I just got my engine going after doing a head, cam, intake swap. If im idling its fine but when I hold the engine at around 2000 rpms the headers start to glow. I know my timing isnt set perfect so could this be part of the problem. If not what might it be.

THANKS

 

ok, about a month ago I was helping my buddy with his elcamino. his headers were doing the same. we knew the timing was off too. The other thing that was wrong was the plug wires were plugged wrong. we took care of both problems and the headers didn't glow anymore. So, yeah check your plugs first, then set your timing. Not sure if I can help you any further than that.

 

When breaking in a new cam, it is very common for the headpipes to glow red-hot. I'm not exactly sure why, but I have seen it on new engines, old engines with new cams, even motorcycle engines, the common thing always being a new cam. Once it runs for about 15 minutes, at about 2k rpm, it cools off and never does it again. It's strange because the coolant temp is only a tiny bit higher than normal, so no engine damage results, but it sure makes everyone nervous! It plays hell with your header coatings, so you will notice that all header coating companys will tell you not to break in a new engine on their coated headers.

 

You may have a lean fuel mixture, you said cam/intake/head swap. You may have to richen up your fuel mixture, with the better flow capability that your engine has now. Hope its a roller so you didnt need to worry about the 20/30min break in.....Good luck.

 

when high performance chevy takes those cover shots with glowing headers they adjust the timing and fuel out of whack. not sure which way but that is always what they say in the "about the cover" blurb on the inside cover

 

Its not lean, its rich. Headers glow red for only one reason, there’s fuel burning inside. The two main reasons are a rich mixture and late ignition timing - which doesn’t give the fuel enough time to burn inside the combustion chamber.

 

HI brutalform, just a question, why is it on a high rpm pass that say you didnt think ahead and put a low pressure fuel switch on a nitrous kit and say the fuel pump stops while on that pass, you smoke the pistons and can burn holes in the headers in a matter of seconds, so a lean condition can cause a very bad overheat conditon. You are correct, that "can" be a reason also, but not the only reason, take a car and make a pass holding it to the floor and then reach over and shut your fuel pump off and leave the ignition on and see what happens when the plugs try to just light the oxygen that is comming into the engine, its not a pretty sight...

 

Yes, I agree you can self destruct an engine, if that happens with nitrous. But, the poster has just installed a cam, intake, and head swap. Now he has to run the engine at an certain RPM, to properly break in the cam. Most likely, he installed one with hotter specs than the one that he originally had, which would most likely like more timing in the RPM range he has to attain to break in the cam. Now, the headers are glowing, and thats the fuel being burned in the primaries, with not enough ignition lead.

 

You are right about the ignition timing leading to unburned fuel in the primaries and sometimes a detonation, but saying that the ONLY reason headers glow is from fuel burning inside is a little off. If you every worked with a turbocharged motor especially diesels, you would know that exhaust temperatures can get extremely high. A lean mixture will cause higher exhaust temps which often leads to glowing headers until fueling is properly adjusted.

 

Thanks for the help guys. Yes it is a rollor.

 

After a head cam and intake swap it is most assuredly what brutalform said.

U have changed the timing requirements and I can assure u it is now rich at low load and out of gear situations now.

Your gonna have some tuning ahead of you to alleviate the situation.

later
Jeremy

 

Im sorry, what I was trying to say it that due to the cam/intake/head swap he now has better VE with the engine, so with that percentage going up, and if he did not jet for that application he will be having a lean condition that will cause it to generate more heat, so much at a given RPM it will cause the headers to glow. Like I said you are correct that it may be a timing issue also, but could be adjusted by putting more fuel to it now that he has the capability of burnig it. Thanks.

 

Thanks for all the help. I still have about 2 months before I start driving the car again so I have time to get it in check. I plan on buying tunning equipment just figuring out what I all need.

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Mods. GMPP Vortec heads, Comp Cams XR269HR, Crane Gold Rockers, Hooker headers, SDPC intake manifold, free flow exhaust, Air Foil. Future mods, TPIS Runners, AFPR.

 

I thought you werent supposed to break an engine in with new headers