Headers Glowing Red After Run Around Town

[Dimitrios]

Hi all. Went for a cruise tonight for about an hour or so and didnt run the car hard at all, i mean i didnt race it or beat on it. Pulled into the garage and lifted the hood just to cool it off a bit and noticed the headers on the left side under that aluminum foil looking piece was glowing red. i went over to the right side and the headers werent glowing at all. Im located in NY and the temp here is about 35 degress so it cold. Is this normal and is it dangerous? Seemed like it almost could go up in flames..If its not normal does anyone know what it is. I still have to make an arrangement with Tators dodge to fix my horn and heating system. heat only comes out from the defoger setting and floor. It doesn come out from the vents on the setting on the left of the dial. Thanks all and happy holidays. DK

 

[ACR Joe]

Chuck will get it sorted out. Could be a clogged injector or two creating a lean combustion condition or perhaps a plugged catalyst. Not normal though IMO.

 

[joe117]

******** timing can cause red hot headers. Why on one side only, I don't know.

 

[Viperfreak2]

Plugged cat. Only one or two headers would be red if it were lean. One whole side usually means exhaust issues.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Plugged cat. Only one or two headers would be red if it were lean. One whole side usually means exhaust issues.

I'm with Viperfreak2, clogged cat.

 

[SapphireGTS]

I took out my viper when it was new, ran the crap out of it for about 10 mins then put it back in the garage. I popped the hood to show the engine and the headers were red. Is this not normal after some quick spirited driving?

 

[Dave Adkins]

A similar thing happened to my '98 RT.

New plug wires did the trick.

The catalytic converter likely isn't 'clogged', it's just trying to burn the raw fuel being pumped into one of (or more) the left-side cylinders that isn't being completeley (or at all) burned since the spark isn't all getting to the spark plug electrodes. Combustion is taking place in the headers and catalytic converters.

Stock plug wires are notorious for failing under 20k miles.

Perhaps try this first to rule it out?

 

[GCHDEALER]

still have to make an arrangement with Tators dodge to fix my horn and heating system. heat only comes out from the defoger setting and floor. It doesn come out from the vents on the setting on the left of the dial. Thanks all and happy holidays. DK

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but my Gen I nor my Gen II car would blow heat out of the vents, Floor and defrost only. I do not think yours is broken that is just the way it is.
Chad

 

[CitySnake]

You need to stay off Northern Blvd!
Seriously, Chuck will clear it up!

 

[ViperJoe]

Floor and defrost only. I do not think yours is broken that is just the way it is.
Chad

Chad you are CORRECT!

After putting RT hi-flow cats and a Corsa cat-back, BOTH of my factory tubular headers were glowing red (as looking at the backside of them from up under the car while on a lift).
This was from about 15 minutes of idling, 2 minutes of a steady 2k rpms and back to idle (to heat cycle all the clamps). So in my case a clogged cat can't be the problem......

 

[Dimitrios]

hey city snake..its funny you say Northern BLVD cause thats where i drove it at about 1am. are you located in queens as well?