Headers glowing red

[gamer4lyfe48]

After a short drive (less than 10 miles) my truck runs rough looses power for a minute and then wants to go. Get home to check the engine out and the headers are glowing red....what would cause this to happen? Pretty much everything has been replaced on the truck.


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[Mark_88]

Howdy and welcome to TRS~!

Usually associated with restriction in the exhaust/catalytic converter or lean air fuel mixture...could also be retarded ignition timing all of the above should cause a loss of power or fuel economy.

Depending on the year of your vehicle you may want to check for codes or have someone who knows how to check them for you.

Fuel injected or carbureted?

 

[tomw]

I would have said a RICH mixture, allowing lots of fuel to flow into the manifold and be burned, or more likely a misfire on one cylinder (due to excessive injector flow) dumping fuel into the manifold.
One other thing is re-tarded timing, causing the burning to continue even as the gas is being pushed out into the manifold. Engine temperature will generally be increased with late timing.
tom

 

[gamer4lyfe48]

It’s a 1994 Mazda b2300 with the 2.3 dual plugs. It is fuel injected. The timing was just done on the truck, now my question is on the timing is do you have to set cylinder one to top dead center before setting the cam and crank in time?


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[Mark_88]

OK, thanks for the update.

The engine should be set to TDC initially but you should go by the crank markings if you have them. I also liked to pull #1 plug and watch the piston rise to that but if you only do that you may set it on the 180* out position since the crank turns 2x for every cam revolution. It didn't matter on the older engines I worked on but the Crank Position Sensor makes it necessary.

The engine probalby wouldn't even start if it was too far out so you are probably close enough if it is running. Being out by one tooth might make enough of a difference to cause inappropriate timing with could result in lean or rich conditions.

The Cam should also be set to the mark on the front of the engine or pointing to approximately 5 o'clock by the diamond/arrow. The auxilliary shaft doesn't matter too much but it doesn't hurt to put align that one by pointing the marking on the gear towards the one on the crank.

Short of that...the only other step is to make sure the belt doesn't jump when you release the tension pulley...