Chevy Small Block Exhaust Manifold won't line up? There's a cheap tool for that!

[@HygroHybrid]

Found it $12 amazon Lisle wedge spreader. Thank you for this video. I was like WTF, there's gotta be someone with info on this and your video is the only one. 👍

[@johneverett3947]

Never knew they made an actual production tool for that but it makes sense. Years and years and years ago I made my own version of that in a couple of different sizes using heavy duty turnbuckles. They came in very handy not only for exhaust manifolds but any time you need to push something apart, even down to holding a belt adjustment on a hard to reach component. Of course you never leave these on the vehicle ( except when you forget 😂😂). Wrench safe everybody. 😊😊

[@ronsena8595]

Interesting tool

[@roger5638]

Kent used to make a lot of tools like this. I made one once, and it sits in my special tool section of my box.

[@williepotts2185]

Most mechanics don't even know or seen one. Kinda makes you feel old. Still looking for one of those board stretchers. 😉

[@garya9875]

Thanks for that Kenny been working on cars on and off for 54yrs and I never seen or heard of that tool.

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

I was kinda surprised when I realized there were soo many people that have never seen this tool .. Super simple tool , and works great !!

[@michaelszczys8316]

I'm 67 and while it's not that odd of a tool I have never seen it used for manifold spreading. ( tighten just a leeetle bit more.........crack )

[@rcf8367]

Never seen one before!, right & left hand pitch threads.

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

It's a pretty simple neat little tool !!

[@frank9649]

Yep, they do work great ! a pair of them is nice to have and put them on before you take the manifold off. Keeps everything lined up from the start :) Be well !

[@spelunkerd]

Interesting idea. Turnbuckles with opposite threads are normally used to tighten shrouds on a sailboat, or tighten support cables on a bridge, or tighten the cover on a clutch cable, or adjust the length of a swing arm. Here, instead of tightening to shrink, you turn the opposite way and tighten to expand.

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

It works !!

[@alanearnest6040]

They were life savers

[@dennissmith8199]

I wish you had made this video a year ago when I was rebuilding the 350 out of my '70 Nova. When I went to install the manifolds, the bolts wouldn't line up! I was baffled, I knew they came off that engine, but the bolts wouldn't line up. I ended up buying a new set of manifolds and they fit just fine. I still have the originals, so I might get the tool and put them on, or just keep them with the car as the original parts. Thanks Kenny, you solved a mystery for me!

[@harveysmith100]

Lisle 13000. About 20 bucks. I can see that being useful in more applications than just manifolds. Add a some blocks of wood and you could spread or move lots of things.

[@kirkfranks1]

That would have been nice first time i replaced a front wheel hub. At least worth a try.

[@rickwidlund3512]

Nice showing what it is & how to use it. Great tool knowledge.

[@scuba422123]

wow showing my age! back in the day so many chevys blew up i dont even know if its still in my tool box?? ill have to check

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

LOL !! Such a handy little tool to have . Rarely use it , but when I need it , it comes I'm handy !!

[@DS-ss396]

I have one in my tool box. I used it between the body and engine to get a harmonic balancer out of a Ford Tempo. Lol!!

[@jimdooner4375]

Wish I had that tool years ago but I made up something similar with a threaded rod connector and some 3/8 ‘s grade 8 bolts and half nuts notched the bolts on a grinder and used it mabey 10 times in 30 years but never failed to get the job done.

[@JG-kv4oi]

I used to just slightly drill out the 4 end holes on the manifolds so there wasnt tension on the manifolds. Modern day Hemis, Fords and GMs are all breaking their manifold bolts at the rear. Looks like someone needs to come up with a fix something along the lines of a 3.6 Pentastar manifold, looks rinky dink but seems to work. Havent seen one come in leaking yet unless it'd been smacked.

