Loose manifold
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 20
Likes: 3
From: Stockholm
Loose manifold
Ok, i've been searching everywhere to find some info about this issue. All i could find was an older thread that seemed dead and without any straight answers. So i'm hoping someone here can help me out!
I'm upgrading my cam and when i took away the air cleaner i noticed that i could move the throttle body and manifold up and down pretty easy. When i removed the air cleaner the gasket was really stuck onto the throttle body and i had to use pretty much power to get it off. At first i thought i'd missed some screws, that's how hard the gasket was stuck onto the TB. Once i got it off i noticed that the throttle body and manifold could be moved up and down, i'll attach a video here so you can see what i'm talking about. This bike is from 2019 and has about 4500 miles on it. The air cleaner is the original one and i hardly doubt that it has been removed before this.
Will i be all good with a new gasket and just mounting my S&S air cleaner on to this or will i have to get new seals and re-install my manifold and throttle body?
All help is highly appreciated, thanks!
I'm upgrading my cam and when i took away the air cleaner i noticed that i could move the throttle body and manifold up and down pretty easy. When i removed the air cleaner the gasket was really stuck onto the throttle body and i had to use pretty much power to get it off. At first i thought i'd missed some screws, that's how hard the gasket was stuck onto the TB. Once i got it off i noticed that the throttle body and manifold could be moved up and down, i'll attach a video here so you can see what i'm talking about. This bike is from 2019 and has about 4500 miles on it. The air cleaner is the original one and i hardly doubt that it has been removed before this.
Will i be all good with a new gasket and just mounting my S&S air cleaner on to this or will i have to get new seals and re-install my manifold and throttle body?
All help is highly appreciated, thanks!
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 952
Likes: 528
From: Richmond TX
It sounds like you're going to have a manifold leak if it's not leaking already. It should not move at all. In order to tighten the manifold to the heads, you'll have to take your tank off. It's not that bad. When I installed my new cam I replaced the stock manifold with an aluminum one. I also installed larger injectors, so I've gone through this. When you're done you should check for any manifold leaks. I need someone smarter than me to chime in, but I seem to recall you can spray the connections with a bit of brake cleaner?? and watch for changes in the idle while running.
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 20
Likes: 3
From: Stockholm
When watching how the manifold is made it looks like it's gonna be a little loose however hard you're tightening the flanges, right? Looks like the flanges and gaskets are just slided on the sides of the manifold. So i have a hard time seeing how it shouldn't be able to move at all when tightened down with the flanges.
Please correct me if i'm wrong, but it looks like maybe it's supposed to be like this? I just want to make sure that i'm not putting the bike back together with a possible issue. I'll have a chat with my local dealer as well just to be sure. Thanks for helping out!
Please correct me if i'm wrong, but it looks like maybe it's supposed to be like this? I just want to make sure that i'm not putting the bike back together with a possible issue. I'll have a chat with my local dealer as well just to be sure. Thanks for helping out!
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 952
Likes: 528
From: Richmond TX
Well, my mmory is a thing of the past, but I don't recall my stock manfiold moving at all before I took it off. I know for sure that the new aluminum manifold was rock solid when I was done. I haven't made my annual mistake yet, so maybe this is it.
I just went back and watched the video. I can't imagine that's how it's supposed to be.....
I just went back and watched the video. I can't imagine that's how it's supposed to be.....
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 20
Likes: 3
From: Stockholm
I totally agree with you that it doesn't feel right when it's moving that way. But at the same time i cannot see what's supposed to hold on to it enough to make it "rock solid" when mounted. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 7,147
From: Las Vegas
Does your air cleaner have 3 bolts threaded into the throttle body and 2 more threaded into the heads?
Last edited by 702; Feb 21, 2023 at 09:33 AM.
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Novice
Joined: Feb 2023
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From: Stockholm
Yes, that is correct! I got the S&S air stinger waiting to get mounted.
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Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 20
Likes: 3
From: Stockholm
Yeah, it's just loose when the air cleaner is off. But it kinda makes sense seeing how the manifold sits in the motor - there's nothing holding it bolted down really. Do you think i'll need new gaskets for the manifold or will i be good to go with the new air cleaner? I can't recall having any problem with it before i started picking the bike apart.