBO)
Xantia TD 1.9 Mk 2 Estate LX 1998 model over 210,000 miles now and still rising!!!!!!!!!!!!! now deceased 17/12/2010.
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: Welding.

Post by Peter.N. »

Even if you can't see the weld, leaving in the old metal makes a rust trap - or a grease trap to prevent further rusting. I'm not much good at welding thin metal, I have a stick and Mig welder and have about equal success or lack of it with both of them.

I can weld thicker metal quite neatly, used to do diesel conversions so had a lot of practise.

Peter
doctle
Posts: 947
Joined: 16 Oct 2014, 12:17
Location: Meath Ireland
My Cars: 2008 Laguna 1.5 DCi
x 235

Re: Welding.

Post by doctle »

Rust is like a cancer and you'd really want to cut back to good metal before the repair. Thin metal will distort if its heated too much and its best to use the same gauge metal spot welded rather than seam welded. I had a repair done to a sill on my 207. No-one could even see the repair except my wallet which was over €300.00 lighter when it was repaired and painted.
Oh buggle
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13520
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6010

Re: Welding.

Post by mickthemaverick »

I've always cut ALL the bad stuff out leaving clean edges all round to weld to. Making templates is easy enough and then cutting out the new plate with a thin AG disk is the way I go. I then "Tape" the patch/piece in place and head over to my mate's place where he replaces the tape with welding. Never had a problem yet!! :-D
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
User avatar
Michel
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2207
Joined: 29 May 2017, 13:50
Location: Nothanks
My Cars: Some cars and a motorbike
x 659

Re: Welding.

Post by Michel »

Picasso - they nearly all rot there, so if the one you replaced it with hasn’t had welding, it’ll need it at some point!

Cut out old metal, weld in new. You must cut out all of the old metal to prevent the corrosion simply creeping onto the new metal. It’s been a long while since I did any welding now, but that’s the way to do it.
User avatar
Huskyxantia
Donor 2023
Posts: 1939
Joined: 30 Jul 2018, 22:11
Location: Surrey Kent sussex border
My Cars: Past cars
Xsara Picasso 2019 to 2022 r.i.p
Xantia mk1&2 1.9D & 2.0Hdi
Peugeot 206 sw 1.4hdi
Other models
Skoda fabia,escort van,ford ka,Vauxhall astra g car & estate, Vauxhall corsa b, Suzuki swift
Escorts mk 1,2,3,4,5 fiestas mk 1,2, Sierra diesel mk1 Mondeo mk1 diesel .
Peugeot 207 , 307sw

Now cars
Picasso 2.0Hdi now gone to scrappie
Citroen zx estate 1.9D the cherished one
Peugeot 206cc raised from the dead & saved from the crusher traded up to a 308cc
307sw traded for the 207 .

Wish list.
Peugeot 405 diesel
106 or 206
Mondeo Mk1 diesel once owned 1.8tdi was real nice.
x 395

Re: Welding.

Post by Huskyxantia »

Thanks everyone
Husky. :?
Post Reply