tips/tricks for fitting stainless steel heat exchangers Options

[jmargush]

Getting ready to attach the heat changers to my heads that came from HAM.

Doesn't appear that they are going fit right up easily.

Does anybody have any tips or tricks for getting them to fit?

Do they normally require some convincing to go on?

[r_towle]

three fitment issues I have had.
At the studs, fix is to dremel out the loop on the HE to make it line up.
I have never seen a new stud that is bent, but plenty of crooked holes in heads, cross threaded studs, and poor insert alignment.
Easiest to tweak the HE at that point...
I have had to remove and move on loop on one HE....the rest have been close enough to make fit.

At the head, fix is to ensure both parts of the HE that touch the head are flat and on the same plane...
Heat up and anneal the copper gasket to make it crush better.

At the muffler, this just takes some twisting to get things to line up perfectly or the gasket will leak.
I have used two gaskets per side on one car...just cause it works.

I bolt up the HE to the heads while hanging the rear loose on the bracket only, with no muffler.
Only after I am done, tight and torqued to the head do I introduce the weight of the muffler into the mix.

oh, as stated in the previous post, it will leak the first time.
If it leaks at the head,...remove the muffler and fix that issue with no weight on it.

Rich

[914_teener]

three fitment issues I have had.
At the studs, fix is to dremel out the loop on the HE to make it line up.
I have never seen a new stud that is bent, but plenty of crooked holes in heads, cross threaded studs, and poor insert alignment.
Easiest to tweak the HE at that point...
I have had to remove and move on loop on one HE....the rest have been close enough to make fit.

At the head, fix is to ensure both parts of the HE that touch the head are flat and on the same plane...
Heat up and anneal the copper gasket to make it crush better.

At the muffler, this just takes some twisting to get things to line up perfectly or the gasket will leak.
I have used two gaskets per side on one car...just cause it works.

I bolt up the HE to the heads while hanging the rear loose on the bracket only, with no muffler.
Only after I am done, tight and torqued to the head do I introduce the weight of the muffler into the mix.

oh, as stated in the previous post, it will leak the first time.
If it leaks at the head,...remove the muffler and fix that issue with no weight on it.

Rich

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Leaned this trick to get them to seal:

1. Apply a thin coat of copper based RTV to each gasket.
2. Pop the gaskets in the heads and let them sit for a bit.
3. Apply another bead of RTV...this time let your finger create a bead and let it set up a bit.
4. Fit up the HE's and torque them to spec by evenly tightening them.

Note: Make sure they will fit up prior....which is what stage you are at now.

[jmargush]

three fitment issues I have had.
At the studs, fix is to dremel out the loop on the HE to make it line up.
I have never seen a new stud that is bent, but plenty of crooked holes in heads, cross threaded studs, and poor insert alignment.
Easiest to tweak the HE at that point...
I have had to remove and move on loop on one HE....the rest have been close enough to make fit.

At the head, fix is to ensure both parts of the HE that touch the head are flat and on the same plane...
Heat up and anneal the copper gasket to make it crush better.

At the muffler, this just takes some twisting to get things to line up perfectly or the gasket will leak.
I have used two gaskets per side on one car...just cause it works.

I bolt up the HE to the heads while hanging the rear loose on the bracket only, with no muffler.
Only after I am done, tight and torqued to the head do I introduce the weight of the muffler into the mix.

oh, as stated in the previous post, it will leak the first time.
If it leaks at the head,...remove the muffler and fix that issue with no weight on it.

Rich

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Leaned this trick to get them to seal:

1. Apply a thin coat of copper based RTV to each gasket.
2. Pop the gaskets in the heads and let them sit for a bit.
3. Apply another bead of RTV...this time let your finger create a bead and let it set up a bit.
4. Fit up the HE's and torque them to spec by evenly tightening them.

Note: Make sure they will fit up prior....which is what stage you are at now.

Engine is still on the stand
I want to try to assemble the exhaust while it is on the stand since it will be so much easier to get everything to fit right instead of working overhead