ATTN: Bittersweet SHO intake coupling owners

[92ShoOff]

Hey guys I've unfortunately only had a few minutes of time on my hands the past few days and I've gotten frustrated and have given up twice now trying to install these couplers on the intake runners and butterflies.

I had the silicone couplings sitting out in the sun for 15 minutes prior to working with them, in order to make them a little more pliable. I used a little vaseline and when I put the couplings on the runners they keep sliding off because the diameter of the couplings is too small. I'll get the band clamp on them nice and tight and the vaseline only helps them slide back off without effort. I then tried installing a coupling on the butterfly side first. Once you get the coupling on there the other side that would go on the runner shrinks down so small that there's no way they'll slip over the runner.

Any advice on how to succesfully install these things?? I would've never imagined them to be THIS difficult to where I had to resort to asking someone else how to do it. But the INSIDE diameter on these couplings is the same inside diameter as the runners, and as thick as the couplings are it's making it a hard time for me.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[FoeSho]

I have this problem putting on Magnum condoms too

No seriously, it sounds like you are doing eveythign right. Maybe bake the couplers in teh oven at 250 degrees for 2-3 minutes and put them on right away.. I doubt sunlight is hot enough. Silicone is good to well over 300 degrees.

 

[Yamaha V6]

I have installed Blue & Red ones to date, both were slip-fit. I have not installed black yet, but if you have black & want an easy swap with some easy-to-install blue ones, feel free to look at my Wanted To Trade post in the WTB section. :-D

 

[AREA 91]

I just installed mine 2 days ago. No heat, or vaseline. They went on without too much of a fight.

 

[SHO--ripper]

The black ones are a PITA. The blue and red ones are easy going like fred said. I've been trying to find the coupler size that i use for the red and blue ones in black but i can't find it anywhere. I can send you red or blue for the runners/butterflies if you want.

 

[AREA 91]

Mine were black.

 

[inverse1216]

when i was building my cai i had a few couplers that were to small. the way i went about expanding them is get some boiling water i mean hot enought to scald you and just drop them in there for a few minutes and then try getting them on there. i dont have any experience with bittersweets stuff so cant help you out any more then that.

 

[mikeylikesit]

heat the couplers and freeze the intake runners.
at work (finning) we freeze bearings and pins to about -60'C and it contracts the metal enough to make them easier to work with.
but wear leather gloves. its a little cold to touch with bare hands.

and remember. frozen metal tastes like candy *shifty eyes*

but i do agree with putting the couplers in boiling water. should make them easy enough to pry onto the runners.