Pinto Car Club of America

I am using this type of stock 302 exhaust manifolds on my Pinto 302 conversion. Pictured below is the passenger manifold. My question is what is this bulbous knob looking thing that is part of the casting? Removal of this thing would gain me a precious 3/4 of an inch on the P side. Can it be ground off. It does not look like it protrudes in any way into the porting. I will grind it off unless anyone can say nooooooooo!!!!! Anyone ground one of these things off???
                                                                                                     High_Horse

That area of the manifold is where the heat riser tube goes.  You can grind some of it off but there is a passage
though the center.  Use caution when grinding or you will have a nice exhaust leak there. Good luck.

                                                                                                                                            Pegas

Thanx Pegas. Maybe just flatten it out then. A quater of an inch is better then nothing. Enough as not to touch the inner fender. I need a nice exhaust leak like I need a hole in the head.
                                                                                                                High_Horse

Well, I did it. I carved some of this thing off with a reciprocator and then when I had my bearings I went for the gusto. Yes, it is a risor filled with some kind of flow dampening material like steel chip steel wool. The cast removed extremely easy, to easy and I wish i would have been paying attention as not to nick the exhaust flange as you can see. Nothing a good flat washer cannot correct. Onward ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                                                                                          High_Horse