Working on a 1956 261. The exhaust manifold flapper rod and weight are frozen. Tried heat and penetrating oil and it is still stuck. The actual metal flapper in the manifold is loose so my question is can I just weld the flapper onto the shaft in the closed position like in the photo? As you can see it is not a tight seal so some heat will get to the intake. Will there be any big negative side effects? Once completed the truck will mostly only see use during the warmer months, spring through fall here in MI.
I would rather not have to cut it all apart and rebuild the flapper and weight.
