VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION What did you do with your vehicle today? 207 stuck heat riser

I'll give it 5 days before I weld it up. Third day of tap tap tap, squirt squirt squirt, heat heat heat, lightly twist, repeat.

I have a 35 Standard. My eat riser was welded closed (air flow past the carb and out the exhaust). I ground off the baffle and cut the shaft at the front and rear against the manifold. I drilled out the shaft from both ends after taking off the thermal spring and counter weight. I machined a new shaft out of stainless steel and drilled and tapped two holes for the baffle. I cleaned up the counter weight and re-assembled everything. Got a new lightweight return spring for the counter weight. I heated up the thermal spring with a gas grill lighter and voila, the baffle opened (guided the exhaust towards the carb). Took the flame away and it closed. Works like a charm and should never rust with the stainless steel shaft. Just to be safe, a little dab of grease on both ends of the shaft about once a month or so should prevent any rust build up or seizing.

Thanks for the ideas!

Lee Allen, who advertises '32 Trim parts in the G&D sells a kit for overhauling the heat riser which essentially replaces the riser shaft with a new one and adds a couple of copper (tubing) bushings pressed into enlarged holes in the exhaust manifold. I imagine you might be able to use brass bushings, but copper is easier to work with as you press the bushings into the enlarged holes and then re-drill to align the holes for the shaft. Steel on steel can work but I'd be inclined to use anti-sieze on the shaft/bearings for that strategy. The dis-similiar metals in the copper bushing kit should be less prone to sticking and siezing with or without lubricants. I used one of the kits on my '32 and it worked fine. '32 did not have a thermo spring. It was aActivated with a boden cable from the instrument panel.

The copper bushing idea would work, another member replaced the steel shaft with stainless steel which he claims was a success.
Tony

All good advice. I to rebuilt mine. Had a piece of rod from Lowes the right size and cut the slot with a thin cut off wheel and used brass bushings from Ace Hardware. Just note the orientation of the "butterfly" and where to tack it back to the rod. It'll make you proud of yourself!

Thanks for the information.
I ordered a kit today from Lee Allen for my 32 Chev.
He was very helpful when I talked to him by phone.

A little tip, NEVER "twist" the frozen shaft. After youve thouroughly doused it with your favorite penetrant (www.getgibbs.com) , tap the shaft sideways, back and forth to loosen it up. Ive saved many that way.
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I twisted mine and it broke! Thanks for the ideas, I thought it was an impossible fix.

PB blaster and a brass hammer saved my heat riser and it worked great ever since, good luck!!

Dave