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Glowing Headers on a Chevy 400 small block

I have an '84 Sierra with a 400 small block in it. Its from a '72 so its low compression, but I am having problems with glowing headers. I just very recently took the intake off to fix a leaking rear gasket so I put the distributor back in but I put it in exactly where it was before. I had it marked but who knows. Anyways, I have this problem so I need some help. It seems to run good especially with hightest but I usually only need regular 87 since it runs fine. I am just mentioning some details about gas and what I have done so you know incase it matters. Also has cats for some reason (whoever built the truck put them on...kinda pointless) but I cannot imagine both of them going bad and being plugged up at the same time. One more thing is that this truck is set up for EGR but there isn't one! The guy put a plate over it on the intake so there is that issue too. The valve covers do not have a PCV either, just a breather on each cover.

I need to fix it asap in the parking lot of my apartment before Saturday (March 10) if I can! I am headed home on break and a wedding; so any quick suggestions before I have to take it to a garage! I do not have a timin light on me so thats why I am here to ask for some backyard advise. Thanks a lot for the help.

-Buddy Lyman

Reply to
jdl243
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Retarded timing will cause a hot exhaust, just try advancing a little until it bucks back when starting and then back off a little bit.

The right way to do it, of course, is to use a timing light, but if you don't have one that will at least get you to the parts store to pick one up.

nate

Reply to
N8N

My guess would be that your timing is off. Advance the timing to the point that you get a little bit of pinging at full throttle under load and then back it off just enough that the pinging goes away. I usually just put my wrench in my pocket and take it for a spin. Pull over and adjust the timing a little at a time until you get it right.

It is also possible that you have a large vacuum leak but I would expect you would be noticing other derivability problems if that was the case.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

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