Exhaust Ketchup, and Alu Welding

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Filed under: truck by tamber
3 Ebrill 2025 @ 23:30

Since I had to take the manifolds off, and I know that a couple of the thin gaskets blew out, I thought I'd run a file over the flanges while I was cleaning them up, just see how flat they were.

Exhaust manifold flange, shiny metal around the port where a file has been used to smooth it out, except one spot around the lowest port isn't shiny and has a soot-mark trailing out from it

They weren't. Which is amazing, considering this is 1/2" plate that those tubes are welded to, but stainless loves to warp and pull with heat (As I have had Great Fun™ with, on the ongoing work project. See below) I filed them until there was a good solid ring around both ports.

Exhaust headers, but now with a coppery sealing paste applied around the ports

Then I applied a healthy saucing of high-performance exhaust ketchup, and nailed 'em back on, taking care to install them in such a way as they could pull in nice and square.

With the exhaust ketchup setting, I moved on to tackling the intake manifold. It looked like my best bet was to put the throttle-body on an angle, and notch the portion where it just hits the cab.

Looking down the length of the intake manifold, showing the throttle-body end having been relocated and now installed on an angle, with a necked in portion of manifold behind it

Intake manifold laying on the workbench, showing the new angle that the throttle-body sits at

I've also decided to fit the throttle-body in a different orientation, to try and squeak just a little more space; and hopefully by all those changes combined, I should now have the room to get this manifold in. Not yet checked to see whether or not those fuel lines have clearance to the exhaust manifold, but I'm hopeful that I can tweak those if needs be.

The ongoing work project:

The partially-rebuilt Master of Disaster wrecker out in the sunlight, showing the mostly complete new bodywork The other side of the Master of Disaster, at the rear corner, where two new LED lights have been installed in a sunken oval to make them flush with the back of the truck

It is absolutely amazing just how much stainless will warp. c.c