# Warped manifold flange. Any ideas on how to cheat this?



## vduban474 (May 8, 2004)

Like can i put like 2 or 3 crush ring gaskets in there. I've been using tin foil and that works great for awhile but the bolts keep coming loose and it will blow it out. Any ideas on how to keep the bolts tight? I'm using grade 8 with a lock washer and blue lock tight but i think thats just burnin up.


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## Impact_Wrench (Nov 22, 2003)

*Re: Warped manifold flange. Any ideas on how to cheat this? (vduban474)*

pull the manifold and have the flange planed down...
or if you wanted to cheat you could just weld the flanges together, thus removing the need for a gasket


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## fast_a2_20v (Jun 25, 2004)

just have it decked man... a really good crush gasket like felpro (i don't even think they make it yet though for 20v) might seal it, but they are such a bitch to put on and off that its definantly worth 30 bucks to make sure its flat before installing it.


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## D Wiz (Jun 20, 2003)

*Re: (fast_a2_20v)*

i just "decked" my very very POS ATP manifold (free plug for that POS cast POS manifold), and the thing was warped liek a mofo, man cast sucks period! and so does the ATP manifold, anyways, i used a "flycutter" tool on my milling machine, thing is flat as can be, thats the RIGHT and ONLY way to get it flat, dont even think of a belt sander....


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## fast_a2_20v (Jun 25, 2004)

actually machien shops use BIG belt sanders all the time. 
but you need a big one not some home handheld ****. 
I can't believe ATP has the balls to ship them out warped. lol


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## D Wiz (Jun 20, 2003)

*Re: (fast_a2_20v)*

big belt sanders to cure warping? im sure theres not much accuracy as a good flycutter, no way in hell, PLUS, how would you hold it down..... with yoru hands? i clamp my piece down TIGHT, level it and start to go little by little until i get one pass where some is taken off every runner, man, you learn somehting everyday, i cant believe someone would use a belt sander, im skeptic to that idea, well whatever


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## fast_a2_20v (Jun 25, 2004)

works fine, belt sander with a long enough belt to put the whole manifold on. 
decks it close enough for anything you can't see any inperfection with a flat bar i'm sure with a dial indicator you could find something. 
you just man up and hold it lol.


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## 2kjettaguy (Dec 24, 2000)

*Re: (fast_a2_20v)*

I have a surface grinder now, which is what ATP would use on steel. If you're not familiar it's like a horizontal mill with a 10" grinding wheel. The grinding wheel is dressed flat and it surfaces steel alot easier than flycutting it or milling it. 
I would just have it decked my a machine shop. Ask to have it surface ground instead of milled. 
BTW, I highly doubt ATP sends out warped manifolds. They are machined after they are cast. They would have to warp in shipping or on the shelf


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## Euro2NR (Jan 13, 2002)

*Re: (2kjettaguy)*

I am facing the same issue on my steel log mani....warped to the outsides. I planned on using a flycutter in our Haas vert cnc center, but I agree with evan, the surface grinder may be the best bet as it is a lot easier to hold on the magnetic table. 
To prevent further warpage, anyone take the advice of "Maximum Boost" and cut slits in the flange between each port to relieve stress and reduce warpage???? I considered throwing it on the cold saw after having it decked, but afraid that the slits will weaken the mani too much.....any thoughts?


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

*Re: (Euro2NR)*

everything warps when welded. only way to raelly minimize it is to bolt the thing to a head while welding.
and if you weld the insides, forget doing that.
a multiple insert face mill is the better than a fly cutter. a fly has 1 cutting tool spinning, so you gotta really slow the feed down.
a face can have like 8 or more and gives a much flatter cut.
BUT, belt sanding does work fine, as long as whatever is behind the belt is flat.


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## Euro2NR (Jan 13, 2002)

*Re: (speed51133!)*

yea, i agree that a face mill will be better than flycutting, but I still think the surface grinder would be a lot easier if the turbo flange is parallel to the head flange...get a LOT better surface finish too!
Either way though, any thoughts on that idea of slitting the flange between the runners to keep them from warping in the future?


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

*Re: (Euro2NR)*

it will still warp, but not as much.


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## Euro2NR (Jan 13, 2002)

update: fixed it last night....flattened it out on the surface grinder...wow it was warped HORRIBLY! Around .020 out on the edges...took almost 2 hours stepping in at .001 each pass. I do have to say the surface finish is AWESOME though!


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## Bad Habit (Nov 27, 2002)

*Re: (Euro2NR)*

belt sander woks just fine on something as un-crucial as an exhaust flange


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## bobqzzi (Sep 24, 2003)

*Re: (D Wiz)*


_Quote, originally posted by *D Wiz* »_big belt sanders to cure warping? im sure theres not much accuracy as a good flycutter, no way in hell, PLUS, how would you hold it down..... with yoru hands? i clamp my piece down TIGHT, level it and start to go little by little until i get one pass where some is taken off every runner, man, you learn somehting everyday, i cant believe someone would use a belt sander, im skeptic to that idea, well whatever

Surprisingly enough, it works great. I wouldn't do a cylinder head that way, but for things like manifolds it is fine, and take about 5 minutes instead of the hour or so a milling machine might take.


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## D Wiz (Jun 20, 2003)

*Re: (bobqzzi)*

surprisingly i guess than
liek i said, whatever. i have a miling machine and im anal about flat to flat surfaces and dont like to settle for less. im just staing the fact flycutting is 100% accurate, and more than belt sanding, not saying it doesnt work, 
and it takes me 5-10 minutes to deck intake manifolds and exhaust manifolds after warping.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

*Re: (D Wiz)*

youd be surprised how accurate it is.
nothing is "%100"
even grinding isnt 100%. here at work we lap sone things to get them real flat, because a 10 carbide insert face mill cant get it flat enough.
no way a 1 insert fly cutter would.
what the point is for every application, there are acceptable methods. obviously we dont lap all our work, just whatever demands it.
even cylinder heads dont need a perfectly flat surface, there are warping tolerances acceptable in the manual. 
for a exhaust flange, a 80 grit sanding finish on a belt sander is totally acceptable IMO. 
If your building a unique manifold and the flange isnt parallel to the turbo flange its pretty tedious to fixture it on the mill table. Even on a log manifold, I personally dont think the flange should be parallel to the head, it makes fitting the turbo alot harder.


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## Euro2NR (Jan 13, 2002)

*Re: (D Wiz)*


_Quote, originally posted by *D Wiz* »_surprisingly i guess than
liek i said, whatever. i have a miling machine and im anal about flat to flat surfaces and dont like to settle for less. im just staing the fact flycutting is 100% accurate, and more than belt sanding, not saying it doesnt work, 
and it takes me 5-10 minutes to deck intake manifolds and exhaust manifolds after warping.









^^^what he said







i am sure a belt sander is enough, but why not spend the extra few minutes on the mill to get it even better if u have it available? hehe i prob overdid it with t he surface grinder but once again, if u got the time, it can't hurt!


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