What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Need Help! First start up and headers are getting red and spraying water out radiator

Cili

Cili

1/2 ton status
 Premium
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Posts
459
Reaction score
106
Location
Sidney MI
Alright so a couple weeks ago I took the motor out of my truck to change the heads, cam, and intake. Tonight I finally got everything back together and was going to break the cam in. When i first tried to actually fire it it blew flame out the carb so I turned the dist counter clockwise and got it to start. Brought it up to about 2000 rpms or as I thought as I dont have a tach, set the idle screw and let it run. Seemed like it was running pretty good but maybe a little choppy. So it ran for a few more minutes and we started to put a little water in the rad when all of a sudden it started spraying out the top like 2-3 foot in the air. I let it go for about 30 secs hoping it would stop like maybe it was some air or something but then I looked down at the motor and the header tube on #8 cylinder was red hot! So I went around so I could shut it off and noticed either #3 0r 5 tube was red hot as well. So I just shut it off and thats where im at. Anybody have any ideas wat could be wrong?

I called one person and they said it possibly sounds like a head gasket problem? Sound feasible?

Anything would help. PLEASE!!!!!!!
 
Sounds like you need a timing light. Also did you spin the crank a few times to double check your cam timing.
How big was the cam?
Double check your firing order? Usually If it's only a couple cylinders doing it you could possibly have a wire crossed
 
I dont have a timing light at home, but i figured i could get it close enough to at least get it running so I could take it some where. The cam isnt big at all like .440/.460.
Firing order doesnt seem wrong with how easy it fired up and ran but I will double check it.

No one has a guess about the radiator shooting water out like that? Iv done a few coolant flushes and IK sometimes water comes out but this was SHOOTING out hard.
 
ok so im out here looking at stuff and i realized i didnt plug off a vacuum port and the port is on the runner going to number 8 cylinder, one of the ones that was red hot. could that have been sucking in air and making that cylinder lean?
 
Cili said:
ok so im out here looking at stuff and i realized i didnt plug off a vacuum port and the port is on the runner going to number 8 cylinder, one of the ones that was red hot. could that have been sucking in air and making that cylinder lean?
Click to expand...
red headers is usually a sign of bad timing. Usually means its retarded to much.
 
ok so timing is probably a problem but that doesnt affect the radiator issue. Thanks guys
 
Had the radiator issue on my moms 34 coupe 2 weeks ago. Check your thermostat. I had a brand new one that would not open. Cleaning radiator fluid off of Laquer paint sucks.

With your timing issue,(never start a new engine without a light), if it was retarded enough to glow the headers, it was cooking the coolant and finally pushed back past the pump.
 
I will tomorrow, I have a guy coming tomorrow that builds motors and races and he said hes gonna bring a few tools so he should be able to help a ton. Ill let u guys know how it goes.


Oh and do u guys think it hurt the new cam shutting it down during the break in period? i really hope not.
 
If you didn't have that 1/2npt port plugged hell yes that could lean it out like a mother Fer. As for the Coolant how Long was it running before you put any in. If it was that lean an getting hot it could have hit the block an boiled immediately I always put a atleast a gallon in my rad before I start it. An most times on break ins I don't install the Tstat so there are no air bubble issues an the motor stays nice and cool for the break in. But if you dont think that's the issue start it up again an feel If your building any pressure at the rad with out liquid in there then I would def say head gasket. But I've never seen it build enough to shoot coolant that high. But boiling off could def be very unfriendly.
 
Im gonna check the tstat too because it was brand new, maybe ill just throw the old on back in because I know it works.
 
I filled the rad up to the top before i started it, dont know how much that is. Its a huge 4 core rad tho so it was quite a bit. Maybe with the combination of that leak and the thermostat caused this to happen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom