Hemi Exhaust

[hemi-ed]

I am having two problems with my exhaust system for my Hemi and need advice. 

Back in 1992 I bought a set of reproduction Hemi exhaust manifolds with the heat riser tubes.  In dealing with an exhaust leak I found that my exhaust damper was not working correctly.  Following the directions on assembling the damper and springs, I found that when I install the two rattler springs, the two springs that sit on either side of the damper, and set the damper spring, that the damper does not open when it is hot.  Apparently the damper spring is set too tight.  So I set the spring looser by backing it off one full turn.  Now the damper just closes when cold and feels approximately the same as a big block exhaust damper.  But when I install the two side rattler springs the damper will not close when cold.  The two springs add too much resistance to the damper and keep it open.  If I remove the two side rattler springs the damper will close.  If I install only one side spring the damper will then just close when cold and appear to work properly.  When I run the engine the damper will vibrate when cold which appears to be working properly.  Is this right?

The second problem is the where the heat riser tube attaches to the little nipple on the exhaust H pipe. It appears to be leaking at this spot.  The little nipple on the H pipe is approximately 1/2 inch high.  When I install the heat riser tube over the nipple, I am lucky if there is 1/4 inch overlap.  It is not much overlap.  And when I install the clamp made for the tube, I am not sure if the clamp will pinch the tube to seal over the nipple.  A though was to cut a slit on one side of the tube to allow the clamp to really pinch over the nipple.  I don't want to tighten the clamp at this time because I will need to disassemble the pipes in the future.  Will the clamp crimp the pipe and seal the leak?

I have also read where people are installing the heat riser tubes and blocking off the tubes so they are only used as show.  What have you guys done?

[Mytur Binsdirti]

1. Wire the heat riser so it's open all the time.
2. In regards to the tube on the nipple; there's not much that can be done there other than positioning the clamp so that it covers the two slices in the tube.