Intake nipple install and removal tool

[Wayne Mc]

Hello Everyone,
Has anyone made an intake nipple installation and removal tool?

tia

Wayne

[Cotten]

Wayne!

You will find that it takes more than one tool.
Some suggestions can be found at http://virtualindian.org/11techleaktest.html.

Most often it is best to cut and crush the nipple for removal, as un-screwing it often destroys the threads on the way out. The rivet hole has often distorted the nipple's threads:

RIVTHOLE.jpg

Patience, and good luck!

....Cotten

[Wayne Mc]

Hi Cotton,
Thanks for the tip on cutting the old one out. I've got a set of 1950 heads here that someone converted to O-Ring style nipple however they are pooched and I want to replace with the OEM style screw type. I MIGged the ID to shrink up the old intake and it came out pretty easy. However the 20 TPI threads are a bugger to clean up without the proper 1 3/4 - 20 TPI tap (I doubt if anyone has one of these hanging around.
I'm going to sit down , get a coffee and figure this out. I think I can make a cam lock style tool to install and remove any style of intake fitting without too much trouble.
I'll post some pics or diagrams when I get this figured out.

Thanks
Wayne

[Cotten]

Wayne!

You may be able to take a section of the old nipple and make a chasing tool with it:

thrdchsr.jpg

...Cotten

[Wayne Mc]

Thanks Cotten,
That's a great idea!
I'll be sure to save the old nipples to make one of these.


Thanks
Wayne

[Wayne Mc]

Did up a set of prints for a tool that should work.
I'm heading out for a 5 day vacation tomorrow but I'll get this made up when I get back and post the results.
Looks easy enough to build with some round steel stock and some lathe time


Cheers
Wayne

[Panacea]

I don't know if there are spanner wrenches available so I just made one out of 1/8" plate steel, the problem was I had to bend the handle to fit into the intake area, then bend it the other way for the other side. This would be better done before the heads were installed. I found out both new nipples were loose after the bike was running. Never assume anything...

[Cotten]

Panacea!

A spanner would work for an O-ring conversion nipple, but not for an original "plumber's" design nipple.

I use an expanding collet:

NPLCOLLT.jpg

....Cotten

[Kuda]

Panacea!

A spanner would work for an O-ring conversion nipple, but not for an original "plumber's" design nipple.

I use an expanding collet:

NPLCOLLT.jpg

....Cotten

That's slick! Being much less creative, I just used two old nuts stacked together, with a piece of round plate welded across the top with a 1/2" square in it. Screw it onto the nipple, stick a 1/2" ractchet in the hole, and (CAREFULLY!) tighten away. Obviously, this works only for installation, not removal. For that, I just cut and crush 'em...

-Kuda
'49 panchop

[Wayne Mc]

Hi Guys
Got back from Vacation! Barely (Got the last flight out of Nassau before Irene hit)
I had time yesterday to make this tool.
It works on the same cam principal as an inner pipe wrench.
Fits into the intake nipple although they are quite smooth inside and I found using a strip of fine emery cloth gives it more bite without marking up the inside of the nipple.
I used a 1/4 inch drive extension for the cam (not enough room for a 3/8 drive) and for use with a 1/4 drive ratchet.

Cheers
Wayne

[Cotten]

Wayne!

I hope the 1/4" drive will provide sufficient force; my collet starts to slip at what I would guess is about 40 ft/lbs at least.

My cam-action tool is used for the riveting procedure, rather than screwing in the nipple:

anvil.jpg

It presses the rivet outward, and provides an anvil for the peening. When the head is off the motor, the anvil is held in a vise so the head can be twisted upon it.
My rivets are individually cut with a tapered head instead of a flat-bottomed button like OEM; This allows the taper to squeeze into the reamed hole for a press-fit seal from inside, and minimizes the need for extreme peening that may split the casting.

For those of you who choose Colony nipples, beware that the parkerizing often must be removed, and both the silly O-ring and enormous rivet saved for some other use. Inspect also that there is not also an enormous champher upon the internal diameter that would cause the manifold seal to miss its seat upon the nipple face!

....Cotten

[steve_wood]

Nice job Wayne! Damn I wish I had a lathe and a mill. Maybe I should sell all my woodworking tools.... nah.

[Wayne Mc]

Hello Guys,
I like the rivet tool Cotten. I'll try to make the time next week to spin one off on the lathe.
I think the 1/4 drive should be enough for the job but we'll see later when I install the nipples. I may preheat the head to open up the intake a bit.
You are right about the o-ring. Turf it!

Steve, you can buy a half decent lathe from Grizzly tools. Avoid the drill and mill combo setups.

My next project is to make a tap to clean up the threads. This should be fun!!

Cheers
Wayne