Manifold fitting - an alternative to slotting

[bobfather]

I'm considering alternatives to slotting the bottom bolt holes because I'm fitting ARP's with nordlocks and I'm worried that the smaller shoulder area of the ARP's will reduce clamping force if I cut the slots

I'm looking for thoughts from those who have struggled with this job. I can see the potential for this to go wrong by a bolt slipping off during fitting but it still looks good to me

Any thoughts?

[carsy]

Give it a go, looks ok to me.

Just put mine back on and i find the struggle is not getting the bolts into the manifold but getting them started in the threads in the head. I hold the bolts over the hole with a stick type magnet and then wiggle them in. Still fidly but works.

Nice looking manifolds BTW. ACT ?

[Sardonicus]

I have fingers like sausages and have never struggled with this job must of done about 10 sets using ARP & stock bolts with 9/16 heads etc top bolts in 1st but left loose then the lowers and then progressively nip up fuel hoses! now their a

[bobfather]

Yes carsy, ACT st st precatless manifolds.

[bobfather]

My biggest problem was that the top bolt on the starter motor was threatening to shear so I decided to take an alternative route to the last bottom bolt

[Chuffmeister]

bobfather said:

My biggest problem was that the top bolt on the starter motor was threatening to shear so I decided to take an alternative route to the last bottom bolt

Not a bad idea actually. Just pop in a bung when you're done. I've slotted mine BTW. Much easier to get on and off. I used studs on the bottoms, but think I'll use ARP's on the bottoms next time. I can usually get all the bolts off from the top, apart from the two over the starter. It's usually the size of the nuts on the bottom of the manifold/ studs that make it a little more awkward to get a spanner around without it fouling on the manifold.

[bobfather]

Chuffmeister said:

Not a bad idea actually. Just pop in a bung when you're done.

It'll have to be heat resistant. The hole is very close to the manifold

[Pupp]

Slotted here and with ARP/nord combo. No issues save the hardness of the materials means the serrations on the washers maybe not as effective as imagined. Still have to nip up the ones right under the scuttle periodically. Can just about get to all mine from top but have heater rail deleted, which helps

[bobfather]

ARPs do appear to be harder than the nordlocks, that's the wrong way round. The nordlocks would be more effective if they were used with the old mild steel bolts

[ChimpOnGas]

Pupp said:

Slotted here and with ARP/nord combo. No issues save the hardness of the materials means the serrations on the washers maybe not as effective as imagined. Still have to nip up the ones right under the scuttle periodically. Can just about get to all mine from top but have heater rail deleted, which helps

This is exactly my experience with the ARP & Nordlock setup, although more recently they seem to not require the six monthly nipping up.

I've had the ARP Nordlock combo for over three years so perhaps its only now after a number of tightening sessions they have actually started to work as advertised, or perhaps the ARP threads have just started corroding into the head

[bobfather]

This sounds like the benefits of ARP's may be outweighed by reusing the original mild steel bolts with nordlocks. The nordlocks will bight into the bolt heads and manifold flange so they will never loosen. More difficult to fit but you never need to retighten

[Sardonicus]

Pupp said:

Slotted here and with ARP/nord combo. No issues save the hardness of the materials means the serrations on the washers maybe not as effective as imagined. Still have to nip up the ones right under the scuttle periodically. Can just about get to all mine from top but have heater rail deleted, which helps

Yeh This seems to be the pattern Gary, I have a new solution for my new build and it involves lock wire but not in the traditional sense.

[bobfather]

Would it help if the contact surface of the ARP's was roughened prior to fitting? The nord's would then have something to lock onto

[Sardonicus]

Those ARP's are bloody hard

[bobfather]

but if they could be roughened that would provide an interference surface that the nords could latch onto

ETA perhaps using a centre pop to pop-mark the surface

Edited by bobfather on Friday 30th January 20:15

[Sardonicus]

bobfather said:

but if they could be roughened that would provide an interference surface that the nords could latch onto

ETA perhaps using a centre pop to pop-mark the surface

Edited by bobfather on Friday 30th January 20:15

You'll struggle

[bobfather]

Actually very easy, bolt in a vice, centre pop all round. It now latches to the nordlock very strongly

[Pupp]

Genius

[jojackson4]

Thanks for that guess what am doing tomorrow
I may as well as the starter and pipe are still off

[Sardonicus]

bobfather said:

Actually very easy, bolt in a vice, centre pop all round. It now latches to the nordlock very strongly

Suprising