Smoking headers

Post by **scudderfish** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 5:43 pm

I've just started my rebuilt 4.3 RV8 on MS1 and EDIS. Within seconds the exhaust headers started smoking. It doesn't smell like exhaust fumes and I've been advised elsewhere that this isn't uncommon. However, I've never rebuilt an engine before so I'm a little nervous!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtrThi90AJg

Regards,
Dave

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 7:22 pm

Look like paint + oil, etc is burning away only.. Don´t worry if car dosen´t fire..

Quagmire · Post by **Quagmire** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 7:30 pm

Its amazing how much oil and stuff you can drip onto things when dis-assembling/reassembling things - so thats usually the cause of any smoke i get when I start up after top end work etc. This still happens even if I wipe up as I go with a rag. shock:

However, yours looks nice and clean so all i can say is this:

Are the headers painted with high temp paint? I guess the thinner wall thickness of tubular manifolds (compared to factory cast) could mean that things are heating up quicker?.Mine never smoked like that when first installed, it did a bit but not that much!

Otherwise all I could think of is timing being too retarded and heating things up excessively?

Probably just stuff burning off though.

:

Post by **scudderfish** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:59 pm

They probably got a liberal soaking in WD40 when I was dismantling stuff as the bolts were a swine. I'll wheel it outside and let it run for a while.

Thanks

Regards,
Dave

unstable load · Post by **unstable load** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:49 am

Greasy fingerprints, oil dropped on them and frsh paint getting itself scorched all add up to smoke.
Nothing out of the ordinary there, it should burn off after a few minutes.

As said earlier, unless you have flames, it should be OK.