exhaust
 

i squared out the middle of a washer. and cut one end straight so the nut couldnt spin. have the washer held on with a c-clip. i think that is the stock set up. but i was missing the lock peice.

the threads in the cyl head are often the worse for wear, and it was a pretty bad system to start with
there are all sorts of serious mods that have been used to overcome this problem over the years
if we assume that you have the standard single bolt set up, then the first thing is to make sure that you are actually making the bolt tight enough
this may be difficult if the threads are a bit sad
it is common to use a helicoil, or even an insert, to ensure you can correctly tighten the fastener
the use of an allen head can help
using a small od flat washer with matching lock washer is also useful
positioning the pipe so that the flange is sitting as flat as possible against head is a good idea
if it is on a big angle(as it can be with many pipes) it is much more likely to come loose
(some have been known to grind the flange weld off, bolt it to the head, fit up the pipe, and then tack it together, remove and weld...... makes for a much better seal)
having the other end very secure can assist with the top staying put
you could try converting to a stud and nut arrangement(do not use nyloc)
all the best

If you do not have thread damage try using some Loctite Stud & Bearing Mount. In addition to that you could use a .031 safety wire to help secure it. For that you would have to replace the bolt or drill a hole in the head of it in order to help secure it.

Got a file?
 

20 years, no loose pipes.
Buy a set of round copper tube exhaust gaskets. You can get them at J&P. Then loctite a set of studs in the exhaust ports. Go ahead and use the strong stuff.
Here's the work part. Take the 1/2" nut and lock it down on a bolt with another couple of nuts. You're gonna need two of them so put them both on.
Put the bolt in a drill press and, using a good, fine hacksaw blade, carefully cut a groove in both nuts. Go far enough for the c-clip to snap on, but don't dig into the threads.
The big, half moon shaped piece is just a great big washer that I cut and ground to shape. The hex shaped hole in the middle is easier than it looks.
Drill a 1/2" hole in a block of wood and find a center punch that has a 1/2" hex shank. Put the washer on the block and drop the point of the punch through the hole. It'll stop when the punch widens to the shank. Rap it with a hammer, turn it over and rap it again. Then file the washer flat on both sides and do it over a few times until the shank of the punch passes freely through the hex in the washer.
Then you have to cut and shape the washer so that it fits the radius of your pipe.
Put the gasket on the pipe, put the pipe on the head, put the lock-washer and grooved nut on the stud and crank it down until the gasket starts to flatten. Stop when the gasket has fully seated and one of the flats on the nut is nearest the pipe. Slip the washer that you just spent all the time cussing at onto the nut and secure it with the c-clip.
If you secured the stud in the exhaust port correctly, you're problems will be over.

that idea has been for sale in kit form, very cheaply, for years
it never works properly, as you have to stop tightening in the right place to get the first washer on..... as opposed to correctly tightening the nut to where it needs to go
if the stud idea is used, just lock 2 nuts together if you feel the need.... much easier
you could always use an acorn nut second, thereby qualifying your ride as a full on custom:icon_wink:

lmfao!

Hey Dynaman,
That's why you use the tube-type gaskets. Once they seat correctly, you've still got a lot of squish to them before they're bottomed out. If you ever need to take a pipe off in the middle of nowhere, you don't need a new gasket to keep it from leaking when you bolt it back on.
Now, I don't know what's in the newest Custom Chrome bolt-on crap-catalog has, but back in the late '80's, we came up with this. It hasn't failed once.
If you can get the parts cheap, that's great, but it works, period.

Got a bag of those round copper shovel gaskets If you need some let me know That is a good set up I use studs in my shovel heads

I don't recall ever having the exhaust flange bolt come loose as long as the threads in the head were alright and the rest of the exhaust system was properly supported, keeping the weight of the exhaust system off the bolt in the head. Check that by bolting the exhaust system in place without the bolt in the head and adjust stuff until the head pipe flange is held right up against the head. Then put the bolt for the head in (with anti-seize compound) and tighten it up.
I used those round, copper seals also. I used to get them from the Honda shop. 450 Honda exhaust gaskets from the seventies.