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  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

Headers Glowing Orange?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 04sleeper
  • Start date Start date Jul 16, 2005
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04sleeper

Founding Member
Jun 22, 2002
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Dallas, TX
Jul 16, 2005
#1
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #1
I am trying to help a friend out who just put a 331 blower motor together and is having some issues.

It consists of the following parts, FRPP Sportsman Block, AFR 185's, Ported Holley Intake W/75 mm Accufab TB, Vortec YSI Trim blower, 1 3/4" BBK LT's with 3 inch Flowmaster collectors, 42 lb injectors, 42 lb Pro-M 80 mm, etc.....

He has a 255 in tank pump and a T-Rex inline pump. Base timing is at 10 degrees and fuel pressure is at 40 PSI. He is running 3924's gapped at .035".

He is just trying to get the car running so he can break it in and then he is putting on 60 lb. injectors and a lightning mass air when he gets the car tuned. He is not driving ther car hard at all, just wants it to drive to put some miles on it before the dyno tune.

He said his headers will heat up and eventually start glowing orange. He has told me his temp gauge is between 180-190 so thats good.

Any ideas?

I would think it was running lean for the headers to glow. Anyone else care to guess?

Thanks,

Kevin

Here's a picture of the engine.
 

Black 93 Fox

Active Member
Jun 1, 2003
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Vancouver,Washington
Jul 16, 2005
#2
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #2
Its his timing I just went threw this last week with my new motor frist start up and the headers turned BRIGHT orange. If I remeber right means his timing is retarded too much. Either way have him re-set the timing.
 

Paul Perreca

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Mar 30, 2005
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0
Jul 16, 2005
#3
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #3
i dont know but that engine is the most beautiful thing I've seen since I woke up this morning... Makes me want to cry like a little girl actually. Its Sad.
Paul Perreca
 

04sleeper

Founding Member
Jun 22, 2002
2,674
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89
Dallas, TX
Jul 16, 2005
#4
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #4
Black 93 Fox said:
Its his timing I just went threw this last week with my new motor frist start up and the headers turned BRIGHT orange. If I remeber right means his timing is retarded too much. Either way have him re-set the timing.
Click to expand...
He said he checked the timing with 2 different timing lights and said it was at 10 degrees. Then he set it at 6 degrees and still didn't help. Should he try to advance it?
 

04sleeper

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Jun 22, 2002
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Dallas, TX
Jul 16, 2005
#5
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #5
Paul Perreca said:
i dont know but that engine is the most beautiful thing I've seen since I woke up this morning... Makes me want to cry like a little girl actually. Its Sad.
Paul Perreca
Click to expand...
Well here's another shot of it for you then.
 

Black 93 Fox

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Jul 16, 2005
#6
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #6
I dont know much about blower motors yet. But stock timing is 10 I have mine set at 14. If he is starting the motor with out the blower hooked up which I think is probaly best for break in then I would have him advance it to 12 or 13 to start with. Let us know how it goes.
 

Black 93 Fox

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Jul 16, 2005
#7
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #7
By the way SWEEEEET motor
 

04sleeper

Founding Member
Jun 22, 2002
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Jul 16, 2005
#8
  • Jul 16, 2005
  • #8
Thanks for the input Black 93 Fox.

Anyone else?
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
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Jul 17, 2005
#9
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #9
Kevin, does he have an I/R thermometer? I would want to get a relative comparo between various cylinders at the pipes (absolute numbers dont matter so much since they could be skewed, but relative numbers might reveal something).

No great ideas here, but bump. Good luck Kevin.
 

Dark Knight

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Jul 17, 2005
#10
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #10
advance the timing some, retarding it will make it worse. It's firing to late on the compression stroke so the burning gasses are going into the exhaust and heating the header up. Probably want to get a boost timing retard to knock back the timing as boost increases...
 

04sleeper

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Jun 22, 2002
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Jul 17, 2005
#11
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #11
HISSIN50 said:
Kevin, does he have an I/R thermometer? I would want to get a relative comparo between various cylinders at the pipes (absolute numbers dont matter so much since they could be skewed, but relative numbers might reveal something).

