1950 263 straight 8 exhaust bolt

5

50supertom

Member
Need some input! I notice a lot of straight 8's have the first bolt missing on the exhaust header, including mine, which I have had for 50 years! Some say it's a line up pin that is missing! I am rebuilding the engine now. If there is a reason for them breaking maybe I do not want to replace with new stud and bolt and run risk of cracking cast iron header. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks for your time.
 
Yes,

Take the manifolds bolted together as one unit & have them refaced at a competent machine shop so you know everything is flat as possible & you know there should be NO alignment problems & the manifolds will not break.

Tom T.
 
Not specific to your car. Im thinking alignment pin can be made from a longer bolt or steel stock if it's missing. Bolt you cut the head off.
 
GL03 said:
Not specific to your car. Im thinking alignment pin can be made from a longer bolt or steel stock if it's missing. Bolt you cut the head off.
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I actually found the broken bolt and nut sitting in the frame where radiator sits after I removed the engine! I was curious to why a lot of the straight 8 had the same bolt missing? I am thinking putting a new one in, but not torque it down to tight. Thanks for reply spring is just around the corner!
 
When we put my granddaddy's '52 Super back on the road in 1971, after sitting for 6 years, my dad discovered that the front manifold bolt was broken off. Dad had owned Buicks since 1946, and he told me that most of the straight eights that he had worked on had a broken front bolt. He thought it was from vibration.
 
Muley Gil said:
When we put my granddaddy's '52 Super back on the road in 1971, after sitting for 6 years, my dad discovered that the front manifold bolt was broken off. Dad had owned Buicks since 1946, and he told me that most of the straight eights that he had worked on had a broken front bolt. He thought it was from vibration.
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thanks for reply. A little self-relieving pressure point! They will run fine without it.
 
I do not know the rhyme or reason, BUT some came with no bolt there or in the back hole. If I remember correctly, the hole, threaded, had a short plug with screwdriver slot installed.

From the factory, no gaskets were used. A graphite/ oil mixture allowed the manifold to "move" slightly.

Ben
 
firstofeight said:
I do not know the rhyme or reason, BUT some came with no bolt there or in the back hole. If I remember correctly, the hole, threaded, had a short plug with screwdriver slot installed.

From the factory, no gaskets were used. A graphite/ oil mixture allowed the manifold to "move" slightly.

Ben
Click to expand...
thanks Ben, The guy rebuilding my engine says they make a special sealant for exhaust manifolds. I do not plan on using gaskets.
 
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