header a glow!
 

ok my friends, once again i have a need for your advice.i have a sbc thats built strong for the street. when we start this thing up and let it idle the pass. side header starts to glow a pretty red color.i thought that carb was set to lean so i play with the carb no luck.i have run into this before but i dont remember what i did to fix it. help please. thanks ken

check valve setting on that side, may be too tight.

Glow
 

Also,a INTAKE Gasket Leak(Vac.Leak)?
Later
G 8)

Have you set your timing yet? Retarded timing will make headers glow ASAP............
Johnny

I am currently fighting this same problem.
Fresh 355 flattop motor,Vortec heads,single plane intake,MSD ign,Holley DP carb.The thing runs fine,but after a couple mins idle time,the headers start to glow.They get to the point of melting the plug wire boots,just from the radiant heat.
I'll admit I haven't had a timing light on it,but I've moved the dist. all over the map with no luck and many a time in the past I have just dropped the dist. in,moved it where I wanted it and went with no glowing headers.
This is a hyd. roller cam engine.Is it possible for the valves to be too tight on it(as stated above)and it still run this good?Depending on where I have the dist. sitting it sometimes grunts during startup,but the throttle response is great,it runs smooth,etc.
I did pull the intake back off and put another new set of gaskets on it(Fel Pro 1255s).While I had the intake off this time I drilled some extra holes in the intake to match some that had been previously added to the heads(by someone else) and the 1255 gaskets already had both sets of holes.So basically it now has both intake bolt patterns(minus the two front and two rear holes in the "old" style pattern-they werent in the heads,so I didnt put them in the intake),and has a total of 16 bolts holding the itake on!I also used the Permatex plyable non-hardening sealer on both sides of the gaskets for insurance.I seriously don't think I still have an intake sealing issue(if I even did in the first place).
Does anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks,
Glen

Re: Glow
 

x2

Advance your timing!!!

Yep.

In my ongoing learning I ran into this very same issue on/a BBC. Pass side header was glowing near collector area & made the header paint turn white on that side. I painted it again & advanced the timing & re-set the solid lifters on that side. One int & one ex lash was off by .200. fired up & drove... problem solved. Black paint still black, more responsive, etc...

Scooter actually figured out something on his own.... amazing.