red hot headers (glowing)

86bluecobra · Apr 14, 2007

Woodrow said:
Headers glow because of unburnt gas getting in them and igniting, not because it is lean. If anything its way to rich.

OK I have been doing a bunch of reading and you are kinda right. It could be that unburnt gasses are getting into the header. The only way this happens however is with retarded timing. The spark is not firing at the proper time and expelling unburnt gas into the exhaust. You could have a perfectly great air fuel ratio but if you have to little timing this could happen. That being said you could have great timing and a lean AFR and it could also happen. Since i play with carbs and non computer controlled timing I have seen headers start to glow with a simple twist of the dizzy and then stop glowing with the opposite twist of the dizzy.

dadiesel5 · Apr 14, 2007

i will let you know tomorrow but i really am lost when it comes to timing but i have a friend who has been helping me but he's lost on this so if i turn the dizzy to the right (standing in front of the car) how far do i need to go and can i potentially mess the engine up, i will try tomorrow and let you know.

cj99 · Apr 14, 2007

problem found

o,k I think I found the problem. if you don't know how to set the timing and you built the engine.. there might be a problem , but anyway. you need to have some one set the timing for you to make sure its right, no matter what you have read here.
just so you know if you turn it one way and the engine speeds up then you have advanced it and the same goes for if you turn it and it slows down the engine than you have retarded it. but that is not important if you do not know how to set it. it has to be set right unplug the little plastic chip hanging next to the distributor cap. when you set the timing then plug it back in after word.

86bluecobra · Apr 14, 2007

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/Detailed/71.shtml
this should help you with adjusting your timing.
You need a timing light.
this link may also help.
http://www.moddedmustangs.com/forums/how-to-bump-up-your-timing-vt294.html

dadiesel5 · Apr 15, 2007

so i just make white marks on the balancer over the marks that are already there and also i really don't understand how do i know when i'm 10 to 14 degrees advanced, i have my friends light and i will look tomorrow but when he timed it he didn't unplug anything he just turned the dizzy.thanks for the help

cj99 · Apr 15, 2007

ok, well there is a wire ( looks like 2 wires ) it runs throught this gray cap
then to the plug on the side of the disturbor . the computer controls the timing so you have to set the base timing. 10-14 for most people i would set your at 10 for now
but you have to unplug this chip ( gray plug ) then set the timing then plug it back in and the computer will take over.
can some one here post a picture of what he needs to look for
thanks

dadiesel5 · Apr 15, 2007

going out to mess with it now and i will let u know what i find out oh by the way what does it do when you try to set the timing without unplugging that plug.

blackened88lx · Apr 15, 2007

It depends on where the headers are glowing. If they're glowing right out of the ports, then it might be a lean condition. Woodrow and Pacecar are right though. A severe rich condition, or retarded timing will cause the headers to glow. Usually in this case they will glow at the collectors where the fuel is puddling and burning.

86bluecobra · Apr 15, 2007

dadiesel5 said:
going out to mess with it now and i will let u know what i find out oh by the way what does it do when you try to set the timing without unplugging that plug.

It doesn't work because with the plug in the computer is trying to control the timing as you move the dizzy. You need to remove the plug (spout connector) to set intial timing up. That kinda bypasses the computer control while you set it.

86bluecobra · Apr 15, 2007

dadiesel5 said:
so i just make white marks on the balancer over the marks that are already there and also i really don't understand how do i know when i'm 10 to 14 degrees advanced, i have my friends light and i will look tomorrow but when he timed it he didn't unplug anything he just turned the dizzy.thanks for the help

After reading this I have no doubt you have a retard condition in you timing. After you set the intial timing up properly the glowing headers will go away.

dadiesel5 · Apr 15, 2007

update i took the plug out and moved the timing there is a line on the bottom of the dizzy and a line on the block and they were lined up when i started and i moved the dizzy and now they are about 1/4 inch apart and that seemed to help a little i let it idle at about 2k rpm for close to 5min and it looked like only the front tube on the headers was hot but it is hard to tell in the daylight, what should i do now. oh by the way its running around 40 on fuel pressure.

blackened88lx · Apr 15, 2007

Why is it idling at 2k rpm?

dadiesel5 · Apr 15, 2007

because i idled it up and let it run there

86bluecobra · Apr 15, 2007

What is the intial timing set at now? What is the timing mark and pointer saying the timing is when you put the timing gun on them?

FastFord58 · Apr 15, 2007

I was going to say either someone set the timing with the plug in, or forgot to put it back in after it was set.

dadiesel5 · Apr 15, 2007

well i played around with the dizzy and i let car idle at around 7 or 800 rpm for about 10 min and i couldn't see any red in the headers i will try again at night if i don't have it fixed i will let someone else mess with it thanks for the help.

cj99 · Apr 15, 2007

getting closer

i am not sure of what it would effect if anything to set the timing while it was running at 2k. i would adjust idle to 1k to set the timing. like i said i dont know that it cant be done at 2k , just never tried it before. keep in mind the higher the engine rpm the more heat you are putting out. so @ below 2k your glow may go away. i checked my header heat at idle with a temp gun. it was about 400-450 deg F
i would not think it would glow before 800 ? just a guess
anyone else check there with a temp gun ?
i would say your getting closer to fixing your problem now that you have adjusted the timing the right way. now check you codes

86bluecobra · Apr 15, 2007

what is your timing set to now?

cj99 · Apr 15, 2007

check this out

check out this link. good info for you

http://www.my5oh.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=190

dadiesel5 · Apr 15, 2007

i really can't tell you what the timing is set at now i will have to get someone who knows to come here to check it because i really don't know what i'm doing when it comes to the timing and timing light but i can tell you this i did put a timing light on it and all i could see was a mark on the balancer that was below the metal pointer that sits over the balancer. sorry for the poor description i'm still learning

red hot headers (glowing)

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