headers glowing red

[jinx]

hey, guys last night I took a friend to one of the local mountains (cypress) to do a late night photoshoot of the city and on the way up my car was speeding up at 80-100k as soon as I got to the top I popped my hood open and noticed that my headers were glowing red and they have never done that before and i've gone up this mountain two weeks earlier and it was fine.

should I be worried about this?

 

[c3po]

A couple of Questions:

1) What type of car and year
2) What type of header, meaning what manufacturer
3) What are the headers made out of ( Mild Steel, Stainless Steel)
4) What is the thickness of the metal
5) Do you have an aftermarket exhaust
6) Please tell me these headers are coated, hoefully Jet Hot coated.
7) Sometimes companies sell coated headers, but they only coat the outside, and not the inside.
8) I would get an infrared gun

 

[jinx]

1. 1991 honda civic auto
2. stock headers
3. i'm not sure what it's made out of but it looks like iron (Id ont know my metals)
4. don't know how thick
5. nope no after market exhaust
6/7. I doubt there coated at all
9. i'll see if I can get one

 

[chevrofreak]

It's normal for headers to glow since they're usually fairly thin steel, but yours is probably a cast iron exhaust manifold. It takes a LOT of heat to make cast iron glow.

 

[rg200amp]

Nothing to worry about. My buddies Grand Prix dose it all the time when he "trys" to race.

 

[cmorr]

Your catalytic converter may be clogged up, or something else in your exhaust system.

 

[tom slick]

I know it is semantic but just so you know, the stock "headers" is actually called the "exhaust manifold", "headers" only refers to aftermarket tubular exhaust manifolds.

your situation sounds normal to me.

 

[oily boyd]

I'd check valve clearances, specifically exhaust side.

Someone correct me if I'm off base!

 

[ThirdeYe]

I've seen headers glow before when cars are on a dyno, but I doubt they were stock headers... dunno what to say, I'd say it's possible, especially considering how rev happy some smaller Honda engines tend to be and I don't think I'd be overly concerned.

 

[BuickGN]

I've never seen a car that didn't make the headers/manifolds glow when run hard for extended periods. Think about EGTs and then think about what temp steel or cast iron begins to glow at.

My headers turn yellow hot very quickly on the Buick. The turbo gets bright red. While the headers cool off quickly, the turbo will glow for a few minutes due to it's extra mass.

The number one thing that will make them glow abnormally easy is retarded timing. When we had problems with setting up the crank trigger, my dad's headers on his GN would glow at idle because the timing was so retarded.

 

[Shaman]

Mountain plus weight plus no power would lead me to think that it was almost normal. Did you check the EMs last time? What was different from this time and last time to climbed the mountain and checked the EMs

 

[punisher]

In the late 80s I caught the tail end of a dyno session in Houston. Entex had sponsored a natural gas powered drag car to do demo runs at local/TX events. I think it had a 12-71 on the BBC, and a really unique gas injection system on it. They missed the tune on it (too rich I think) and the headers got white hot during some pulls. They were glowing so brightly it was hard to stare at. When the throttle was backed off you could see the individual gas pulses in the primaries till the temps dropped.

 

[onion]

Does the car run ok otherwise?

Are you talking just a slight glow?

If both of those are the case, then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Saturn_Fan]

Per an LT1 owner's site, but YMMV.

Quote: "Headers red hot: Rich fuel condition - fuel burning in your primaries. Can be caused by un-metered air being pulled in downstream of your MAF, dramatically retarded timing, low spark intensity (incomplete fuel burn)..."

 

[jinx]

well I check my timing and it's all ok 18BTDC, i'll be going back up the mountain again this weekend and see if it does it again this time with a full car. I'll also try to bring a infrared gun with me this time.

also the color was like a cherry red.

 

[alreadygone]

I'd expect just that at night, when surrounding light levels are low. You've got to remember, the exhaust gasses are still FLAME 12 to 24 inches out from valve. Pull the muffler on your lawnmower and watch the flame shoot out when revved up, then slowed rapidly.

Bob

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: cmorr
Your catalytic converter may be clogged up, or something else in your exhaust system.


Unless turbo charged, a cast iron header should not glow. I think your cat may be clogged too.

 

[jinx]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: cmorr
Your catalytic converter may be clogged up, or something else in your exhaust system.


Unless turbo charged, a cast iron header should not glow. I think your cat may be clogged too.


I guess i'll have to pull part of my exhaust out to check huh?

i'll do that this weekend when I have time ^_^

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: tom slick
I know it is semantic but just so you know, the stock "headers" is actually called the "exhaust manifold", "headers" only refers to aftermarket tubular exhaust manifolds.


What if you install an aftermarket tubular exhaust manifold that is manufactured to OEM specs?

 

[andyd]

If you were doing 80-100 mph up hill, then I garontee the cat isnt clogged. Prolly werent running retarded either. Mebbe a tad rich or the spark wasnt keeping up, but it sounds like a hard working engine in good shape to me.