Those cheap welders work just fine, theyre the flux-core type. I have a Gas MIG, stick setup, TIG, then my flux core welder. Im always using the cheap flux core welder just cause its convenient. The main thing with those is that you need the recommended amperage coming from your power source. Ive had to resort to using a generator to power mine because I have no 40amp plug in the garage. I kept popping fuses before I realized it. BUT, I think you can find them as low as 20amp which is more common/easier access in homes.

Theyre are made cheaply however and they have no features of a good welder. Theres also usually some trial and error getting the power and wire speed correct. That and power is constantly running thru the wire so Im flashing myself all the time.

 

Thanks for the info, i'll look around and see what i can find. I'm still unsure if i want to do the repair myself or just have a shop do it for me. If i did repair it myself, what kind of steel do i need? thickness? gauge?

Also I bought another pair of jack stands, so I will have 6 total. I want to raise my car up and place them on the stands so its even with the ground but high enough to where i can get under it. I was thinking 2 in the front, 2 in the back and 2 in the center all of them on the structural rails of the cars frame, the jacks are 3 ton jacks and all have safety pins so the levers cant accidentally be kicked and released. will that be enough? or can i just have 4 of these jacks?

 

4 is fine. Thats 12k lbs of rated capacity (and quality stands are usually tested with a 2x factor of safety for a short interval), so that's already way more than enough for a sub 4k lb car.

Since you already have 6, it certainly wouldn't hurt anything to shove them under there too if it makes you feel better and they aren't in your way. Safety is one thing it doesn't hurt to go overkill on.

 

Awesome, I'll use the 4 i have. I was going to order another set on amazon but i think 4 will be ok. ill also have the wheel chocks, ramps and the jack in place as extra security. I went to the junkyard and found a license plate filler from a black Supercharged 05 SS monte, in perfect condition so all i have to do is paint it. I also scrounged some transmission pan bolts off of them for mine. My friends and I will be applying the POR-15 tomorrow, so that leads me to ask, what are good jack points on the car where i will not bend any metal? I was thinking the rear subframe crossmember for the back but idk about the front. Maybe the front subframe? i dont know though.




What about the bottom of the engine? in front of the trans pan I think it is, is that sturdy enough?

 

Jack stands are positioned under the pinch welds, the factory recommended jack lifting points.

Front jack stands positioned under aluminum cradle.

Front jack stands positioned under aluminum cradle.

 

So it's "Go time" for you eh? And you talked a friend into helping, awesome! Best of luck to you. Know you have been prepping for this for a minute now, time to get dirty and go save the Monte.

 

I gotta be honest i dont trust my pinch welds at all, they are rusted to hell and brittle enough to break off. For the jack stands themselves are those rails i have them under good enough? I got the new filter and new gasket and pan on there, looks nice. I'll take some pictures of it one of these days. Still have a lot more work to go. I didnt change the filter seal that came with the new filter because i couldn't get the one that was on there off and i didnt want to risk damaging the race or surrounding area so i just left it. I just gently tapped the new filter in place with a rubber mallet and called it a day, hope it wont be a problem, but I want to replace it next time i change the filter, are there any tools made for pulling those seals? Also my OE trans pad did not have a magnet in it so there was metal powder all over everything, so i will need to replace that too. The new filter i got said it was for a 4T60E transmission while the one i took off said 4T65E and 4T60E, but comparing them they were exactly identical so i hope that wont be an issue either.

There's the old one. Both fit exactly the same and we're identical in size and shape.

 

Not changing the seal out was a mistake. Even though it's sometimes a pain to remove leaving the old one it can cause the filter to sick air instead of fluid. You can't expect the new filter will be the same size. Usually you will have to remove the seal with a hammer and a screwdriver, sometime's you can get lucky and it will pop out with a hook tool.

 

Yeah that's what I'm worried about. I think I might re do everything, get a new filter, new fluid and find a tool to help remove that seal. I wanted to put new fluid in it anyways so I could get some of the old fluid out that circulated from the torque converter. The gasket should be just fine as I literally put it on yesterday, but I'm worried about that filter and seal. I should also get a magnet to put in the pan. Will any old magnet do? I mean I would get a good strong one so it doesn't come loose of course but I don't know if I have to have a specific kind?

 

Any magnet will work as long as it's flat and doesn't interfere with the filter As mentioned a standard (regular) screwdriver and small hammer will get the seal out. Basically your bending (destroying) the side of the seal to pry it out. And you can use a socket/hammer to drive the new seal back in place. Technically you can still use the same filter you just put in the transmission. I used to work at a repair shop decades ago and another technician ran into this issue because he didn't swap out the seal and the car had issues when you would take off from a stop. I'm not saying you will have problems, but it's definitely possible.