[@robertqman5751]

Nice tool tip. Its something I never had need for because back in the day we weren't putting manifolds back on we were discarding those and installing headers but I can certainly see this would have been useful then to install those as well. 😛

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

Most of the time. I was doing the same thing !! But there was always that pesky customers car .......

[@cpcoark]

Never knew that existed. Thanks.

[@lancemoreland6254]

It is a Lisle Exhaust Manifold Spreader 13000. Edit: After posting this I see that others have mentioned that already.

[@gman8464]

Awesome, you just saved my ass ,I love you lol

[@tombeilman5579]

I used to ream the holes out also

[@thomask4836]

Interesting! I never saw that but sure wish I had one! I do have an old belt spreader that looks similar from Warshawskys Auto in Chicago. Nice tool when I needed a third hand. Just got to remember to take it out before starting the car.

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

I worked with a guy years ago that had a belt spreader . It did come in handy like you say . This is a very similar concept and is a life saver !!

[@bobblum5973]

Warshawsky & Company around Chicago, J. C. Whitney about anyplace else. So many fun things in their catalogs!

[@thomask4836]

@@bobblum5973 - And the store was amazing! Back then, they were the Amazon of auto parts and tools!

[@bobblum5973]

@Thomas K My understanding was that the building was huge, the Warshawsky's address was for one street, while J. C. Whitney's address was around the corner on the other street! That may not have been true, but it sounds like something a business like them would do. It's similar to St. Louis Bread Co. In St. Louis that's usually what they're called, but when they wanted to spread to other areas they came up with Panera Bread.

[@thomask4836]

@@bobblum5973 - They had a storefront connected to the warehouse. Sometime special order things took a while for pickup so you were better off ordering over the phone and then waiting a while for pickup. The had a wide range of items. Some cheap, some really exotic but you could get everything there! I missed it when they closed. At that time, Trak Auto came on the scene in Chicago and offered a 7yr 70k warranty on their parts and I think that really hurt Warshawsky's. Now they're gone but they set the business model for Auto Zone, O'Reilly's, etc.

[@greggc8088]

Nice. I've never used a spreader except on a Chrysler diff. Beats aligning one or two bolts and going at it with my 3 or 5 ft prybar.

[@Sctronic209]

Sweet tip.

[@robertboykin1828]

I used a coupla bolts & a knut.

[@pcterm2]

tool is Lisle 13000--amazon is still listing

[@bootstrapjesse]

Lisle 13000 Exhaust Manifold Spreader

[@HygroHybrid]

has anyone ever told you that you look like the kid from the Christmas story " you'll shoot your eye out kid". 😂

[@earlfleming7635]

I googled the Chevy small block manifold tool and got photo but couldn't send to you. They also have OEM tool looks the same.

[@RickPollard-kq3zn]

Had a set for years

[@isidroguzman6836]

Lisle 13000 Exhaust Manifold Spreader for Small Block Chevrolet Engines

[@bobblum5973]

Any technical / mechanical field will have specialty tools like this. Can you do the job without them? Probably. Is it a heck of a lot easier with it, can you do the job better with it? Certainly. I bought a special SK brand sending unit socket over 40 years ago, because it made the job quick and easy. I've hardly needed it since then, but happily keep it in my tool box for those "special occasions".

[@jefferypowell9885]

I've had this tool

[@ronsketchley6669]

I;ve seen one,owned one,used it many times but im way older than you!!

[@paullaird7944]

6 cylinder manifold

[@ralphmadera4366]

Lisle 13000, Amazon $9.95

[@mitchellmerrill8459]

Remember the cheap headers?

[@JeffreyStrader]

Modern RAM 345's (5.7 Hemi) are bad at warping. My 1973 Dodge 360's exhaust manifold literally exploded!................(scared the daylights out of me and my wife!)

[@williamwelling4872]

It looks like a brake drum adjuster

[@richardlambert1544]

Looks like a break shoe adjuster

[@grounded-b937]

Lisle #13000