Ok i know this means that my car is running lean, but this just happened out of nowhere! It wasnt doing this until i changed my spark plug wires the other day, to the same set because my old ones got melted. I didnt do anything abnormally wrong to cause this crap to happen. I mean, ive done plug wires b4 with no problems. I didnt move anything or break anything such as any vacuum lines or whatever...My car idles smoothly but i think its idling alittle higher than it normally does but not by much. I do have an oil leak thats most likely coming from my manifold, and i know that this could be the reason but ive had the leak for awhile now and the headers never ever got so hot that they were glowing!!! From what i know it could either be a vacuum leak, a bad O2 sensor or bad O2 wiring, wrong timing(my timing has always been fine and seems to still be),or a leak in the manifold. Is there anything else that could possibly be makin me run lean? my headers also, are jet hot coated, would this make any difference or would this damge the coating becuz its way too hot? anyway, i just want the glwoing and lean crap to stop so please help me!!!! thanks
Joe

 

Sounds like your esc might be unhooked. Maybe, Im kinda just shootin in the wind.

 

Well you can start telling us more about the car...

The ESC thing is waaaay off base. LOL

 

Is your smog pump pumping continuously into the exhaust ports? The only time air should go to the exhaust ports is during idle. If it's still pumping above idle RPM, you will have eight blow-torches going and making those headers get red-hot!

 

I could be wrong because I never had an operating smog pump on any car I've cared about but I'd think inserting inert gases wouldn't case it to get hotter. I do know it causes the engine to stumble and have trouble idling.

Definetly a lean condition. If you're manifold is sucking oil who is to say it's not sucking air? There are no passages for oil through the manifold so if you're getting oil in the cylinders through the manifold (and not dieing valve seals)the gasket is probably leaking on the inside towards the lifter valley and probably is sucking in lots of air that your carb/FI can't measure causing your lean condtion.

That's my best guess but in theory only one or two cylinders should be lean from that. If you could give us more info about your car we could have a better shot at this.

Good luck and keep us updated.

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1984 WS6 Trans Am Hartop
Former L69 Car under restoration
1984 WS6 Trans Am T-top car
4-bolt main 350, headers, Holley 650, T-5 and 3.23's.
Daily driver and restoration

[This message has been edited by 84FTA (edited December 20, 2000).]

 

well i dont have my smog pump in the car anymore so i can rule that out. I do have TPI to let you guys know. Actually today, in like 30 degree weather, i stripped my engine from the manifold up to the strut bar. It didnt look like it was really leaking oil from the valley into the cylinders becuz the gasket didnt seem to have oil on them or anything (just the front and back silicone did) but it couldve been suckin air i dunno. i also replaced my o2 sensor just to rule that out as a possibility. anyway, i bought a fel-pro intake gasket set, which includes plenum and runner, etc gaskets. so hopefully by tomorrow, if its not too cold or snowing, i can get everything back on properly and wait a day or two for the silicone to cure (especially cuz its cold out here in NYC). Then fire the pig up and see if its doing it again. it really shouldnt be doing it again. this didnt even happen when i was puttin in the 350 into my car last year. My superam intake was leakin like a bitch and i had to take it off and put it back on like 4-5 times b4 it was good (but i also used fel-pro performance gaskets-they are way too thin). BTW superam intake bases perform very well but are not cast too perfectly...in my experieces anyway. i had to re-order the intake base twice becuz jegs sent me two pieces of **** that looked like a caveman carved it with a dull stone. anyway if theres any other stuff that u can tell me please let me know!!!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 84FTA:
[B]I could be wrong because I never had an operating smog pump on any car I've cared about but I'd think inserting inert gases wouldn't case it to get hotter.

actually, doesn't the smog pump plumb in fresh air (not inert gas, i think you're thinking EGR here) to heat up and burn off any unburned hydrocarbons and help the cat work?

anyway, check for vacuum leaks i guess. you said it may be idling faster. this says vacuum leak to me. this would cause a lean condition, I think...

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The world is full of stupid people...and I am no exception.

'83 Z28 5 speed (regrettably with T-tops)
'83 Z28 No T-tops (regrettably automatic)

 

Retarded ignition timing will also make the exhaust glow the most beautiful cherry red.

Jake


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1986 Corvette Coupe, 415 CID, Edelbrock 6073s, ZZ9

 

Jake beat me to it.

ALso, a clogged cat will get the upstream pipes nice and toasty! Running lean for miles and miles will do a very nice job of melting your cat into an impenetrable brick. This then plugs up the exhaust and you get the problem you have now.

DON'T RUN AN ENGINE FOR LONG THAT YOU KNOW HAS PROBLEMS- YOU MAY END UP MAKING THE SITUATION MUCH WORSE!

 

Chek your cat..


[This message has been edited by IROCYOWORLD (edited December 21, 2000).]

 

I had this problem when I first put my engine in a couple of years ago. I had the distributor turned way off. I'd check all the wires, check to make sure they are run to the right plugs, make sure the distributor clamp didn't loosen up, check the timing. My car actually ran good on a 2000 break in, until I saw how red my headers got.

 

Actually the smog pump or A.I.R. pumps air into the cat to help to conversion of co to co2 by adding extra o2. EGR cools the chamber and reduces nox emmissions by pumping exhaust into the intake to be taken in by the cylinders. I don't think that the egr would cause this problem. Retarded ignition timing or a clogged cat would be my guess. To check the cat screw a pressure gauge into the o2 sensor bung. Anything over 1.5-2 psi indicates a clogged exhaust.

 

i think it is advanced timing that will cause the headers to glow, not retarded. i had this happen on my truck once a few years ago. the advance weights in the distributor were stuck in the advanced position. the thing idled at 2 grand and the headers glowed like cherries. i had to back the dist off to get home. it went away and then i greased the timing weights and it hasn't happened since. scared the crap out of me though.

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88 S10
Dropped 3/4
Dart equipped 406
12.20 @ 115.25 mph

 

Retarded timing would cause the combustion process to finish later than normal in relation to the exhaust valve opening. That means the combustion process will occur in the manifold because the timing was not advanced enough to finish combustion before the exhaust valve opened. I don't know how advanced timing would cause the headers to glow but if the timing was to far advanced he would have absolutely no power and the engine would ping horribly because the combustion process would work against the upward rise of the piston.

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82 z28 350cid, vortec heads, comp 262h cam, Holley 600cfm carb, 2in twice pipes, MSD ignition, turbo 350 trans, 3.73 posi, manly b&m megashifter