blown header gasket!

[aboz]

Anybody out there familiar with the Clifford intake/exhaust system for an in line six? I'm having a hell of a time making it work. I've blown 3 gaskets so far and I'm about to give up and put the factory pieces back on. The only reason I put it on in the first place was to get a little more power and it looks damn cool with my Holley two barrel on top. The problem seems to be the difference in the flanges. The intake flange is a good 1/16 to an 1/8th inch thicker than the header flange. Clifford instructions say to bend your washers to make up the difference and tourque the bolts to 25 lbs. Try getting a tourque wrench in those tight spaces! Nearly impossible! Any advise?

[gtbrain]

I probably shouldn't be posting since I don't have the same setup as you, but something similar. I have the cast iron split header from Tom at Stovebolt and an Offenhauser intake. The intake in places was thicker than the flange on the header so I used a file and dremel to take down some of the material on the intake to make the flanges similar in thickness. I used the original washers where i could and a thicker washer where I couldn't get them to fit. I also pulled the studs at either end and replaced with a threaded stud so I could add a nut at the ends. I torqued in sequence to 25 lbs. As far as the ones I couldn't get the torque wrench into, I just went by feel.

[aboz]

Tell me more about the split cast iron header and where to find one. Thanks.

[gtbrain]

Here is the link to the exhaust page

http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/aca...asp?catcode=44

Tom is very helpful and willing to give out information on these old six bangers.