The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Stuck heat riser in exhaust manifold

Got a 'great' deal on an intake/ehaust manifold to replace my old rusty pitted leaking like a...you get the point. This one is a beaut with just a bit of carbon build. The damper was stuck so I shot it with penetrating oil and left it overnight-nothin. Taped it with a small hammer-nope. Heated it lightly with propane-again nothing. Any ideas?
jeff

My idea is that is probably why it was such a great deal! Those things are very prone to freezing up due to rust. Try Aero Kroil from Kano labs, worked for me. http://www.kanolabs.com/

Jeff I read an artical on an old tractor site about rusted parts and the best method of freeing up 2 parts that are rusted together. Soak it in water. I did this with my gas tank sending unit it took me 2-3 days but freed it up enough to were I could work it back and forth and get some PB Blaster in there to finish the job.

The other possibility is to look up in the tech tips (I think it is there) about the article on electronic rust removal. That might be an option for you.

Just remember it didn't rust together in one day so take your time and don't rush it, you WILL get it freed up.

Good luck

Kroil or PB Blaster are both good penetrants. My best luck with freeing the stuck riser is using acetylene to heat the manifold until it's red. You need to be gentle with everything, it's easy to twist the shaft or shear the pin through the balance weight. If it's to tough you might have to drill out the rivets through the flap then drive the shaft out. A mixture of graphite and linseed oil is the lubricant of choice to keep it from seizing again.

Just be careful heating the cast iron, if you cool it too quick it may crack, if you heat the ends of the shaft red hot, and let it cool a bit then use candle wax on the end, it will get sucked inside also loosening it up.

Thank you all for the input on unsticking the heat riser.
Can one penetrating oil 'really' make 'the' difference? I've been using Zep but, of course, with no success. I've heated it with MAPP gas many times, but with no success. I don't have acetelene available. Besides, it seemed risky-for me.
I've got another question though. I live very near the coast in Oceanside, Calif. (that's Southern Cal). Our year round adverage daytime temp is 72. Sometimes it will get into the upper 40's at night.The damper is stuck in the open position. If I left it alone, would it be a detriment to function and/or performance?

If I'd have noticed where you lived I would have told you not to waste your time fixing it. You'll never know the difference if it works or not.

I had my damper cut out by the guys at Warners Exhaust when they installed my new exhaust system.