Removing Stuck Harley VL Intake Nipples

Removing stuck Harley VL intake nipples without damaging the cylinder threads became necessary after an over-zealous repaint of my cylinders. I needed to remove the nipples so I could clean excess paint from the threads, and this intake nipple job tied directly into the broader VL cylinder and head prep work on the project.

The front intake nipple came out easily with a strap wrench, but the rear nipple was stuck fast. After trying a number of tools, penetrating oil, and the usual shop tricks, I decided the only way to grip the intake nipple without destroying the threads was to use a tool that held the nipple from the inside. The cheap solution was a small tailpipe expander that I picked up from Amazon for $15.

For more period shop work and prewar Harley technical articles, visit the VL Tech archive.

stuck rear Harley VL intake nipple before removal after cylinder repaint — The rear Harley VL intake nipple was stuck fast after the cylinder repaint, while the front nipple came out with a strap wrench.

Using a Tailpipe Expander as an Intake Nipple Tool

Your standard tailpipe expander has eight sections that are forced outward by two cones mounted on a threaded shaft. I found that it was tough to get a good grip on the tool with all eight sections installed, so I removed every other one.

small tailpipe expander used to grip a Harley VL intake nipple from the inside — A small tailpipe expander provided an inexpensive internal grip on the intake nipple without grabbing the threads from the outside.

tailpipe expander modified by removing every other expansion section — Removing every other expansion section helped the tailpipe expander grip the inside of the intake nipple more securely.

Positioning the Expander Inside the Intake Nipple

Once the extra sections were removed, I inserted the tool into the intake nipple so that the front O-ring was just past the end of the nipple.

tailpipe expander inserted inside Harley VL intake nipple with front O-ring past the end — The expander was inserted so the front O-ring sat just past the end of the intake nipple before tightening.

Removing the Stuck Intake Nipple

Using a 5/8-inch wrench, I tightened down the tailpipe expander until it was snug. Then, using a 10-inch pipe wrench, I slowly unthreaded the intake nipple.

I did have to loosen, rotate, and retighten the tailpipe expander several times to keep it at the right orientation for a good turn with the pipe wrench.

10-inch pipe wrench turning tailpipe expander to remove stuck Harley VL intake nipple — After tightening the expander with a 5/8-inch wrench, a 10-inch pipe wrench slowly unthreaded the stuck intake nipple.

Important Rivet and Thread Notes

Note in the picture above that the rivet holding the intake nipple in place has been removed. This must be done before trying to unscrew the intake nipple.

I was lucky and just pried mine loose, but you may have to drill it out if it is stuck fast. Also make sure the threads under the rivet are not damaged, because damaged threads could ruin the cylinder threads as you unscrew the intake nipple.

Also, do not try using vice grips to hold the tailpipe expander. They have a tendency to crack the sections, which I learned the hard way. Good thing I had four spares.

Harley VL intake nipple removed with cylinder threads ready for paint cleanup — With the intake nipple removed, the cylinder threads could be cleaned before reinstalling the nipples with sealer and screws.

Reinstalling the Intake Nipples

I will be using the same tool to reinstall the intake nipples once the paint is removed from the threads. I also plan to use Block sealer and to drill and tap the rivet holes so that screws can be used in place of the rivets for easier removal in the future.