C1 engine support bracket

[Joe P.]

I had some pitting on my bracket around the attaching holes and the coolant flow holes. I purchased a replacement from Corvette Central. When I opened the box, I was quite surprised at the quality of the bracket and very disappointed with the excessive stretch marks and deep groves. I quickly returned it and attempted to order a GM Restoration quality bracket from Paragon, and this time before I bought it. I asked about the quality and got the same response, about the quality, "the tooling is 60 years old what do you expect!"

A friend suggested to get the original bracket I had repaired; the bracket came back from a local machine shop. The cutout the sections around the holes and welded in a new piece of metal on both sides and ground them flat. The overall shape is great the holes line up.

My question is regarding the strength of the welded strong enough to hold the engine weight and torque? Should I use the repaired bracket, or should I search for a good used bracket?

[Joseph S.]

Re: C1 engine support bracket

Joe, I might have an NOS bracket. Let me look tonight when I get home!

[Joe P.]

Re: C1 engine support bracket

Joe, I might have an NOS bracket. Let me look tonight when I get home!

Thanks Joe, please PM me if you find it.

[Joe P.]

Re: C1 engine support bracket

Any thoughts on the strength question? will the welded metal that was put in place be strong enough to avoid any potential failure?

[Leif A.]

Re: C1 engine support bracket

Any thoughts on the strength question? will the welded metal that was put in place be strong enough to avoid any potential failure?

Done correctly, a weld is typically stronger than the metal around it.

[Terry M.]

Re: C1 engine support bracket

Done correctly, a weld is typically stronger than the metal around it.

Metallurgical analysis of the quality of the weld can be done short of sample destruction, but it requires specialized x-ray equipment among other tools. I would suggest nondestructive testing would be expensive; perhaps prohibitively so. Destructive analysis (extracting a sample) can also be done using specialized equipment, but in this case is hardly productive.

The skill of the welder (are they certified?) is your best option if you wish some assurance before going forward.

Disclaimer: I only spent four years in a metallurgy lab more than half a century ago. Procedures could well have changed since then (not to mention my memory), and someone currently involved in the science would likely have better suggestions.

[Terry D.]

Re: C1 engine support bracket

I would buy a new one, why worry every time you drive the car!

[Tom E.]

[Keith R.]

Re: C1 engine support bracket

I had the same pitting but filled them with JB Weld and filed them flat. Had no issues or leaks after installation with Permatex #2 other than the lower radiator hose blew off after shutdown! That JB Weld is tough stuff and rated to 500 degrees.

[Joseph L.]

Re: C1 engine support bracket

If the question was whether a welded part is as strong as an unwelded part, the answer is generally NO. The base metal, the weld material and the heat affected zone will have different mechanical properties. It is more apparent in higher carbon steels and alloy steels; not so much in low carbon steels. Uncontrolled cooling and the resulting microstructure of welding are to blame. That is what heat treatment is all about (normalize, austenitize, quench, and temper), and vital for tool steels. Try using a chisel that has not been tempered and watch it chip and crack. Watch Forged In Fire and get a small insight into heat treatment.
Joe