JBA Shorties - how to torque

[cvillechopper]

I just swapped out my stock manifolds due to the common broken bolt on each side. Put on a set of JBA ceramic shorties (went ahead and wrapped them too). Not too bad of an install compared to what I've heard. Only issue is how the hell do people actually torque these? I can't figure a way to get anything but a wrench on them and sometimes that is the open end at an angle. Felt like I had them nice and snug, ran the engine for about 20 min and then was able to get just a touch more out of a few bolts the next morning. Was nice and quiet. Now that I've gone for a 45 min+ drive yesterday and let her fully cool overnight, came out this morning and had a little bit of exhaust tick which was the whole reason for the project. Figure I'll need to go back through and snug everything but really don't want to over tighten. Pretty good at estimating torque usually but with the crazy angles, not so sure. How did others get these tighten down properly?

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

First I have to ask, did you follow the pattern to tighten the bolts?

Once you follow the pattern you really just need to tighten them like you would the oil drain plug if you can't get a torque wrench in there ...

This is how I did my buddies when we installed the shorties on his Ram and no issues so far ... we were told to torque them to 18-25 ft.lbs

Drivers side

8-4-1-5
7-3-2-6

Passengers side

5-1-4-8
6-2-3-7

 

[cvillechopper]

Yep. Went from inside to outside. Not sure about your numbering but I basically started with the top of one of the inner exhaust ports, did the bottom of that one then the other inner bottom, that top one, then the outer bolts. Went 4 rounds increasing torque until I felt like it was in that 18-25 range. Just having a difficult time with the few that you can't get a good bite on like the passenger side, top, second from the rear. Can barely get an open end on that one at a crazy angle...

 

[Wild one]

First I have to ask, did you follow the pattern to tighten the bolts?

Once you follow the pattern you really just need to tighten them like you would the oil drain plug if you can't get a torque wrench in there ...

This is how I did my buddies when we installed the shorties on his Ram and no issues so far ... we were told to torque them to 18-25 ft.lbs

Drivers side

8-4-1-5
7-3-2-6

Passengers side

5-1-4-8
6-2-3-7

If you don't have a torque pattern to work with,the general rule of thumb is to start with the center bolts,and work your way out in an ever widening circle pattern

 

[Wild one]

I just swapped out my stock manifolds due to the common broken bolt on each side. Put on a set of JBA ceramic shorties (went ahead and wrapped them too). Not too bad of an install compared to what I've heard. Only issue is how the hell do people actually torque these? I can't figure a way to get anything but a wrench on them and sometimes that is the open end at an angle. Felt like I had them nice and snug, ran the engine for about 20 min and then was able to get just a touch more out of a few bolts the next morning. Was nice and quiet. Now that I've gone for a 45 min+ drive yesterday and let her fully cool overnight, came out this morning and had a little bit of exhaust tick which was the whole reason for the project. Figure I'll need to go back through and snug everything but really don't want to over tighten. Pretty good at estimating torque usually but with the crazy angles, not so sure. How did others get these tighten down properly?

What gaskets did you use, JBA gaskets aren't generally a good header gasket.Either use OEM style or Remflex gaskets 6022.The Remflex versions have a pretty good rep.

MOPAR Header/Exhaust Manifold Gasket

REMFLEX EXHAUST GASKETS are extra thick and compressable. REMFLEX gaskets fill voids on warped header flanges and exhaust manifolds. REMFLEX gaskets are good to 3000 degrees. REMFLEX gaskets won't burn out. No retorquing required with REMFLEX GASKETS.

catalog.remflex.com

Pardon Our Interruption

 

[cvillechopper]

What gaskets did you use, JBA gaskets aren't generally a good header gasket.Either use OEM style or Remflex gaskets 6022.The Remflex versions have a pretty good rep.

MOPAR Header/Exhaust Manifold Gasket

REMFLEX EXHAUST GASKETS are extra thick and compressable. REMFLEX gaskets fill voids on warped header flanges and exhaust manifolds. REMFLEX gaskets are good to 3000 degrees. REMFLEX gaskets won't burn out. No retorquing required with REMFLEX GASKETS.

catalog.remflex.com

Pardon Our Interruption

I ordered and used some Felpro. They seemed really solid compared to the JBA gaskets. Def would not have used those.

 

[Wild one]

I ordered and used some Felpro. They seemed really solid compared to the JBA gaskets. Def would not have used those.

The multi-layer Felpro's are good gaskets. I think Felpro actually make the OEM gaskets

 

[blackbetty14]

I’ve used the felpro stock replacement a and they are meh… I had leaks on new gaskets with shorties. I replaced with remflex and never had a prob and never had to retighten either.

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Yep. Went from inside to outside. Not sure about your numbering but I basically started with the top of one of the inner exhaust ports, did the bottom of that one then the other inner bottom, that top one, then the outer bolts. Went 4 rounds increasing torque until I felt like it was in that 18-25 range. Just having a difficult time with the few that you can't get a good bite on like the passenger side, top, second from the rear. Can barely get an open end on that one at a crazy angle...

Lol sorry ... the driver's side is the bolts on top and bottom so you start with 1 then directly below to 2 then left to 3 up to 4 far top right 5 below six left bottom corner 7 and top left corner 8 in that sequence... sorry for not explaining what that was lol ...

So you pretty much did it like my numbering ...

I had a hard time getting a wrench on some of them specially driver's side top I think, I had to use little stubby wrench to tighten them up ...

 

[DILLIGAF]

Its 18 ft/lbs no one needs a torque wrench for that. #fullsend

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Its 18 ft/lbs no one needs a torque wrench for that.

Yeah, I think I asked the same question on here a while back and someone said the same thing you just did and we didn't use one lol ...

 

[the_goodguy07]

Welp @CheechDogg.0n37s I guess we need to retorgue the afe shorties. lol

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Welp @CheechDogg.0n37s I guess we need to retorgue the afe shorties. lol

Nah, we torqued those fawkers good ...

 

[the_goodguy07]

Im hearing a knock at start up again.

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Im hearing a knock at start up again.

I doubt it's the headers, we didn't put the heat shield back on there which is what caused the knock before ... @Wild one you think lose headers will cause a know just at startup ?

 

[Wild one]

I doubt it's the headers, we didn't put the heat shield back on there which is what caused the knock before ... @Wild one you think lose headers will cause a know just at startup ?

I've heard headers cause all kinds of noises,so it's a tough one to diagnose with-out being under the truck.If you have a stethascope might be worth crawling under the truck,and listening to the oilpan noises.A piece of 3/8" fuel line will substitute for a stethascope if you don't have one handy..

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

Does the knock go away quickly or once the engine gets hot?

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Does the knock go away quickly or once the engine gets hot?

I will have to ask him ... but I haven't heard this knock lol ...

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Does the knock go away quickly or once the engine gets hot?

Well he says it goes away after a few seconds ... so something loose?

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

Well he says it goes away after a few seconds ... so something loose?

Maybe. Doesnt sound like a leak as it would have to have some more heat in it to "seal" a leak.