cat & manifold glowing! - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

crash · 11-22-2003, 05:14

I've been having a few problems with my xf falcon lately Im slowly getting around to fixing most of it. Tonight I went for a cigerette run and I noticed the temperature was a bit high, so I pulled over lifted the bonnet to see my exhaust manifold glowing red hot and welds on each side of the catalytic converter. Is this normal, I mean I've owned a turbo charged car before and seen the turbo glowing red hot after an hours of hard driving but yeah my xf is completely stock. I just had the factory exhaust replaced with a 2.5" inch system from the headers back.
Ive seen my catalytic converter glow before when I was towing a gocart back home, the cat ended up rattling around so I got the whole exh sys replaced. I would've of been driving for roughly 30 minutes at 80km/hr 2000rpm avg, not exactly driving a car hard! The engine is 250xflow carb, completely stock. Im a bit suspect on the carby as I was told it needed rebuilding and the automatic choke no longer works. But can timing/lean out causes that much heat in the exhaust? No other parts of the exhaust are glowing neither, just the cat + exh manifold.

Cheers guys, it's to close to xmas for me to be having major car probs!

ebxr8240 · 11-22-2003, 05:31

Too rich can cause cats to overheat as they are trying to burn all that left over fuel etc. Check your timing ? I'd say its retarded...Check for any inlet leaks...Cheap fuels such as too much ethonol can do this also ???

crash · 11-22-2003, 05:40

Yeah Im a bit sus on the carb, after I got the exhaust installed the fella there told me to get my car tuned and said not to drive it. I also remember seeing on my old tailpipe a black stripe(burn mark,oil,excess fuel?) about 10mm wide inside and on the bottom of the exhaust?.

Cheers gives me a few more ideas to look at tommorrow when I get around to it

uterozbert · 11-22-2003, 11:17

Sounds like you are running too rich a mixture and have clogged the cat(s). Having the same problem with my 85 Mustang 5.0. It gets WORSE! a few months back I would be in fourth gear at full throttle in less then a city block but seeing only 22 MPH on the speedo!

Gas milage got down to 6 mpg on th ehighway at a time when gas prices were the highest this year. I had to replace the cat system and retune the carb(y, added for you Aussies).

uterozbert · 11-22-2003, 11:22

Also might add that if you run too rich you are faced with thte problem of the raw gas washing away the cylinder's lubricant. Good way to ruin a piston and/or cylinder wall.

I write from experience.

bowsaw · 11-22-2003, 16:17

By 'gas' you mean petrol right?, sorry for my ignorance, no one ever called it gas here, until recently.

TopGhia · 11-23-2003, 00:15

So is my duel fuel petrol/gas engine is now a gas/gas engine?

ebxr8240 · 11-23-2003, 02:31

No gas and LPG hahaha !!!

crash · 11-23-2003, 05:23

yeah but haven't you heard the saying 'put your foot on the gas?' I mean it cant be 'put your foot on the petrol'

s_pak · 11-23-2003, 06:15

Hey Crash, I can't give you a reason why but I had the same problem a few years back with stock 6cyl XC on gas
(lpg) It does give you a shock when you lift the bonnet
and there is the manifold glowing like buggery - especially on a dark night with no street lights! I spoke with several people (mechanics) including local Ford dealer and none could give an explanation or had really heard of the problem before. I kept driving it untill i sold it or engine blew - can't remember!