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Old 04-05-2006, 03:14 PM   #1
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Question I’m Exhausted!

I have found what looks as if it is a flap inside the exhaust piping on a flange between the exhaust manifold and the first down pipe on the passenger side of the 454. It has a fulcrum with a ball on it that would accept a cup on a lever of sorts – what is it?

With the engine running, swinging the lever from one position to the other (open to close or visa versa?) seems to have little if any effect. Nothing is connected to it and I cant find a possible candidate either.

I am very curious….
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Old 04-05-2006, 03:21 PM   #2
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Got a picture? Sounds like maybe some kind of polution control stuff. They're everywhere these days.

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Old 04-05-2006, 03:36 PM   #3
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I agree with Jim...IIRC it was supposed to help keep the heat in, and pre heat the intake manifold. My 70 GMC pickup had one...and my current PSD HAD one...but it is gone...new 5" big bore exhaust

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Old 04-05-2006, 03:46 PM   #4
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I am about to turn in now (11:30pm here) but will try and photo it tomorrow.

I am having a few days off to finish the conversion from generator to 900 Amp/hrs of battery with high rate chargers and solar panels.

I stumbled on this little baby when tracking down the charge cable from the isolator.

Thanks for the input, I will post again tomorrow night, hopefully with a picture.

Chuck

PS That's a big exhaust pipe!
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Old 04-05-2006, 04:08 PM   #5
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It's called a heat riser. Some are controlled by vaccuum, others by a spring, similar to a choke set up.
Since they are so old, they are a constant source of trouble and exhaust leaks. It takes very long exhaust studs to allow for the heat riser and sooner or later you will snap one of them.
Any good muffler shop will weld an extension on your exhaust pipe to allow you to bolt directly to the exhaust manifold.
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Old 04-05-2006, 04:09 PM   #6
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Sounds like a heat riser.

http://www.imperialclub.com/~imperia...aust/riser.htm

The heat riser is a thermostatic valve located in the RH exhaust manifold at its outlet (on Mopar big blocks, anyway). When the engine is cold, the bimetal coil mounted on the valve shaft closes the valve to essentially close off the RH manifold outlet. As a result, nearly all exhaust gases from the RH cylinder bank are forced to flow upward through the crossover passage in the cylinder head, through the crossover passage in the intake manifold, through the crossover passage in the LH cylinder head, and into the LH exhaust manifold. The heat added to the intake manifold has two purposes: 1) it acts on the choke coil to open the choke 2) it heats the intake manifold floor to improve fuel vaporization when the engine is cold. The butterfly valve doesn't pivot "on center." This means that the valve will be forced open under hard acceleration when the engine is cold by pressurized exhaust gases (as long as the valve is free). If the valve is stuck OPEN, no real big problems occur. The choke opens much slower than normal so you may experience bogging and black smoke during warm-up operation. If the valve is stuck CLOSED, however, you have a real problem. Obviously exhaust flow from the RH cylinder bank is severely restricted so performance will suffer. More importantly, tons of excess heat will flow through the intake manifold floor. The extra heat can cause engine overheating, vapor lock, carburetor warping, fuel boil-off after shutdown, and head warping. The heat riser on my 70 LeBaron was shot so I got an NOS repair kit from Frank Mitchell years ago. He must have cobbled the kit together, though, because the valve never opened. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone reproduces parts for the big block valve. Year one offer small block kits, though.
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Old 04-05-2006, 04:13 PM   #7
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I had a MOPAR that did not have this device, if you started the engine on a cold day and drove a short distance, 711 at the corner and cut the engine off it would not restart. The choke thought the engine was cold and as a result you would flood it before it started. When the engine cooled down and not before it would crank right back up.
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Old 04-05-2006, 04:24 PM   #8
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Thanx guy99,
Heat riser it is! I knew it was on every Chevy I ever owned...all both of them The one on the PSD is not really a heat riser but it supposed to help keep the exhaust heat in whilst the engine warms up....what ever, I plug mine in at any temps below 30.

