The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Installing Fenton exhaust manifold

How many hands does it take to mount these anyway? I haven't heard of anyone having problems puting these on so maybe I'm just not thinking today. Looks like I have to install both Fenton pieces and the intake manifold at the same time. How do you do that with only 2 hands? Duct tape?
This is on a 235 with Edmunds dual intake.

If you get the one piece Intake/Exhaust gasket from Langdon and make sure the Intake Alingment rings fit real well, the job isn't that difficult.

Don't get me wrong...it still ain't a walk in the park but it is SO much easier.

Thruwurkin

I put the intake manifold on first. Use one "clip" on the end and one in the middle to hold it. Then put the exhaust manifold one side at a time. When you get one side of the Fenton's on you can take the clip off the other side and put that one on.
Piece of cake.

You're right about needing 7 hands! I just swapped gaskets last weekend.....a one piece gasket would make it easier. However, I've had luck by replacing the end studs with 3/8" bolts. I insert the center four shorter manifold bolts with clips and add the centering ring to the rear intake port. This holds the gasket in place while you slip the rear Fenton into place and in the rear hole (where you removed the stud) use a 3/8" bolt with a 1/4" spacer, which holds it out from the manifold, so you can get a universal 9/16" socket onto it. When you snug it up the header isn't going to go anyplace. Repeat on the front half of the Fentons. With the front and rear exhaust manifolds in place you just pop in the center intake ring and slide in the intake...minus the carbs. I'm running a dual setup and the linkage inhibits tightening the bolts. On a single carb you might have room without removing the carb.

After you get everything in loose, you'll need to reposition the gaskets from the underside of the intake/exhaust. They have a tendency to drop down and will leak if you don't push them up into position. I then add the 2 longer bolts and clips to hold everything in place. I hand tighten all the bolts down really tight...including the front and rear bolts that replace the studs. I've heard folks say not to use the bolts in the end holes but I've used them with no adverse effects. Both end bolts will need a little 1/4" spacer so you can get a box end wrench on the front and a universal 9/16" socket on the rear head.

After 500 miles I retighten all the bolts as the WILL loosen up. After you've done it a couple times it gets a little easier...but by no means is it easy. Just make sure that you spend time getting the head and manifolds thoroughly scraped down and cleaned with solvents and that you torque the bolts down as evenly as possible.

Dave

Great suggestions. This should help me a lot.
Thanks

One more question. I have 3 centering rings for the intake. These are stepped for adapting an earlier intake to the late 235. Problem is the intake bore is too small. The inside diameter of the centering ring is about the intake bore side. I assume there is yet another size centering ring for my manifold (Edmunds). If so, does anyone know of a source for these? The only other thought I have is to bore out the intake to accept the centering rings I have.

Dennis,
Ran across this post while searching for some fenton info. Don't know if you ever found your rings or not but they are available from most of the parts suppliers.
Mongo

Hey Mongo,
What I did was hog out the intake a bit to accept the 235 ring. Seems to work fine though I have not fired it up yet. Was going to do that today and the smoke got out of the starter. I'll try NAPA on Monday for that. I'm just doing the intake on round 1. I have to get this thing back on the road for a while.