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Heat Riser

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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 01:05 PM
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Default Heat Riser

As purchased my car didn't have the heat riser valve, should I replace it?

I recently purchased the correct 3124 carb. which will be installed, does the hrv work in conjunction with the choke?



Brett
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 01:48 PM
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The heat riser valve works independently of the choke - it directs exhaust gases from the right bank through a passage below the floor of the intake plenum (and out the left side exhaust) to pre-heat the air-fuel charge for improved cold driveability, then opens as it heats up. Some folks wire it in the open position so it's always open.

In any event, you either need the valve in place or a spacer the same thickness in order for the right side exhaust pipe to fit correctly.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 01:57 PM
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Brett, will you be driving the car (once you put it all back together ) in the winter, ever? Since I don't really, I did as John suggests as one possibility - rather than worry about it functioning properly, or staying wired open or not, I replaced it with the "FI Spacer" (Fuelies used the same size manifold as the SHP cars like mine, and they did not have use for the HR, so a spacer was produced and available in the repro market - Paragaon, LICS, etc.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 02:53 PM
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John / Jack,

Thanks for the replies / information.

I won't be using the car during the colder months.
The car currently has a spacer which you both have alluded to.

Still a bit unclear as to how the HR valve is connected to the intake, then to the left side exhaust.



Thanks,
Brett
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 03:11 PM
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Originally Posted by BrettG
John / Jack,

Thanks for the replies / information.

I won't be using the car during the colder months.
The car currently has a spacer which you both have alluded to.

Still a bit unclear as to how the HR valve is connected to the intake, then to the left side exhaust.



Thanks,
Brett
don't know much about them rare 396 engines such as yours, but in my 65 L76, there is a CROSSOVER in the intake manifold, and if the RH exhaust manifold is "choked" by a closing Heat Riser valve, the exhaust gases have no place else to go but accross the "crossover" passage (thereby heating up the intake and carb) and out the LH exhaust.

Such is why, if you have done something like RESTRICT or BLOCKED the crossover (many SHP owners do, to avoid fuel perc and other issues) then you REALLY want to ensure your HR valve is wired open or been replaced with the spacer.
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted by BrettG
Still a bit unclear as to how the HR valve is connected to the intake, then to the left side exhaust.

Thanks,
Brett
This isn't a BB head, but the design is the same. Note the single port in the center - that's the exhaust crossover port, which is connected internally to all four exhaust ports. When the heat riser valve is closed, all the exhaust gases from the passenger side head are diverted through that port, through a passage cast in the intake manifold that goes under the floor of the plenum, into the same port on the driver's side head, and out through the exhaust ports on that side. This diversion causes enormous exhaust flow restriction until the heat riser valve opens up.

When the heat riser valve opens, the passenger side exhaust gases exit normally through that exhaust manifold, exhaust pressure equalizes on both sides of the intake manifold, and flow through the crossover passage in the intake manifold stops - it's still hot, but there's little to no flow.



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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 11:02 PM
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So when people suggest using a exhaust manifold gasket that "Blocks off the heat riser", is it really that simple. I mean, it sounds too easy to just use a gasket that covers the middle port.
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Old Nov 17, 2006 | 12:25 AM
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Originally Posted by cookie_monster
So when people suggest using a exhaust manifold gasket that "Blocks off the heat riser", is it really that simple. I mean, it sounds too easy to just use a gasket that covers the middle port.
Yes, the gaskets contain small metal "plates" that keep the exhaust from flowing from the right to the left. You have NO manifold/carb pre/heat. I have mine blocked. Never drive in the winter.

Here is pic of the gasket, the gaskets are blue (Felpro) and the block of plate is tin or stainless??

The gasket here is sprayed with copper RTV spray silicone. I use that to "Tack" it in place.

Mark

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Old Nov 17, 2006 | 08:12 AM
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for my 65 L76, I used an intake gasket set that choked the crossover passage, but didn't block it off (I do have my heat riser removed and replaced with the FI spacer) - you can see the passage is the port that lines up in the middle, where the metal plate is located:



and you can also buy the intake gasket set with the passage fully blocked, but make sure you don't have a functioning heat riser valve still on there (the below set is the "correct-o" version from Paragon, complete with the tab that judges look for, me I don't care to do my intake manifold installs with any frequency, so I went with the above unit from Fel-pro, it's da way to go if you ask me):


Last edited by ctjackster; Nov 17, 2006 at 08:14 AM.
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Old Nov 17, 2006 | 08:27 AM
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If you don't know which gasket you have is there a way to tell with out taking the heads off?
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Old Nov 17, 2006 | 08:46 AM
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Originally Posted by woodsdesign
If you don't know which gasket you have is there a way to tell with out taking the heads off?
first, those are intake manifold gaskets, if you want a look at them you would need to pull the intake, but not the theads.

second, if you question relates to whether you have an intake gasket that has the crossover passage blocked, perhaps you could blow air into the p-side exhaust manifold from where it gets bolted to the head pipe and see if you have air flowing over at the d-side?
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Old Nov 17, 2006 | 08:47 AM
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Originally Posted by woodsdesign
If you don't know which gasket you have is there a way to tell with out taking the heads off?
The cast iron intakes are painted. If you have one of them, the paint will be burned off if that exhaust crossover passage is open.
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Old Nov 17, 2006 | 08:55 AM
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Originally Posted by woodsdesign
If you don't know which gasket you have is there a way to tell with out taking the heads off?
Blow air in one exhaust........if it comes out the other, then it is not blocked off.



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Old Nov 17, 2006 | 10:23 AM
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An IR gun will show a heat increase (300+ degrees) right at the intake/head crossover interface.
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Old Nov 17, 2006 | 12:19 PM
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It might be a little easier to start your engine and plug one of your dual exhaust pipes. If your crossover is blocked, you'll hear the exhaust sound change out the other pipe or hear exhaust escaping or both. The pressure will start to build on the plugged pipe also.

If you want to block the heat crossover, cut a piece of shim stock, loosen the manifold and slide the shim in place. Tighten the manifold. Sometimes you'll tear the gasket in which case you get to pull the intake anyway.
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