Or could one find magnesium? I'm asking mainly about "general" wheels for regular Porsches.

For intstance, the very common, lightweight Turbo Hollow-spokes. What's the chances there to find magnesium?

Did a search on this and didn't find much. Thanks.

 

basically all aluminum is an alloy but few wheels were really magnesium which is a good thing since magnesium burns far too well and is impossible to put out the fire with water...The term "Mag wheels" is not very acccurate and much missunderstood.

 

Real "Mag" wheels:

 

I figured not all magnesium just for that reason and cost. But if it's an alum alloy, could there be some magnesium?

Specifically curious if I could apply weld w/o torching the wheels....

 

The normal Porsche alloys can be welded on ....no problem with fire ! I recall Porsche did make a few mag wheels for racing cars even a magnesium chassis car ....story goes one caught fire at Riverside and they had to bury it to put it out !

 

Salt will put out Mg fires, water makes it worse as it decomposes into H2 and O2 and provides more fuel. So called Mag wheels are typically not, but those with some Mg, and very much lighter than expected, usually only have around 5% of it, but its enough to make a difference.
jp 83 Euro S AT 52k

 

can we (they with normal factory intake) weld a S4 intake?
I still think mine is aluminum.

Can you weld mag?

mk

 

there are a lot of aluminum alloys that contain Mg. for instance a few common wrought alloys 2024 ~1.6% Mg, 6061 ~1% Mg, 7075 ~2.5% Mg... there are also many Mg allow where Mg is the primary as opposed to the alloying element. To weld Mg you need an extremely clean environment and good shielding / inert atmosphere. As with all base metals there are alloys with better and worse weldability. Our Shops (American Airlines Overhaul Facility) weld Mg on a regular basis.
If you have a spacific alloy I can brobably get you the weldability rating for it. also pre and post welding a lot of materials require heat treat either to increase weldability or to restore mechanical properties.
If you have spacific questions I may be able to help. Also I have access to some good equipment for material identification.

 

Some of the early VW engines were Magnesium. When Mag. burns it looks like someone is arc welding. The light it produces it very intense. It will even catch fire if you grind on it in some cases. It's pretty cool stuff.

I have no idea about your factory wheel question. Sorry. I do know that some of the 911 RSR wheels were Mag.

 

The 911s used mag engine cases for the later 2 liter engines and all up to the 2.7 liters of 1977. They were a disaster because the head studs pulled out of the cases on the smog equipped 2.7 engines. The 78 SC three liters went back to aluminum for good reasons.

 

944 Turbo Cup cars were offered with magnesium phone dial wheels, 8J front/9J rear. Pretty rare.

 

Magnesium was used in photography, first in the flash bulb then as a magnesium wire-wool on flashbulbs. Yes,it burns fast and bright!

 

Yes, magnesium can be welded.

Hammer

 

Very, very carefully

 

Quote: Yes, magnesium can be welded. Hammer
Quote: Very, very carefully. Jim Bailey


Want some cheap excitement? Grind a VW case to get a little pile of shavings. Then grind some steel or iron to ignite the pile with the sparks. BTDT, as a witness. I was glad the first pile was small and the bench was on an outside wall of the shop, and not covered with oily rags and flammable materials.