Pilgrim Manifolds

[bc_suv]

Has anyone found an effective way to tighen the bolts that hold the manifolds to the heads?

About 50% I can get a socket over and tighten properly, but the others I have to tighen with the open end of a spanner......

Anyone else had this problem and solved it?

All the best,

[kayjayd]

Originally Posted by bc_suv

Has anyone found an effective way to tighen the bolts that hold the manifolds to the heads?

About 50% I can get a socket over and tighten properly, but the others I have to tighen with the open end of a spanner......

Anyone else had this problem and solved it?

All the best,

Allen bolts are far easier to tighten and even then the odd one isn't that easy to get to.

[Sidecarbod]

Must admit that I've not had a problem tightening mine apart from the fact that it takes ages and I have to do half of them whilst under the car.

(Mind you I haven't got Pilgrim headers, someone made mine but there not brilliant)

I wonder if you can get cap head bolts of right size and thread? that might help.

Edit...Kev, snap!

Regards,

Pete

[john cohen]

Hi Bc-suv yes and no



John

[wilf]

I use socket head bolts.

A short length of the correct size allen key and a 1/4" drive socket set with a socket that also fits the allen key lets me get to even the most difficult ones.

Although my engine is a ford small block, no reason why this can't work on any other engine, so long as you can get the correct thread and length socket head bolts.

I cross drilled the heads on my bolts so that I could lock wire them after a couple of heat cycles and re-tightening. Also, plenty of copper anti-seize grease on the threads means they come out agian later, too.

Edut: Blimey - three or four posts at the same time!

[plantman]

I found it best to use stainless steel star headed bolts. You can get a ring spanner on them and do them up as tight as you like. I cut down a ring spanner and put a tube on it for extra leverage.

[wilf]

That's good plantman, but be aware that stainless bolts into ally heads can gall and seize - use plenty of copper-ease grease on them.

[Don347]

Originally Posted by bc_suv

Has anyone found an effective way to tighen the bolts that hold the manifolds to the heads?

About 50% I can get a socket over and tighten properly, but the others I have to tighen with the open end of a spanner......

Anyone else had this problem and solved it?

All the best,

Hi,
Like another reply here, I have the Allen key socket head bolts to hold the manifold onto the Chevy 350 standard cast iron heads. With a combination of Allen keys, particularly the ones that have a ball end to them, and a 1/4" drive Allen key socket set, I managed to get them all done up. I did find that there were some of the bolts that you could only do up gradually as the manifold got closer and closer to the head. If the manifold was tight up to the head, then the curve of the manifold pipe away from the port, obstructed you from getting the bolt into the hole in the manifold plate. On my one anyway. Hope yours is easier.
Don

[salypenter]

Hmmm yes thay are a bit of a bast@rd.

I used a spanner (open one end, ring the other).

You should be able to get nearly all of them on using the open spanner.

There was one which I had trouble on even using this. Solution, fit the open end of the spanner to the bolt head at 90 degrees, i.e. the spanner pointing directly out at you from the block so it is only connecting to the bolt head at two points (top and bottom of spanner jaws). Tighten it as hard as possible finger tight.

Then get a big screwdriver and with the spanner attached as above slide the screwdriver through the other end of the spanner (the ring end) and use it as a lever to tighten the bolt).

Takes time and patience, real case of less haste more time.

You have no chance with sockets!