I have some leaks in my exhaust that I would like to repair. I've never welded before but I was thinking of picking up a cheap flux core welder like the Forney Easy Weld 140 and learning to do the work myself. I paused on the purchase because according to Forney, you cant weld stainless steel with the Forney Easy Weld 140. That got me thinking - is our stock exhaust stainless steel or mild steel. If it is mild then I am good to go.

 

98% sure it's mild steel based on the welding I did on mine. Put a magnet on it, most stainless it won't stick too.

 

its mild

 

Awesome. Thanks guys!

 

I just assumed it was stainless because up by the cats looked like stainless to me. I picked up some flux core stainless wire. I didn't know it existed, but it sounded like more fun that piecing my exhaust together with a mig welder would be more fun than tacking it and taking it over to the shop where I keep my tig welder.

 

Piggybacking on to this question: Is welding an exhaust system or components thereof something a super amateur welder could do? I too am interested in this but my welding...umm...leaves something to be desired, and I would be afraid of constantly burning through the tubes.

 

I just assumed that was how all people started out welding haha. I didn't exactly start welding exhaust stuff, but it was one of my first solo projects to straight pipe my old Isuzu trooper when I was 16.
If you are using a mig welder then go for it. If you burn through you move faster, turn it down, or do smaller welds like long tacks. It's unlikely to kill anyone if you screw up so I say do it.

 

I will let you know this weekend. I just bought my first welding kit so i can fix some leaks in the exhaust. Never done it before but I figured - why not. I'll do some practice runs on some pipe before I do the real thing. I found this video to be helpful:

 

I'll check my cat pipes when I get home too. Make sure you get a good wire wheel on a grinder if you don't have one. Cleanliness is a big factor in weld success. Maybe not as much as paint or engine building, but still key.

 

You'll be fine. Just practice and make sure the areas are prepped well.