Glowing headers

[ViperDave]

Ok so I have just re tightened the header bolts after installing the new gaskets under the bellanger headers and took the car out for a quick spin. Didn’t overly hold back on the throttle so I drove the viper pretty hard. Popped the hood when I got back to check everything was ok and as it is starting to get dark now I noticed the headers were glowing red. Now I don’t usually go poking around under the hood when its dark so don’t really know if this is normal, so has anyone else witnessed this and if so did the motor blow up shortly afterwards or is it going to be ok?

 

[ViperGTS]

H-o-t--r-o-d-...

 

[dave6666]

Yes you toasted the car. The entire car. No part of it can be reconditioned. I am prepared to pay you scrap metal price of $6.47. I will come get it. Sit tight until I arrive. Have cold beer and hot wings available, as I'll be hungry.

 

[dave6666]

But seriously, why do you think the headers have heat shields? And the plug boots have heat shields? To keep from catching the inside of your hood on fire, and to keep from melting your plug boots into oblivion.

Alternate way to solve issue is to drive real slow.

 

[ViperDave]

lol

you ll need the wings and and a cold beer after you swim over. at least the water will cool the pipes on the way back.

I was just checking as I've just never seen headers glow on a street car before, but then the viper is kick ass.

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Its them 2x turbos that was glowing.............

Had headers glowing on normal 4 pots before now..

 

[Camfab]

This can be attributed to an overly rich or lean condition. I would have it checked out.

 

[FE 065]

Take a photo or 2 at night and let's see how it looks..

 

[dave6666]

This can be attributed to an overly rich or lean condition. I would have it checked out.

I agree. Even though headers can run that hot after a semi spirited drive as was quoted, your mixture may be off. A code reader may or may not pick that up. Worth investigating for sure. How come the Wizard hasn't chimed in yet? He knows everything. Wizard... Oh Wizard... Where are you...

 

[britospeed]

95% of the time if your headers are glowing then you have unburned fuel igniting in the header. Most likley from a rich condition or your timing is way ********.

 

[ViperDave]

I guess it could well be slightly rich as I have just replaced the gaskets as the original bellanger ones developed a leak. I guess if they had been leaking a bit for a while before they became noticeable the computer may have increased the fuel to compensate and hasn’t had a chance to settle back down yet. I have also just replaced the plugs and wires so that may have upset the balance a bit also. I didn’t think the plugs that came out looked as if there had been experiencing anything too much out of the ordinary.

It wasn’t really as if you could read a book by the light given off, it was just a faint glow at twilight and I had to put the car into the darker garage to be sure. I think I will have to have a closer look tonight and see if I can get anything useful out of the carchip code reader. It hasn’t set a check engine light though (yet!).

Hopefully it just needs a bit of settling down of the computer parameters..

 

[dave6666]

I guess it could well be slightly rich as I have just replaced the gaskets as the original bellanger ones developed a leak. I guess if they had been leaking a bit for a while before they became noticeable the computer may have increased the fuel to compensate and hasn’t had a chance to settle back down yet. I have also just replaced the plugs and wires so that may have upset the balance a bit also. I didn’t think the plugs that came out looked as if there had been experiencing anything too much out of the ordinary.

It wasn’t really as if you could read a book by the light given off, it was just a faint glow at twilight and I had to put the car into the darker garage to be sure. I think I will have to have a closer look tonight and see if I can get anything useful out of the carchip code reader. It hasn’t set a check engine light though (yet!).

Hopefully it just needs a bit of settling down of the computer parameters..

You are running your heat shields on everything right?

 

[ViperDave]

You are running your heat shields on everything right?

Oh yes, i bear the scars from getting those things off and back on again. I swear they are made out of crushed razor blades.

 

[Paul S Lacey]

Well Dave time I chimed in on this but looking at the bend on the headers and thinking of lots of large Viper type explosions exiting the block at high speed I am not sure i would be worried you car is stock is it not or do you have a VEC II.

If its stock then I fail to see how the headers glowing is a problem, the Viper is a large engine that produces huge amounts of heat.

Heck I remember Ronnie Peterson giving up in the first turbo BMW because the floor pan melted.

So if you have not altered anything and have no check engine light I wouldn't worry

 

[dave6666]

Well Dave time I chimed in on this but looking at the bend on the headers and thinking of lots of large Viper type explosions exiting the block at high speed I am not sure i would be worried you car is stock is it not or do you have a VEC II.

If its stock then I fail to see how the headers glowing is a problem, the Viper is a large engine that produces huge amounts of heat.

Heck I remember Ronnie Peterson giving up in the first turbo BMW because the floor pan melted.

So if you have not altered anything and have no check engine light I wouldn't worry

I believe the man is giving you a green light to drive it like it's a stolen rental car.

 

[Go Fast For Life]

If you have aftermarket headers, the glow is normal - assuming you don't have heat shields. I have SVSi headers. At night, if the car idles for more than a couple of minutes, the headers glow red.

 

[ruckdr]

Heat shields and/or High Temp (2000 deg.) Ceramic coat the headers. Heat goes out the pipes, not through them.

Mine are Gen2 tube headers, and have been coated since 2003.