These studs come loose. I’m talking about the actual studs themselves. Anyone have and suggestions how to lock these things in place?
My thinking is to “blunt off” a part of the thread just enough to make it tight going in giving a mechanical bind. Anyone tried this? Anyone have any other ideas? I really don’t want to try welding them in place…cast iron and steel!!
I’m using Norlocks on the nut side so am good there.
I would suggest red loctite
Dennis
Red Loctite is pointless on an exhaust manifold - the temperature is WAY above the release temperature of the Loctite.
Regards,
Ray L.
How odd: I never saw the studs come adrift…?
Deforming the threads, then install as tight as possible is what I’d do.
The knobs on the ends of the handle of a vice I use are locked in place by some kind of deformation. It looks like someone placed the end of a center punch where the handle touches the know and smacked the punch with a hammer. See picture below. This might work on the manifolds but I’d want to have the underside of the flange supported.
It softens but I’d think that it remains between the stud and the threads to prevent vibration? Or does it soften so much that provides lubricity? I’ve never had the issue personally. On mine it was always the nuts loosening.
Did you use the double nut trick to firmly tighten the studs Les?
Red Locktite, at that particular juncture, will provide no locking.
Well… loctite was an idea!! Thanks for the comments
I wonder if a little “rustlock” would do the trick? When the manifold is hot, drip a couple of drops of water on the exposed end of each stud. Judging by how hard it was for me to remove some of mine, the rust was doing a pretty good job…
I knew a guy years ago who, when lacking a lock washer, would “booger up” (bugger up?) he threads of a bolt with a pair of pliers to keep it from loosening. Not a procedure I’d recommend though.
I agree - hard to imagine they want to loosen - but I sidestepped the issue by removing the studs and used socket head cap screws (with Nord Locks):
Those have never loosened.
Yes, over the years I’ve tried just about everything with limited success, except the banged up thread idea…the studs coming loose, on my car anyway, I’m sure is why despite drawing the nuts down really tight and even using the Nord’s, they still after a while work loose. I did think about red loctite but as you guys say, really just too hot right there. I hate to fit the new SS system along with ceramic coated manifolds, just to have the bloody things leak!
I think I’ll remove them, deform the threads and lock them down as tight as I can get.
Another thought along with John’s idea is to grind a small slot in the top of the stud and using a punch, deform the casting into that slot…bit scary though given that it’s cast iron. What do you think Ray?
Why deform the casting? If you slot the stud, then after installing, tap the sides of the stud out with a cold chisel, that will lock them in place. Don’t knock them way out into tulips, just expand the end enough that it won’t work free.
I wonder if you could run those socket head cap screws in from the top to serve as studs.
I’d imagine that just expanding each end of the slot with a center punch would do it.
Why?
The socket heads work, fine, and are easier to snug up with a ball-ended Allen on a 3/8 drive.
Permatex. the brown stuff
I used the safety wire washers that cycle racers often use. The trick is to link them all together, which is a bit**. All 4 unscrewing in a manner that defeats four linked together isn’t likely.
I agree with Andrew. I have to imagine that the reason they’re working loose to begin with is that the threads in in manifold are worn. Threading in a deformed stud will mangle them more.
So treat them just like the screws on the carburetor butterfly valves. Remove it and slot the end of the stud as if you want to use a screw driver on it. After threading it in, stick something into the slot and pry the halves apart.
Another thing I did: I helicoiled a few of the worn threads.
I cannot see how the brown pig poo Permatex could work, either… but, I never tried it.
