Very hot headers after eng. Has ran for only 30 secs.

MOTORMORON

MEMBER
1930 FORD BRONCO

My '79 Bronco has a newly rebuilt 351m (less than 5 miles), new exhaust system, and a new carb. I want to make adjustments to the carb, but am afraid to let the engine run for any length of time because the headers get so damn hot, so quickly, while the rest of the engine is not even close to being warm.
Is this normal?

3 Replies

NOS

MECHANIC
320 POSTS

Headers will get very hot they will burn skin in a heart beat. There not as heavy as cast manifolds. And if the carb is out of adjustment they will get hotter. Make your adjustments. 8) NOS

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Wednesday, February 21st, 2007 AT 11:36 AM

TOP_NOTCH

MEMBER
5 POSTS

No, this is not normal. And although headers typically allow more heat into the engine bay, the headers should not heat up that quickly. I had headers on my mustang that were ceramic coated and they were not that hot.

A cause of excessive heat could be ignition timing. I would suggest to verify static timing as soon as the car is started. I don't know the spec's off the top of my head, but I *recall* that my Ford 460 motor was 8 BTDC @ 800 rpm. If the distributor is one tooth off the timing can be off enough to cause such problems.

Since the motor is new make sure everything is buttoned up tight as well. Double check oil pressure first. Then that coolant is good.

If the timing turns out good, a richer mixture will help cool the motor.

Dollars to donuts the timing is out of whack.