ive heard of this being done, and seen some them at swap meets. how do you straighten a manifold?
It seems to me that the best way to straighten an old manifold is to buy a new one!
I've tried to straighten them, but with no success.
You need a jig and a lot of heat, you get the area to be straightened red hot and tighten screws on your jig to move the warped area back into alignment. The rear exhaust port generally drops down in use and you need to move it back up. When its straight, then you let it cool slowly.
i know the repros are pretty cost effective, but if it can be done why not especially to have one with the Ford logo in it.
anybody got a picture of this jig?
Here is a link to the Tulsa clubs web site on this subject.
http://mtfctulsa.com/Tech/manifold.htm
Matt,
The Tulsa Model T Club has an excellent description and photos at: http://mtfctulsa.com/Tech/manifold.htm
I think there might be a you-tube showing that also -- but I may have remembered that incorrectly.
Good luck.
Respectfully submitted,
Hap 1915 cut off
WOW. thats pretty cool, ive got everything to do that! thanks!
I tried it and flunked.Mine broke.
But it has a new life as part of the dual exhaust for my speedster project.
What got me was the wrench thing.if you read the stuff posted above it says clearly to let the wieght of the wrench do the work.Follow that advice and you may have some luck with the process.
Lots of heat,applied in the right spot.
I think $80 applied toward a new one is better yet.
The new ones aren't much to be proud of either. The ports weren't drilled correctly on the last one I bought 3 years ago and needed to be corrected to fit. That's about as handy as a coil contact that's riveted upside down.
The secret to straightening an old manifold is to let the weight of the wrench alone tighten itself, then reposition it again as needed.
Garnet
I have bought two new exhaust manifolds within the last two months as the originals had shrunk in length, had blown out those two piece gasket things..... .......and the correct sleeve/copper gaskets wouldn't line up no way no how.
They fit perfectly.
Maybe better manufacturing processes now?
im currently running a repop, but if i could spare 80 bucks for new one why not, plus original stuff is cool.
this trick is definetly for the pohboys in the community, or the motivated.
I've replace two exhaust manifolds in the last year with new manifolds and the rings worked fine. Everything lined up just fine. However the fellow I got my manifolds from has straightened manifolds with a jig similar to the one listed in the post above with success. I don't believe he's succeeded 100% of the time.
I've straightened two manifolds using the Tulsa Technique. Worked great for me. Mack is quite right, just let the wrench do the work (no matter how much you want to "help it along").
The scrap metal yard rough-cut the I-beam. Total cost was about $15 for the steel plus whatever for acetylene and oxygen.
Does anybody have any experience with a vaporizer manifold?
Looks like a hole through the I-beam for heating from below is a good refinement.
Do you need to heat between 2 and 3 or between 3 and 4? I've only done 1, and it came out OK by heating between 3 and 4 but the metal is thinner between 2 and 3. I need to make a jig as I used a flat steel table and clamped the manifold down onto it. I heated and VERY slowly tightened the clamp until all 4 touched the table. I like lining up the glands better.
Noel — although the Before pic shows the first three holes are aligned (and one might thus expect to heat between 3 and 4), I only heated the 2-3 area on both manifolds.
It's rather fun to see the wrench drop by itself as the 2-3 area reddens up.
If you are making a jig I suggest the bottom torch-access hole that Steve mentioned and a scrap metal saddle as shown for the manifold-to-bolt contact point. I lubed the bolt threads to ensure it would turn easily under wrench weight.
I have done a manifold like the Tulsa group does. Notice the center of the jig is open for the two center ports. I had to go a few thousandths further down in the center, so when the manifold cooled it would be straight.