I'm currently trying to weld closed the sidemarker holes... only problem is I'm constantly burning through and I'm really already borderline on the setting where if I go to less voltage it wont penetrate, but bubble.
Any tips to try, tried CO2 and Fluxcore, both do the same.

 

get it tigged

 

What thickness wire are you using? Have you tried a argon mixture>

 

put a piece of metal behind it that's larger than the hole, tack it in place and then fill the area (thickness of fender)
with bondo.

 

Thats just asking for rust from between the two pieces. I have both 0.6 and 0.8mm wire.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Flashmn &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thats just asking for rust from between the two pieces. I have both 0.6 and 0.8mm wire.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If it were such a problem, your fenders would rust off the car due to similar places where they bolt to the car.

 

Well, not really, as the bolts have galvanizing/paint in between then, now if I weld a piece on the "wrong side" the paint between the two pieces have been burnt away = problems when it gets through there.

 

All you have to do is cover the inside with fiberglass.... I guess you could do the front with it also.

 

fiberglass... heh, no thanks, if anything I'd cover it with rust proofing chemicals.

 

just cut a piece of metal the same gauge as the fender to fit perfectly into the hole then stitch weld it into place and then grind downt he weld then use epoxy primer on both sides of the bare metal as its a rust proofing primer but when u weld in the piece you cut trying get it to sit a little lower that way when u use filler on it. It will follow the contour of the fender easier

 

You can tack in a piece behind and then spray the back of the fender with undercoating.

You could also just build up around the hole until it fills in and then grind it down.

 

Ok I think I got the problem, shitty welding gas. Just to be sure, shitty gas makes sparks fly and a non penetrating bead right?
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You can tack in a piece behind and then spray the back of the fender with undercoating.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Undercoating sucks in there, theres a wax based compound that we use in there over here. Undercoating is only to the underchassis, not the doors nor the panels.

 

For someone that has pretty much shot down every piece of advise, surprised you're still asking questions

 

Well, I was asking hints about welding it, not how to protect if from the elements, that I know how to do very well. Napier had the best advice so far, now I just gotta get some new gas for the mig and see how it goes then....

 

Honda metal is very thin as you know.. Its possible with fluxcore and argon with very low voltage and low wirespeed. Just tack it, let it cool and continue that way. Really clean the backside of the area you are welding too, any contamination just makes things 10x worse.

 

Heh, its not a honda its a toyota, but... heh same japanese metal

 

Get a piece of copper and stick it behind it. Copper wont weld so it will act as a piece of metal and wont let the bead from your weld go through the hole. Make sure the copper is bigger than the hole. the copper will be a little burnt but no biggy... get a thick piece of copper or wear gloves cause it will get hot real quick.