Does this sound normal?

It's got X heads and these manifolds are High performance manifolds from what i'm told. I know for a fact though that it's got x heads and 340 intake. I do not recall having anything like what your describing on the manifold though... but it's worth a look to be for sure.

It's easy to tell. If the manifold has holes in the exit 180* apart from each other, with a shaft in it, there you go. Which manifolds are they? The early ones or the late ones? There are two styles of the hipo manifolds. I don't think the early ones had the heat riser valve.....I cannot remember.