That bottom middle exhaust manifold bolt!

Discussion in 'Small Block Tech' started by koosh, Jun 4, 2021.

  1. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    That set up would probably work but I can tell you from experience with anything that has a ball end on the allen WILL strip out eventually so you DO NOT want to use this to COMPLETELY torque that bolt down. And you do not want to try and loosen that bolt with the allen head after it has been tightened up, it will strip guaranteed.

    It will work great to get the bolt snugged up but in the the end you are still going to have to get that wrench and your hand in there to do the final tightening of that bolt. Unloosening will be the same you will have to use that wrench to get it off. Then you can use the allen set to finish it off.

    Actually I would not use a ball allen if I can help it. Great for getting bolts back in but a regular allen is what is needed to finish it off, If you want to tighten that way. I would still not do it that way, just get wrench and hand in there to finish.
     
    DaWildcat likes this.
  2. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

    Agreed I only use the Allen to snug the bolts up then a wrench cut shorter with the box end ground to make it thinner.
     
  3. sriley531

    sriley531 Excommunicado

    Last time I was involved with header install on a sbb, we removed engine mount bolts and slightly elevated the side we were working on. It was tedious but got them tight. Just be careful if you're the one underneath, I know what it feels like to have an sbb lowered into place and have the collector pin you to the floor by your throat. Not a good feeling.
     
    Mark Demko likes this.
  4. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    Well I hate to burst the bubble on this but the allen wrench idea will not work. I went out and tried to get an allen in there and just could not get to a good angle. I was using a 3/16 allen wrench to see if I could get to that center bolt. The danged header is just in the way to get a good shot at the middle of the bolt. I even tried to go underneath to get to it and nope no go there either.
    I use the TA 1 3/4 headers so they may be slightly different than the 1 5/8 header

    But there is hope I took some wrenches out with me to see which ones I did use on this and fellas the Craftsman ratchet box end wrench set is the one that will work to get the bolt loose and be able to get back on with some finese. The wrench will hit the header after you get the bolt so far out so the other bolts will have to be loosened up all at the same time. The ratchet will work to give more swing on the wrench.
    only bitch about this is this set costs about 100 bucks. It also has the lever to switch back like a regular ratchet. I actually got the wrench stuck in there testing it and had to move the lever to get the wrench to fall down so I could get it out. so you do need the set where you can change like ratchet not all those ratchet box end wrenches do that.

    Also I would not notch out the center of the header so you can slip over the bolt it will just leak after a while plus the split will be there and then you know it will leak. murphy's law
    Also if you have your headers on there for a long time like I did you WILL be changing exhaust gaskets 2 times in 25+ years so get used to putting that 1 hr bolt in. They just leak after a while and always at the track or when you take a trip. lol

    It is just tight in there and that bolt is the 1 hour bolt because it takes that long to get it in there so go get a beer and get ready for h...
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2021
    Mark Demko likes this.
  5. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    Did you go in straight from the outside with a long allen wrench or did you try to use the standard 90* angle wrench?
     
  6. Mart

    Mart Gold level member

    One hour if you keep your cool.....;)
    I remember cutting those middle bolts down by 2 full threads. Still plenty of
    fastening strength, with two threads less of aggravation....:D
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2021
    Fox's Den likes this.
  7. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    I pretty much used all angles to get it to work short, long bent sideways, just cannot do it. The header makes a bend right off the bat which keeps you from getting any straight, angle, it just sucks. I thought this would be a great idea to get that center bolt in but to no avail.

    Nope just have to wrench it in there as best as possible. The Craftsman ratchet box end did fit but I know you can only get it loose as the head of that wrench is big too and as soon as you loosen that bolt up the head of that ratchet wrench will hit the header and then you wont be able to get it off the bolt. I know this will happen as I barely got the box end on there as it was because of the fat end.

    The one thing I would do before I put the headers on would be take that center bolt and put it in the head 6-10 times in and out to make sure it goes in there using the two tips of your fingers to put it in. since that is the way you are going to do this when the header is on. Once it goes on nice and easy with your fingertips then you can put the headers on.

    easy peasy what's the problem? :eek::confused::D
     
    Dano likes this.
  8. Storm1

    Storm1 Silver Level contributor

    Dano and Mart like this.
  9. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    Get that carb on there from Mart yet? How is the engine running you got some good stuff there.
     
  10. Storm1

    Storm1 Silver Level contributor

    Qjet is still on. Waiting on Mark to show me how its done! :D

    I don't want to muck up this post with all the joys of the bottom header bolts. I can post more of what I did and where I'm at in the SP3 post.
     
    Mart likes this.
  11. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

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