Glowing headers

-
mopar head said:
That`s the thing about it, they had no color change period, like new out of the box.
Click to expand...

Good, brand new plugs on unleaded fuel should look clean white with a small gray fuel ring at the very bottom of the porcelain.
 
If the exhaust starts to glow orange, then the timing's too far retarded advance it a bit...
 
barnett468 said:
He only been old this around 10 times now.
Click to expand...
Relax dude, just building a consensus, I want to try 1 thing at a time to see if 1 thing would be a cure. That would be highly informative,to me, and to the next guy who might experience the same issue. Plus save me on gasket/s. I appreciate all who try and help, I`m not ignoring anybody. This time around I`m not going to panic, if I detect the slightest glow, I`m shutting it down and installing the jets. Unless these site builders reply and say NO-NO-NO-JET IT FIRST, I`ll jet it first.
thanks
 
In my experience, jetting up won't do squat on a holley carb because the draw is still on the transition slots.

Turn up the timing and a lot of the issues will likely disappear. It think that may be #12... :)
 
mopar head said:
Relax dude, just building a consensus, I want to try 1 thing at a time to see if 1 thing would be a cure. That would be highly informative,to me, and to the next guy who might experience the same issue. Plus save me on gasket/s. I appreciate all who try and help, I`m not ignoring anybody. This time around I`m not going to panic, if I detect the slightest glow, I`m shutting it down and installing the jets. Unless these site builders reply and say NO-NO-NO-JET IT FIRST, I`ll jet it first.
thanks
Click to expand...

LOL, If I was any more relaxed I'd fall asleep . You really need to just go do what you are going to do because there will NOT be any new news posted on this topic, and nothing is going to change the fact that it is too lean and will not get richer with more timing . I have been building cars and engines and fine tuning them for 40 years, but it sounds like you just want to experiment so go ahead . It's not my engine so I really couldn't care less if you score a piston or have some other problem or not . Running a new engine slightly rich will never, ever, hurt it, however, running one slightly lean definitely can, it's that simple . Anyone that says otherwise has absolutely no idea what they are talking about . This ain't rocket science.
.
 
Last edited:
RustyRatRod said:
Glowing headers is an indication of retarded timing first. With the timing being late, the fuel is still burning leaving the cylinders, because the ignition is started too late so it continues to burn. This reacts the same as a lean mixture, since all of the fuel is not burned inside the chamber. Bump the initial timing up.
Click to expand...
Exactly Right!

barnett468 said:
The only thing increasing the timing might do to your jetting is make it LEANER, and you have been told to go up on your primary jets irregardless of what you do with your timing, but do what you want.
Click to expand...
Couldn't be more wrong!

IQ52 said:
I was trying to s


I was trying to stay out of this, too many bad suggestions on where to start. I own/run a dyno, we have thermo couples in the headers we run on the dyno. During engine break in if the exhaust gas temperatures are getting to high, the first thing we do is advance the timing. It is pretty common for us to use 36 degrees total advance at 2,500 rpm. If you make it richer without advancing the timing I believe you will burn even more fuel in the headers and they will continue to glow.

Jim La Roy
La Roy Engines
Challis, Idaho
Click to expand...
100% ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
While it is true a lean mixture runs hotter than stoich or a richer mixture it is very unlikely to get the exhaust hot enough on its own to make it glow red. If timing were near correct it would start a lean burn inside the cylinder and have burnt the fuel out enough before the headers. What is happening is combustion still occurring in the headers. If it were that lean you'd certainly have a lean misfire condition. As for the advancing timing causing the mixture to lean out I don't buy that because the mixture (A/F ratio) is predetermined before the intake valve. Your exhaust gases will change with timing changes but not so much of what is going into the cylinder.
You may in the end for the sake of tuning have to increase the jetting but id definitely start by advancing the timing some and you'll see the headers return to normal.
 
Yes, timing it was, I put 75s in and took them back out to the original 71s.
The engine really likes 18-20 but doesn`t like to start at that, it starts good at 14-15.
No more glow.
curious of why so much timing was needed for break-in? and not needed now?
tight clearances?
Yep with no load @ 2500 the boosters aren't even dribbling yet, that I could tell.
The engine sounds awesome, but have to replace the rear seal, oh lucky me.
Thanks guys, you know who you are:D
Not to say that it won`t need tuned for load on the street, but that`s a while out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top