Headers glowing just a little, is this normal?

JH96GT

JH96GT

Founding Member
Aug 20, 2000
1,526
13
124
Twilight Zone, TN.
#1
I had the car tuned back in May and it runs great. I'm running Long tubes (MACS), windsor sr. heads, edelbrock performer upper and lower, flat top forged pistons, f303. Also had a new tune up.

The fuel pressue is around 40 lbs. I think. I've noticed my new plug wire boots were splitting a little so I got the car in the dark after getting it hot and noticed a gentle dull glow from the headers while it is running. Nothing real bright or cherry red, just a soft dull orange.

Is this bad, and does anyone have a ride that does the same thing?

Thanks.
 
#4
They shouldn't be glowing. That's usually an indication that the car is running lean. Look around your engine bay for any vac leaks. I can't imagine that the tuner would have left it that way.


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#5
Daggar said:
They shouldn't be glowing. That's usually an indication that the car is running lean. Look around your engine bay for any vac leaks. I can't imagine that the tuner would have left it that way.


Side Note: You signature pic is too large. Maximum allowable image size for sig pics hosted off-site is 650 wide by 125 high. Please adjust accordingly.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I got your PM.

I'll see what is on the vac leak trail..............thanks for the help guys.
 
#6
JH96GT said:
I had the car tuned back in May and it runs great. I'm running Long tubes (MACS), windsor sr. heads, edelbrock performer upper and lower, flat top forged pistons, f303. Also had a new tune up.

The fuel pressue is around 40 lbs. I think. I've noticed my new plug wire boots were splitting a little so I got the car in the dark after getting it hot and noticed a gentle dull glow from the headers while it is running. Nothing real bright or cherry red, just a soft dull orange.

Is this bad, and does anyone have a ride that does the same thing?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
"www.foureyedpride.com these guys have all you need to know. it's a website specifically made for converting an f/e to aero nose"


this is the most disturbing crap i have heard, im part of four eye pride, we dont support nose swaps, why would we???? defeats the point of 4eyepride!!!
so this is off topic but i had to say something

by the way no way should headers glow at all unless ur racing damn hard or some craziness!!! something isnt right
 
#7
86GT5speed said:
"www.foureyedpride.com these guys have all you need to know. it's a website specifically made for converting an f/e to aero nose"


this is the most disturbing crap i have heard, im part of four eye pride, we dont support nose swaps, why would we???? defeats the point of 4eyepride!!!
so this is off topic but i had to say something

by the way no way should headers glow at all unless ur racing damn hard or some craziness!!! something isnt right
Click to expand...

Easy there Hot Rod. I'm a member there also, and picked up on the sarcasm of the original poster and thought it was funny. We all know how FEP members feel about aero nose conversions..........so lets move along.

And thanks for the header comment.
 
#8
86GT5speed said:
"www.foureyedpride.com these guys have all you need to know. it's a website specifically made for converting an f/e to aero nose"


this is the most disturbing crap i have heard, im part of four eye pride, we dont support nose swaps, why would we???? defeats the point of 4eyepride!!!
so this is off topic but i had to say something
Click to expand...


LOL... will somebody please help this guy to pull his head out? :lol:
 
#9
Is it going to HURT anything if I keep driving it until I get this fixed? Like I said, it isn't much - but I'm not sure when I can get it back to my tuner (8 hours south).

I'm installing plug boot shields this afternoon and will try and check for vacuum leaks then. I can't hear any, but will try the TB spray on the vac line trick.

I wonder if I could increase my fuel pressure just a little and it go away if I find no vacuum leak?
 
#10
It's hard to say without a lot more information. Def check for any vac leaks, you might get lucky and find a line off or something.

If it's running lean enough to make the headers glow, then you run the risk of perhaps burning a valve or something along those lines, with continued use.

Bumping up the fuel pressure will only work if the EEC is already attempting to richen then mixture but is unable due to how far off the tune is (this assumes you're running a closed loop tune).

If your lean condition is the RESULT of the tune then bumping fuel pressure will have an effect for ONLY as long as it takes the EEC to put things back to where it "thinks" it should be.

The EEC can trim the AFR (so long as the 02 sensors are working correctly) as much as 10% above or below what the tune specifies.

On the bright side, it won't hurt you to try it if you're unable to find a vac leak.
 
#11
Daggar said:
It's hard to say without a lot more information. Def check for any vac leaks, you might get lucky and find a line off or something.

If it's running lean enough to make the headers glow, then you run the risk of perhaps burning a valve or something along those lines, with continued use.

Bumping up the fuel pressure will only work if the EEC is already attempting to richen then mixture but is unable due to how far off the tune is (this assumes you're running a closed loop tune).

If your lean condition is the RESULT of the tune then bumping fuel pressure will have an effect for ONLY as long as it takes the EEC to put things back to where it "thinks" it should be.

The EEC can trim the AFR (so long as the 02 sensors are working correctly) as much as 10% above or below what the tune specifies.

On the bright side, it won't hurt you to try it if you're unable to find a vac leak.
Click to expand...

Alright. If I can't find a vac. leak, is there any way I can check my A/F ratio myself?

I'm going to call my tuner bud Monday and get his opinion also since he knows the car. It's interesting that I noticed the headers glowing before the tune also, and he said it was running really lean. We'll see what happens. I'll post back if I find it.

Thanks Dag. Let me know when you're ready to convert to an aero.....:D
 
#12
About the ony way you can check the AFR is with a wideband or a dyno. If you've got a buddy nearby with a wideband meter and sensor you can borrow, you could at least get an idea by securing it inside of one of your tail pipes and letting it idle for a while. You're looking for 14.7 AFR or richer at idle to be in a good safe zone 14.7 - 13.0 for the purpose of this discussion). If it's richer than that, it's not good but it won't harm anything. AFRs of around 15.5 to say 16 and up would be lean to the point that I would not drive it until it was fixed.

I still can't imagine that a tuner would leave something that lean and call it good. A vac leak is all that I can think of that might cause what you describe.

As for my Aero Nose... I've got the entire swap kit sitting here in my living room and waiting to go on. I bought the whole thing for only $2000 from a guy over on 4EP. :nice: What a bargain!
 
#13
Daggar said:
As for my Aero Nose... I've got the entire swap kit sitting here in my living room and waiting to go on. I bought the whole thing for only $2000 from a guy over on 4EP. :nice: What a bargain!
Click to expand...

:lol:

Here is my dyno sheet from my last tune. Monty is one of the best IMO and is a good friend. I know it had to be right when it left there - or he wouldn't have given my car back to me....:D . It's got to be some kind of gremlin. We'll see.........:nice:
 
#14
JH96GT said:
Is it going to HURT anything if I keep driving it until I get this fixed? Like I said, it isn't much - but I'm not sure when I can get it back to my tuner (8 hours south).

I'm installing plug boot shields this afternoon and will try and check for vacuum leaks then. I can't hear any, but will try the TB spray on the vac line trick.

I wonder if I could increase my fuel pressure just a little and it go away if I find no vacuum leak?
Click to expand...
spray the intake around the gasket while running with starting fluid to check for a leak too, u know the deal it will surge if theres a leak. ur qoute seems like its endorsing a nose swap. whatever i dont care. fep ftw:)
 
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