One header tube glowing?

jason92274

New Member
May 1, 2005
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missouri
Hi,i was wondering if anyone has ever had this problem and could help me? My header tube from the #3 cylinder will get extremly hot after just a few min. After about 5 to 10min. it will start to glow a slight orange color and it will melt my plug wire boot(stupid equal length headers). It is a new engine with gt-40 heads,rpm intake,scorpion rr 1.72,tfs stage 1 cam,24lbs injectors,70mm tb,76mm c&l mass air, holley adj fuel pressure regulator. I did a compression test and all the cyl.were between 150 and 155. fuel pressure is at 38lbs.I also tried switching the injectors around but still the same.I'm stumped any help would be great.
 
jason92274 said:
Hi,i was wondering if anyone has ever had this problem and could help me? My header tube from the #3 cylinder will get extremly hot after just a few min. After about 5 to 10min. it will start to glow a slight orange color and it will melt my plug wire boot(stupid equal length headers). It is a new engine with gt-40 heads,rpm intake,scorpion rr 1.72,tfs stage 1 cam,24lbs injectors,70mm tb,76mm c&l mass air, holley adj fuel pressure regulator. I did a compression test and all the cyl.were between 150 and 155. fuel pressure is at 38lbs.I also tried switching the injectors around but still the same.I'm stumped any help would be great.

I suspect that #3 cylinder is burning too lean and causeing this condition. I'll bet the electrical conector to that injector is damaged or not fully connected and the injector is not firing correctly causingthat cylinder to run hot.
 
I agree.

Sounds like a problem with that injector. It's working a little, so I would think that it's probably not an electrical problem (tho that is possible). My guess is that the injector is partially pluged.
 
70_Nitrous_Eater said:
I agree.

Sounds like a problem with that injector. It's working a little, so I would think that it's probably not an electrical problem (tho that is possible). My guess is that the injector is partially pluged.

I thought something with the injector at first too, but he said he switched them around and the problem persists. So that's why I think electrical. Could be wrong though.
 
tjm73 said:
I thought something with the injector at first too, but he said he switched them around and the problem persists. So that's why I think electrical. Could be wrong though.


Damn... missed that part about him switching the injectors around. I'm now in total agreement with you. Sounds electrical...either the wiring or the ECU itself.
 
I thought it would be running rich.......It sounds to me like that cylinder is running rich and fuel is actually burning inside the header when the valve opens. Applying more direct heat to the header, and making the header glow.
 
88GT17MA said:
I thought it would be running rich.......It sounds to me like that cylinder is running rich and fuel is actually burning inside the header when the valve opens. Applying more direct heat to the header, and making the header glow.

Yep, that is what I think/thought.

Injector stuck open a bit due to the electrical signals it's getting?
 
88GT17MA said:
I thought it would be running rich.......It sounds to me like that cylinder is running rich and fuel is actually burning inside the header when the valve opens. Applying more direct heat to the header, and making the header glow.

Nope, lean = heat. IIRC, the PCM cuts back on fuel a little during warmup period to get the motor up to temp more quickly.
 
CManT1914 said:
Nope, lean = heat. IIRC, the PCM cuts back on fuel a little during warmup period to get the motor up to temp more quickly.

Lean = engine gets hotter , rich = headers get extremely hot and red because the gas burns in the header tube causing the heat.. if your really lean it can also turn the headers hot as well due to the extra heat in the cylinder but most glowing red headers/midpipes are from a rich condition. If you dont believe me retard your timing so the spark goes off when the piston is on the downstroke it causes the gas to burn in the header making them extremely hot!
 
I tested the injector wire plug it has 12v going to it,and i used a test light hooked to it and turned the car over and it blinked off and on. Does this mean it's working ok? I also tried a different injector wire plug and got the same results.Still stumped,maybe the computer is bad? Thanks for the help so far guys.
 
emagdnim said:
If you dont believe me retard your timing so the spark goes off when the piston is on the downstroke it causes the gas to burn in the header making them extremely hot!

I had that problem (glowing headers) until I advanced my timing. Good Point.
 
As far as changing any parts, the engine is just broke in, maybe 5 street miles on it. But it did not do this when we broke in the motor. I started it everyday for about two weeks, while i was getting the car ready for the street, and it ran fine. This just started about a week ago. But i guess it could be something else on the engine making this happen.I just can't quite figure it out yet. Thanks guys.
 
I would say it is a timing issue, but you only have one header tube glowing red, which makes me think it is something specific to that cylinder (valve,plug,injecter).

Have you pulled your plugs? plug gap is ...?

are your injectors used or new?

I would pop the valve covers off and check the valvetrain also...
 
The injectors draw power from the same ECC power circuit as the computer. Therefore, whatever voltage is at the ECC relay is at the injectors if the wiring is OK.

Remember that the computer does not source power for any injector, actuator or relay, but provides the ground necessary to complete the circuit. That means one side of the circuit will always be hot, and the other side will go to ground or below 1 volt as the computer switches on that circuit. This protects the computer from short circuits in the elecrical supply part of the circuit.

The computer provides a switched ground signal to each injector to cause them to trigger. If the resistance in the wiring is higher than 1 or 2 ohms, the injectors will not fire like they should. The 10 pin connectors are suspect, since they have all the injector wiring in them.

Note: most ohmmeters are not very useful when it comes to measuring resistances below 2 ohms. Using a voltmeter to measure voltage drop across a connection or wire is a better method.

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Seehttp://fordfuelinjection.com for more help.