57 Olds heat riser valve....

[Guest Julian]

Well, the little 57 had a bad/stuck heat riser valve. This morning I removed the old/original one. It had 4 cracks, an ear broken off, the counter-balance arm was broken off and it was stuck 3/4 closed. I purchased an NOS one off of ebay (not cheap) but it works like a new charm. I put the cross over pipe back on, put the original carb back on it and WALLLLA.. it sat there and idled at 850 rpm and smooth as silk.....been driving it all afternoon with out issue...

[Guest rsd9699]

That is bound to help you with hard starting with it hot. Olds made a lube to keep them free but most were never lubed. They will begin to rattle without being lubed. In Texas it was common to wire them open or take out the butterfly. My 49 and 56 have them and they actually work. I have some 56 Caddies that use a cousin of it and one has the butterfly removed and the other wired open (to stop the rattle I am sure).

Keep the old parts and find someone that can braze the parts together and you will have a spare.

Ron

[ed burke]

I had a frozen heat riser valve on my 58 olds and was going to get a new one

when this guy, don't even know what his name was.Told me to soak it overnight in some purple primer , the stuff you use with for glueing pvc pipe. I did and The next day it was free and almost clear of rust. Still in the car 10 years later.:)

ED

[Guest rsd9699]

They are fairly easy to free up if you have them in the open and keep the hammer away from them. I soak mine in acetone but I would not mind the color purple.

Ron