i just got done installing a new intake and carb. but now once it idels for awhile, i noticed that the pass side header gets red hot (the headers are also wraped), but the driver side does not. is it just to lean? or is it to rich? or does it mean that the timing is off?? if it is the timing, what should it be at? right now its at about 8 degrees, it also idels alittle high right now, at about 1000 rpm. any help would be appreciated

sounds like one of the idle mix screws is wrong both should be close to equal (a good starting point is 1.5 turns out)

thanks

Is it the whole side or just 1 or 2 pipes that are not hot - this could indicate a fouled plug. Pour a small amount of water on each pipe - the ones that don't sizzle off right away have fouled plugs or weak spark. This test only works on headers though.

i use a small dab of grease on each exaust outlet to detect misfires. If you have a normal dual plane intake, it feeds cylinders on both sides, ie, center two on one side, outside two on the other side. the idle thing will only work on a single plane with a divided plenum.

hey, thanks for the responses. I adjusted the mixture screws a bit, but havent really been albe to run it enought again to see if it would do the same thing. it was just the pass side header getting red, mainly down by where the collector is, and a bit on the header for # 8 and #6. oh, iam running a air-gap intake, and hooker shorty headers, and 9 degrees timing thanks

[This message has been edited by bmxmann (edited March 22, 2005).]

i had the same problem and needed more intial timing. do you have a vacuum advance and is it hooked up to which port?

A lean mixture and/or not enough advance timing can cause the headers to run hotter. Hmm 9deg is kinda of low for a stock to mild setup and would be my guess why the header(s) are getting hot.

Is this "reading" with or with out vaccum advance? I usually set the timing to 12-16* deg with the vaccum advance off and then put the vaccum advance back on, but varies from engine to engine. Leaner systems need more advance, are you running a Edelbrock or Qjet carb?

A 283 I had with 8.2 compression and qjet carb would run with 20* before hooking up vaccum advance!

its a stock 74 350, except i put the headers on, air-gap intake, and a holley 600cfm carb. yes, i have the vaccum advance hooked up, it is hooked up to the bottom plate of the carb. i think i set the timing with the vaccum advance hooked up, always forget to take that off, i'll take it off and set it for 12degrees. thanks

[This message has been edited by bmxmann (edited March 22, 2005).]