Bent Heat Exchanger Flange

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:57 am

I don't think these picture do it justice, but one of the flanges that connect the heat exchanger to the exhaust has a bend in it. No clue on how it happened, but it was giving me an exhaust leak.

[albumimg]542[/albumimg]
[albumimg]542[/albumimg]

It's pretty thick steel, any ideas on how to bend it back to form?

Ritter · Post by **Ritter** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:35 am

Build it up with JB Weld and file flat? Extra gasket? Dunno.

dingo · Post by **dingo** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:19 am

primitive solution : put the flange face down on a flat piece of concrete like sidewalk or backyard...put the weight of your body on it, and slide back and forth on the concrete.....or put in a vice, crack a beer and start file-ing away

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 4:59 am

If it's really bent a lot, can't tell from pics. Take a hammer and ding away at it first, to get some of the bend out. Whether you ding from the back or the face is determined by a straight edge, like a framing square or a steel ruler or even flat a file. If the center of the sealing surface is high ding from behind. If the center is low, most likely, ding from the front. Then file.

Bill

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:40 am

Just have a machine shop square it.

bottomend · Post by **bottomend** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 6:19 pm

Build it up with weld material and then file it flat. I dont think you can "bend" it. It's pretty strong.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Bent Heat Exchanger Flange

Bent Heat Exchanger Flange