Engine Headers glowing

Mig123 · Jan 9, 2021

I have a 91 foxbody everything has been redone. The car has ported heads, 30 pound injectors, trickflow stage 2 cam, adjustable fuel regulator. What can be making the headers glow? Everything runs fine with no issues just after about 15 min of either sitting or driving both side of the headers will get a lil glow on them.

Mig123 · Jan 9, 2021

Mig123 said:
I have a 91 foxbody everything has been redone. The car has ported heads, 30 pound injectors, trickflow stage 2 cam, adjustable fuel regulator. What can be making the headers glow? Everything runs fine with no issues just after about 15 min of either sitting or driving both side of the headers will get a lil glow on them.

Also there is no cats on it as well only mufflers

nickyb · Jan 9, 2021

I've seen too much timming (advance)make headers glow cherry red. Start with checking that. And tell all about this engine ex. Heads,intake,cam,tb,ect.

HemiRick · Jan 9, 2021

no its retarded timing that makes headers glow, also lean mixture could also be a cause.

junkyardwarrior · Jan 9, 2021

lean
rich
retarded
restricted exhaust
those are the most common causes of red headers

if the headers are stainless, depending on the grade and thickness of the tubing, some alloys can glow at a much lower temp than mild steel, so some glow may be considered "normal"...again depends on a lot of things.

nickyb · Jan 9, 2021

Yes she'd have to be retarded to glow red.

Four eyed Maude · Jan 10, 2021

Sound like your running lean to me, did you replace fuel pump when you installed the bigger injectors?

John Bzstang · Jan 18, 2021

Mig123 said:
I have a 91 foxbody everything has been redone. The car has ported heads, 30 pound injectors, trickflow stage 2 cam, adjustable fuel regulator. What can be making the headers glow? Everything runs fine with no issues just after about 15 min of either sitting or driving both side of the headers will get a lil glow on them.

Im having the same issue but mine is idling high and missing also. I have been chasing it for about 3 weeks now next I will be putting new intake gaskets on to see if it is sucking air. Let me know what you find out and I will do the same.

96pushrod · Jan 18, 2021

Four eyed Maude said:
Sound like your running lean to me, did you replace fuel pump when you installed the bigger injectors?

It would have to be so lean the engine would barely run. Never seen a lean mixture actually cause glowing headers.

My guess is it’s timing related. Either improperly set, or the timing marks on the balancer have spun.

7991LXnSHO · Jan 18, 2021

When the timing is set to the wrong part of the timing pointer so it’s 20 deg After top dead center, not before, the headers glow very quickly and it runs rough. It will rev up, but it will have little power.

Mig123 · Feb 22, 2021

I had it at the stock timing then I took it to a shop where they told me to set it at 14 degrees which I did and the glowing went a way or atleast I thought it did. I drove it for 30 mins there was no glowing but yesterday I drove it and did some donuts and came home and they started glowing again. They only glow at high rpm, I have a stronger fuel pump so it is not that it’s forsure something with the timing but idk what

Mig123 · Feb 22, 2021

The motor doesn’t knock, tap, or anything like that the headers just randomly glow

General karthief · Feb 22, 2021

Been a minute and I'm not going back to look at previous posts but are you sure your balancer is reading right? Tdc is 0* on the balancer.
Also is the computer giving you a code?

McFly2 · Feb 23, 2021

John Bzstang said:
Im having the same issue but mine is idling high and missing also. I have been chasing it for about 3 weeks now next I will be putting new intake gaskets on to see if it is sucking air. Let me know what you find out and I will do the same.

It would be easier to hook up smoke machine for vacuum leak. Midas has them local here. Scanner might reveal other problems: fuel trim etc.

McFly2 · Feb 23, 2021

Loose or cracked manifold connection at block could be an issue?

NXcoupe · Feb 23, 2021

Only thing that will make headers glow is retarded timing. What timing set did you use when you installed the camshaft? Google "using a piston stoo to find tdc" lots of videos and articles on the subject. Buy a piston stop that is adjustable and use #1 cyl. Then I use a 3 buck timing tape from summit to put on the balancer and you should be good from there. Has the wiring been messed with, touched or modified anywhere? Do you have to push in the clutch for it to crank, or can you not touch the pedal and crank in neutral? Do you have a push button rigged up to start it? Just trying to cover all bases here.

Mig123 · Mar 5, 2021

I used smoke machine and there was no vacuum leaks anywhere i adjusted timing to 14 degrees and it’s not as bad. Now it will only glow at high rpm

HemiRick · Mar 5, 2021

Its normal for them to glow a little after running the engine hard like doing donuts. In many dyno pull videos the headers glow.

Mig123 · Mar 5, 2021

I only did 2 baby donuts

General karthief · Mar 5, 2021

HemiRick said:
Its normal for them to glow a little after running the engine hard like doing donuts. In many dyno pull videos the headers glow.

I've never heard or seen that on a well running engine, I would think the glowing headers is a sign of something amiss. JMO.

Engine Headers glowing

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I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

I'd be looking at jacking under the house

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I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

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I think they're a little easier to get off

wanna catch the space herp

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wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

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I'd be looking at jacking under the house

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wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

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