Anyone know anything about fords?

[StrayCat]

I have this issue with the exaust on the T-Bird. Between the flange on the manifold and the pipe is this heatriser piece that is about 2 inches long. Well, a part of it is blown out so there is a nasty exaust leak there.

Is it possible to remove the heatriser completely and have the exaust pipe bolt straight to the manifold and actually seal? Or is there a major difference in the design of the mating surfaces?

[jlprigmore]

Well if it helps any on my galaxy,falcon, and maverick, I had custom exhaust bolted up straight to the manifolds and never had any heat risers and no issues with leaks or anything.

[hotroddwayne]

Billy, most all of those heat risers bolt to the exhaust manifold with studs & it's a flush mount. The heat riser mates flush with the manifold & it slides up over the studs. Those same studs are what draws your exhaust pipe flange to the bottom of the heat riser. The bottom of the heat riser has the lip on it for a donut gasket to seal to the pipe & sometimes they didn't even have a donut gasket, only a flange-to-flange seal. If you try to eliminate the heat riser you won't have the surface to seal your exhaust pipe to possibly, depending on what you find when you take it apart.
My 1964 Mercury has the same 390FE engine you have, but does not have the heat riser. Neither does the spare engine (it still has the exhaust downpipes attached too) which may explain why so many have asked to buy the spare manifolds. Hopefully when you bite the bullet & drop down your exhaust you'll find a flange on the manifold. I was hoping to be alot more help on this but my 390FE exhaust is very different from yours.

[StrayCat]

eh fuck. I was thinking of just saying fuck it and putting a set of headers on it, but from the info i have been able to gather, and digging into the car myself, it looks and sounds like a motherfucker to do. Not much room in there. plus with the design of the bottom of the car i would have to run shorties and only thing i have found are full length. damnitt.

[Highbars]

Remove it.. take out the riser plate and shaft... weld the holes shut.. If it is blown out elsewhere.. weld it up and grind it down and reintall just the casting to keep Y-pipe alignment... I don't think you really need a heat riser in GA.unless your temps drop below freezing quite often...

[Boogeyman Con Carne]

If you have access to the tools, I would agree with Highbars...

[StrayCat]

it's blown out pretty bad. i'll try to get some pictures of it if i can squeeze both my hand and the camera in that space at the same time. you can see the top stud in it's entirety, where it should be vovered by the top of the riser.

[StrayCat]

This is what I'm dealing with ><. It's starting to look like i may just need to wait and replace everything. manifolds and all.

[Highbars]

This is what I'm dealing with ><. It's starting to look like i may just need to wait and replace everything. manifolds and all.

Might be the best route it appears it has been goobered up already..but you won't really know till you get it apart...Has that been welded on before?

[StrayCat]

No. the dumbfuck before me used a whole tube of that muffler weld shit on it,just for it to still not work. Funny thing is the pictures are after i used a really long flat head screwdriver and a hammer to chiesel alot of that crap off of it.

[Scary Guy]

[Highbars]

Pullin a Schultzie on this one eh.?