360 cam break in. Headers glowing. More timing needed?

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WA71swinger

WA71swinger

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Love this site. Go to post a quick question and spend hours reading what others are fiddling with. Finally fired the 360 I've been dragging my feet on for the past couple years. Hydraulic cam. 1st fire up ran It about 10 minutes between 1500-2500rpms. Headers started leaking water onto the exhaust = smoke. Shut her down. tightened header bolts to head. She got to about 215 degrees. 2nd round. Ran about 7 or 8 minutes and headers are glowing hot at near the firewall being the hottest spot. Shut her down. Temp gauge read 210. Lots of pressure (too much) on top radiator hose. Vented radiator by leaving cap off after engine cooled. Thinking there may be an air pocket. Tightened other spot headers now dripping water from. 3rd run. about 10 minutes. Put radiator cap back on after a minute. Headers start to glow again. Radiator (only) feels very hot. Manifold temp gauge reads 190 degrees. Doesn't feel like excessive heat coming off the motor. Shut her down because I don't like the headers glowing. Am I just a wuss? Is it because I wire brushed the rust and many years of street grime and oil off the headers? Is it timing? 11:1. iron head. stock valve size. 289/292 .486 lift hydraulic flat tappet cam. VP 110. Timing (wanted to start low), 14 degrees initial, 32 total. all in at 2500rpm. I did not put it on the timing light but I'm pretty confident, from experience, it will be damn close to that. Setting initial at the balancer from true TDC. Do I need more initial timing? any help on why headers keep leaking coolant around header gaskets?
 
any help on why headers keep leaking coolant around header gaskets?
Click to expand...

Did you use any sealant on the front and rear bolt/stud that goes into the head?

They do go into water.
 
pulled em an added arp sealant to stop em from leaking. One was dripping again. After I shut it down. Dry now after setting for a couple days..
 
Was thinking about my post. My statement about my confidence in my timing abilities. It was just earlier this year I was asking questions on here trying to figure out how the timing all works. Got lots of good info from many members on this site. Everyone seemed to have their own take on it. PERFECT! Messed around with a couple old motors. Various dizzies. A motor I pulled running I know the timing was good on for an example of everything "as running good". Goofed around with MSD, stock, etc. dizzies. Rolling motors around to TDC. Made a piston stop. Got familiar with my balancer and timing marks. etc. Messed around with setting timing by various different suggested methods. Pulling distrubitor shaft from oil pump and setting in various positions. Stuff like that. Routing #1 around for optimal plug wire routing. Both on small blocks and my 440. Bought MSD ignition/Billet dizzy. Set my 440 up just how I wanted it. Fired it up. Put it on a light. My initial, total, and curve were right on the money dialing initial at the balancer. Point is. Thank you a bodies. All the info I have gotten from a body members has helped me solve a lot of problems I might have otherwise been stuck on. Hopefully gave me a lot of good advice about motor design and building for the beginner. LOL. I will post numbers when I get it too the track. Rock on For A-Bodies Only.
 
Not enough timing is a major cause of glowing headers. Engine has no load and 32 degrees is mighty low, especially if it's not all in at your break in rpm. Crank it up. Engine has no load on it either, so lots of timing usually won't hurt it.
 
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