Sliding Manifold Clamps?

[Ohio-Rider]

This past spring I pressure checked my manifold and found the rubber bands needed replacing, so I replace the bands and the clamps. Last week I realized it was taking to many kicks to start the machine and found that the rubber band clamps had slid and was causing the dreaded manifold leak.

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No big deal right? I loosened everything up, reset the clamps and bingo I’m back to a one kick machine again. I went for a short twenty minute ride and when I got back home the clamps had slid off again as shown in the picture. How tight do you guys tighten your clamps?

[wahoo]

Do you have a carb support bracket on that engine?

[mbskeam]

viewtopic.php?f=72&t=4919&p=18299#p18299

[Ohio-Rider]

Yep, I've got the carb supported.

Mike, Thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that one. Thats a great fix for an o-ring application but I wonder if it would solve the problem when using the rubber bands? The spickets on my heads require me to use band aids and not o-ring seals as was intended for this 56.

My method of tighening the clamps is to use the pressure check stuff I got from you a few years back. I apply pressure and tighen the clamps until there are no more noticable leaks. Then I snug the clamps just a bit more and call it done.

Aside from the clamp problem. These new rubber bands are already begining to feel mushy and showing stretch mark signs after only 1k miles. This is not good. What is the local Shell station doing to me? -Steve

[Cotten]

Steve!

Please don't tell me you are removing a head every time you service the manifold seals?

....Cotten

[Ohio-Rider]

Nope, I haven't even loosened the heads. I just muscle the seals into place. If no one has a better idea, all can think to try is putting the old clamps back on. They have a bit differant design then the new ones. The old clamps had a slot running down thru the center of the clamp where as the new ones are just a solid piece of banding. I've got to try something. Staring at it while drinking beer hasn't been working so I need to try something else.

[john HD]

your spigots are so chewed up you cannot use the original style o rings?

john

[Ohio-Rider]

Hi John, My spigots aren't totally destroyed but have seen better days. If and when I ever need to remove the heads I will have them repaired but till then there must be an adequate way of sealing these two parts together.

[62duoglide]

Back in the day before I knew better, I sent my stock intake manifold off to be chromed. Upon re-assembly, the clamps repeatedly slid as yours do. I figured the chrome shop removed enough material to cause the clamps to slide. A new manifold fixed it.

[doc308]

Years ago, I had the same problem on a'62 panhead. After trying different clamps, which didn't work, I used a stove bolt to keep the clamps in place. I stuck the slot on the screw into the side of the clamp and used a nut on the other end to creat enough pressure to keep the clamps in place. It never came off and worked well.

[Ohio-Rider]

Hi Doc, So you used one stove bolt to span between both clamps? Sort of like a turn buckle setup but in reverse? Hum.......

[steinauge]

What I did to cure a similar problem on a 61 FL with a late shovel top end on it (but without the -78A intake) was to use the old original sheet metal HD clamps and coat the inside of the clamp with Yama-bond.Been on there for 3 years now-no problem.I DO NOT normally reccomend any kind of snot on intake seals but in this case it was the only answer I found.

[NightShift]

Baleing wire ain't illegal, yet.

[mbskeam]

the other way I thought of was to weld 2, 1/4x20 nuts standing on end, then use a piece of 10x32 allthread and nuts, using this as a bridge between the clamps.....
this should not me to hard to do, or cost that much........

[LittleAl]

I used these type clamps, they seem to hold really well. they have a sort of groove in them that prevents them from sliding around on the rubberbands and they tighten up real nice, easy to get on too since they are 2 piece

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