No great ideas here, but bump. Good luck Kevin.
Click to expand...
No he doesn't. He thought it was the injectors so he took them to Wilson Manifolds in Ft. Lauderdale and they cleaned and flowed them. Still no luck.

Yeah he said number 7 and 4 heat up the first and then the others follow.

Dark Knight said:
advance the timing some, retarding it will make it worse. It's firing to late on the compression stroke so the burning gasses are going into the exhaust and heating the header up. Probably want to get a boost timing retard to knock back the timing as boost increases...
Click to expand...

He has a boost retard on his car but he nas yet to see boost. He is just driving slowly around his neighborhood. Hasn't even taken it out of the neighborhood yet.

He says it will do it just sitting at idle if it sits long enough.

Thanks for the replys guys.
 

Daniel50

New Member
Mar 30, 2005
716
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0
Discovery Bay, CA
Jul 17, 2005
#12
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #12
wow grat looking engine. i heard of headers glowing red and even white but not orange
 

04sleeper

Founding Member
Jun 22, 2002
2,674
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89
Dallas, TX
Jul 17, 2005
#13
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #13
Yeah. They would have turned red if he would have kept running the engine.
 

Mike97gt

it doe snot
Founding Member
Jan 26, 1999
10,633
7
89
the people's republic of massachusetts
Jul 17, 2005
#14
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #14
a very lean a/f ratio can cause the headers too get very hot and glow. try increasing the fuel pressure.
 
M

my$100project

New Member
May 12, 2005
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Jul 17, 2005
#15
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #15
What about a clogged cat? (if he's running them) Couldn't a lack of restriction cause the headers to glow???
 

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 10, 2002
9,457
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Jul 17, 2005
#16
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #16
:OT: .....but he's gonna peg that Lightning MAF in a hurry with that set up. I'd have him look into a different type of aftermarket meter if I were him.
 

5spd GT

"the 5.0 owns all"
Founding Member
Aug 7, 2002
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Jul 17, 2005
#17
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #17
I had a very similar issue upon startup of my h/c/i swap. I had the timing at 10* and the headers started to glow. I bumped it up to 14* (at the time) and no more glow. Advance it some I would think even with the supercharger????

Good Luck with it!
 

04sleeper

Founding Member
Jun 22, 2002
2,674
14
89
Dallas, TX
Jul 17, 2005
#18
  • Jul 17, 2005
  • #18
svttech76 said:
a very lean a/f ratio can cause the headers too get very hot and glow. try increasing the fuel pressure.
Click to expand...
Thats what I was thinking but he has not tried it yet. I will let him know.

my$100project said:
What about a clogged cat? (if he's running them) Couldn't a lack of restriction cause the headers to glow???
Click to expand...
Yes it could cause that be he is not running any.

Gearbanger 101 said:
.....but he's gonna peg that Lightning MAF in a hurry with that set up. I'd have him look into a different type of aftermarket meter if I were him.
Click to expand...

He is going to put it on when he gets it tuned. He says it should be fine once it's tuned.

I think he should go get it tuned and then go from there but thats just me.

5spd GT said:
I had a very similar issue upon startup of my h/c/i swap. I had the timing at 10* and the headers started to glow. I bumped it up to 14* (at the time) and no more glow. Advance it some I would think even with the supercharger????
Click to expand...

Thanks David. I will let him know all the suggestions.

Thanks guys.
 
J

jerryD

Founding Member
Mar 16, 2000
1,061
0
37
Gladstone, MO
Jul 18, 2005
#19
  • Jul 18, 2005
  • #19
mite be running rich. the extra, unburnt fuel is getting ignited in the header causing it to glow.
 
B

bentley429

Banned
Nov 25, 2004
528
3
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Connecticut
Jul 18, 2005
#20
  • Jul 18, 2005
  • #20
Black 93 Fox said:
I dont know much about blower motors yet. But stock timing is 10 I have mine set at 14. If he is starting the motor with out the blower hooked up which I think is probaly best for break in then I would have him advance it to 12 or 13 to start with. Let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...

 
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