Alluminium clamp.

Back years ago you used to be able to get something like this for capacitors on cars. Most were steel, but some I remember were an alloy of some kind. the give away was that they did not go rusty.

I doubt if they are made today though. Brian

Google for 'saddle clamp'

Loads to choose from

Thing is they all tend to be variations on a steel strip which I can make myself. I was really after something a bit better looking - I could best describe what I want as looking more like a big end bearing cap. Purely from the look point of view.

You mean something like a pillow block or plummer block?

Not really. Thinking more of two clamps perhaps 5mm or so wide. Obviously a plain steel strip clamp would do the job - just fancied something better looking.

A 'Hospital Bracket' perhaps, or a 'Stauff Pipe Clamp'?

Cheers

In article , Dave Plowman (News) scribeth thus

This, I suppose isn't quite what you mean?...

Something like these maybe? But they only come in doubles for 47mm = 1/ 7/8"

The prices *will* be silly

You could possibly DIY with superglued/loctited together square aluminium along the split line, cut the large hole with a holesaw in a drill press and file the ends round. Far easier on a lathe or milling machine though :)

Right - see if I get any better tips for this one. ;-)

Made up the plate. The output of the valve is a cast ally pipe of 22mm OD. Not as perfect a pipe as, say, 22mm copper as it's part of a casting. Really meant for a hose, but I'm poking it into the plenum direct. There is already a larger hole there for the old idle valve.

So what I need to do is seal between the pipe on the valve and its mounting plate, to stop air getting into the plenum.

It would be nice to allow for easy dismantling if needed.

I wondered about fitting an O ring? Could make a second plate to sandwich it. But how to cut a suitable rebate in both those plates to contain the O ring and allow it to expand when they are clamped together? Or should I just use a sealant of some sort?

Think is it will be visible - more or less on the top of the engine - so body filler or whatever wouldn't look that good.

I suppose something like a rubber grommet that the pipe is a tight fit into might do - but the mounting plate is 6mm thick.

Here's a drawing of it:-

Might be easier to follow your description with an elevation rather than a plan?

Didn't need that for the mounting plate. And I'm not going to draw one specially.

What I think I need is a top hat grommet or seal.

Plenty around, but the only ones I can find which are close come from the US.

I need 22mm inside diameter. The US ones are 3/4" - but might be ok. But can only buy them in bulk with high postal charges.

Cast one from silicone?

Easier said than done. ;-)

Pity the valve spigot is not slightly more concentric in the hole, it it was then a second plate clamping a sheet of neoprene with a hole cut or punched through it would make a reasonable seal. If there is a bead on the spigot it may mean you require a slightly bigger hole in the neoprene sheet which may hinder the sealing.

Rather than directly fix the valve to the plenum I'd be tempted to make a triangular shaped flat plate to bolt to the three holes which are presumably where the orignal idle valve fitted, drill a hole through and loctite in a bare pipe spigot*, and then use a bit of hose to connect to the new idle valve.

• I seem to recall someone in the UK motorsport trade had a range of these off the shelf, all I can find are weld on threaded ones from think automotove and merlin motorsport

One idea I has was to make a second plate of the same thickness (6mm) - needn't be as large - and do some form of rebate round the holes of both, to contain an O ring which would compress between them. But not sure how I'd make that rebate with the facilities I have.

I already have a hose outlet of the correct size which fit the plenum. But it's a fairly awkward place to fit anything - lots of other things close by, and quite tight to the bulkhead. Which is why I've mounted it as is. I could have fitted the valve elsewhere and just run hoses to it - but trying to keep things as neat as possible.