This is topic Glowing headers? in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by 91 5.0 (Member # 1527) on :
 
I finally got my car runnin again last night. To make a long story short, before I drove it, I held the RPM at 2000 for a few minutes. Afterwards I noticed the headers were glowing orange. What would cause this? Isnt this a sign of a rich condition? My fuel pressure was at 38 psi and my A/F ratio gauge didnt register at all. Ive got 30 lb injectors. Any ideas on how to correct this?

[ June 12, 2003, 08:35 AM: Message edited by: 91 5.0 ]
 

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Posted by Black94 5.0 (Member # 655) on :
 
I would have thought it was a sign of "lean" condition....

I think it can be both.....Sometimes if your running too rich fuel will start igniting in your exhaust system....Most of the time if you run lean the exhaust will get HOT and start to glow a nice orange/red....

I would take out the plugs and see how they look...(wait until it cools first )
 

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Posted by 91 5.0 (Member # 1527) on :
 
Will the plugs be "read-able"? They only have a total of 5-10 minutes on them.
 

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Posted by st5150 (Member # 51) on :
 
Very lean or overly retarded timing.
 

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Posted by mustanggt5091 (Member # 444) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by st5150:
Very lean or overly retarded timing.

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Posted by 91 5.0 (Member # 1527) on :
 
The timing makes sense. As for the mixture, I thought it was from running rich and having unburned gas burning in the headers.
 

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Posted by st5150 (Member # 51) on :
 
You got it backwards, a rich mixure "cools" and a lean mixure burns hot. This is why holes are burnt in pistons sometimes when a power adder car leans out too much.

On the flip side, if you're too rich, your cats can glow because they're working over time trying to burn up all the extra unburnt fuel before sending it out the exhaust.
 

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Posted by 91 5.0 (Member # 1527) on :
 
I know that. Seems to me though that if there was too much fuel, it would continue to burn after it exited the combustion chamber.
 

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Posted by 91 5.0 (Member # 1527) on :
 
well, either way, do you have any suggestions for correction?
 

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Posted by 93PONY (Member # 60) on :
 
Timing is retarded.
No big deal. Just make sure you didn't toast all your plug wires.
 

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Posted by 91 5.0 (Member # 1527) on :
 
Plug wires were fine.
My A/F ratio gauge wouldnt register while running. Any idea on that?
 

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Posted by Lightning Larry (Member # 2737) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by st5150:
Very lean or overly retarded timing.

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Yep! That's where I would put my money.
 

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Posted by 91 5.0 (Member # 1527) on :
 
I advanced the timing to 15 degrees. They still glow a little bit and my A/F ratio is super lean, even when I raise the fuel pressure to 50 psi. Any idea on how to correct this lean condition?
 

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Posted by Jim (Member # 2848) on :
 
timing is not advancing with the RPM's it sounds like to me.
 

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Posted by 91 5.0 (Member # 1527) on :
 
My car was converted to a 5 speed from an auto. I still have the auto computer. Could this have anything to do with it?
 

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Posted by stoauto (Member # 2803) on :
 
definately fuel or timing issue.
 

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Posted by 93PONY (Member # 60) on :
 
You're SURE you're setting timing at 15BTDC & not 15ATDC right?
The timing should be set with 0 on the left of the #'s.
If everything is cool, check for a spun balancer. If it's a stock balancer, sometimes the rubber ring that holds the outer piece to the inner piece rips & the outer ring with the timing marks on it slips.

If you want to know for sure that the 0 on the balancer matches up with TDC on the motor, turn the motor over till the timing pointer is at 0. Then remove the balancer. The shear-pin (alignment pin, whatever) should be facing DIRECTLY up.
 

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Posted by rob (Member # 50) on :
 
RTFM!

your a/f guage works fine, i would imagine.
the thing is, with these guages, they only give a reading at WOT (wide open throttle) that is meaningful.if the pedal ain't on the floor, the a/f can't be read by those units. it has to do with the temperature of the exhaust gases.
 

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Posted by jmcclesk (Member # 1355) on :
 
Give me a call i have a idea???
 

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