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Old 04-07-2006, 08:35 PM   #9
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Hello YEs its a heat riser and they work best in very cold temps as Tarheel has said . Helps with cold start warmup . exhaust is restricted and forced thru the intake manifold crossover between the cylinder heads , heating up the intake under the carburetor . This helps greatly in preventing fuel droplets that cling to the intake runners. the heated manifold causes the fuel to atomize properly until warmup . By that time the bimetal spring on the heatriser (gets hot) and the weighted arm pulls the flapper into the open position. However , the darn things get stuck , mostly it seems closed ! You can have an exhaust shop put a new one on or remove it . most shops will . or put on those doug thorely headers . They are the best they make . Can be loud but make power . personal choice as you may not enjoy the noise or rumble .Thoise darn bib block manifolds always cracking ugh.

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Old 04-09-2006, 01:49 PM   #10
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This is not right on topic, but I've inherited a '53 Pontiac with a straight-eight flathead engine and a Hydromatic automatic transmission. This car has been in our family for over 32 years, and for the last 32 years, the heat riser has been inoperative.

This is a rather long engine with a long intake manifold. On cool, humid spring mornings, the car will go a short ways and then lose power and stop. Intake ice is the culprit. Sitting and waiting for the heat from the exhaust to soak the intake manifold and melt the ice so the engine can be restarted is a decidedly un-cool thing for a dude to be doing.

I need to fix that thing one of these days.

Lamar
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Old 04-11-2006, 08:44 PM   #11
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SafeHarbor,

That carburetor icing is a problem and if you touch the carb it is ice cold!Alot of 60s fords ,cars and trucks had a heated aluminum spacer under the carb your heater hose connected to it . You may be able to find one to retro fit to your straight 8 .I cant remember if that is a large 1 barrel carb or ..? it could be machined to fit the manifold ,they are about 3/4 inch thick. the ford straight 6 cylinders had them .you would have to check the wrecking yards to get one Im sure .The 250 cid specifically . I would not attempt I think to mess with the heatriser .The exhaust manifold is rare dont want to crack it.

Scott
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Old 04-14-2006, 02:02 AM   #12
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Thank you one and all for all your interest in my little quest; I think the subject may be ‘exhausted’! (sorry).

The articles highlighted were very interesting but I don’t think we have THAT extremes of weather here to warrant the fuss’n’bother.

I was hoping to post a photo of the item, but the size was too big. I will have to explore the ways of digital cameras. Its all new to me, I am very much the film man...35mm, medium and large formats and 16mm film, never mind I will get there....once the Airstream is ready for the road!

I think the next step after the electrical modifications are completed – Generator out - Inverters, battery banks etc. in…., will be the better breathing that I keep reading about. Tubular exhaust manifolds (Banana Branch(s) Manifolds we called them in the ‘60’s’), I believe is the favourite. Also fuel injection and hardened heads (I will start a new thread on that one.)

That might be a tall order over here in the UK.

Chuck
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Old 06-24-2006, 02:06 AM   #13
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Just for interest.
I split the flange on the exhaust where the flap is. The spindle is still there, but the flap has been removed. That is a relief as I know now the restriction is minimal. Next step is definitely headers, when I can get some to UK at a sensible cost!
Thank you all for your help and input...
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Old 06-24-2006, 02:26 AM   #14
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Carb icing! Who'd have thought I'd see this topic show up here? I had a '80 Ford Fiesta that was prone to this. At the time I was teaching skiing at Crystal Mtn up here is Washington. The road to Crystal has a long stretch along the Green River where you go up and down in elevation. Of course you're right near freezing in a humid climate and on numerous occasions conditions were "just right" for the Fiesta to coast to a stop due to carb icing. What a POS. Nothing to do but sit and wait for the heat from the engine to rise and off you go again. Why is it that I'm a Ford fan

-Bernie
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Old 07-15-2006, 06:47 PM   #15
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Just for interest, I think this is what it is, or should I say, was...

Found it on ebay item 60008798191

Click image for larger version

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Old 07-16-2006, 02:45 PM   #16
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No ,is is right looks new and that is the heat riser valve ,get it if you need it !

Scott
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Old 07-17-2006, 03:31 PM   #17
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Er No! I don't think so.... I have enough problems now!!!

My next stage is the tubular manifolds, or headers as you call them.
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