1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Exhaust went red this mornings

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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 05:46 PM
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AZ Exhaust went red this mornings

So I started my car fine set the choke out And left it to warm up.... 1984 gsl with rb muffler 2gdfis and not much else. I came back to see a red underglow... Cool some might think but no I immediately look under and between the cat and the exhaust manifold it was glowing red hot so I hit the choke off and if sputter ( backfired) down to idle and I let it cool and drove to work checked it and it was fine . Thinking the cat was plugged lead me to the muffler shopped were I asked them to cutie out and straight pipe it. Rx7 specialties apparently buys old cats so l asked them to keep it to take there and when he brought me the cat and asked if I still wanted to keep it I said no as it was hollow. So problems leading up to this were thati went from 450 km a tank down to 350 km a tank and don't know why. The oil filler tube had lung mustard but after always warming it up before that disappeared but there is still some condensation in there. Anyone have ideas. I've been searching about running rich and mostly I think I'm running rich but I would have been for a while and this glowing is new so I'm stumped and only maybe a quarter as capable of a mechanic. Advice or opinions welcome thanks guys merry Christmas happy Hanukkah
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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 05:56 PM
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Umm idk why your gas mileage dropped but are you running super lean and is ur timing off?? I know if u run lean and ur timing is off your exhaust will get way hotter. I dont think ur exhaust haveing a straigh tpipe inste dof a busted out cat will change MPG.
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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 06:04 PM
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that was extremely difficult to read. all Canadians write like that?
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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 06:06 PM
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No I just had the cat taken out after work to see of this was the problem but it was hollow just thinking mpg dropped because for some reason it might have been running rich but I am planning on checking the timing out tomorrow and checking the plugs just looking for more input to help me pin down the problem before Christmas hopefully.
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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 06:07 PM
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No I'm on an iPad and it sucks my $&@ to type on
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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 07:45 PM
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Originally Posted by FB331
No I'm on an iPad and it sucks my $&@ to type on
well theres your problem.... rotaries are are notorious for going into exhaust rage in the presence of apple products...

kidding aside do you still have your air pump hooked up? well at least before you cut the cat out ?
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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 08:01 PM
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Like this??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvknj...hTxipIBuFbJHGx
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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 08:09 PM
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My choke doesn't go in for the 5 minutes and the other day it was out for a bit and I noticed my first cat got cherry red. Turned the car off and ran it with choke pushed in and it was fine. Usually cat get cherry red because of rich condition.
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Old Dec 22, 2011 | 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by DarkDrakeX
Umm idk why your gas mileage dropped but are you running super lean and is ur timing off?? I know if u run lean and ur timing is off your exhaust will get way hotter. I dont think ur exhaust haveing a straigh tpipe inste dof a busted out cat will change MPG.
id say this, are your coils still good/ igniters.

Cats are overrated anyways, tests pipes are what all the cool kids run.
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Old Dec 23, 2011 | 10:34 AM
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No leading ignition = glowing exhaust. Check for spark...




.
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Old Dec 23, 2011 | 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by mikexj1020
My choke doesn't go in for the 5 minutes and the other day it was out for a bit and I noticed my first cat got cherry red. Turned the car off and ran it with choke pushed in and it was fine. Usually cat get cherry red because of rich condition.
Originally Posted by Kentetsu
No leading ignition = glowing exhaust. Check for spark....
This. Glowing exhaust is typically RICH, not lean. Lean increases gas temperatures inside the pipe, true, but not hot enough to make the pipes glow like that because all the fuel is completely burnt up and its just hot air.

Overly rich causes unburnt fuel that is still combusting to travel down the pipe where it continues to burn, thus causing the pipe to get hot and glow. This also makes sense as to why it did it with the choke on, since the choke basically blocks air to richen the mixture for warm up. This would exaggerate any problems you have any other time. Not to mention obviously this also explains the fuel consumption, you're just pumping the gas out the tail pipe.

You need to check your ignition (coils, ignitors, plugs, wires, timing, etc). 80% of all carburetion problems are ignition

~T.J.
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Old Dec 23, 2011 | 07:04 PM
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yea i have to say mine is really rich wile warming up my exhaust is ******* critial red untill after the cat would a getting rid of the cat help cool things down a bit due to less backpressure?
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Old Dec 23, 2011 | 09:27 PM
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If the leading ignition is not firing, then the trailing ignition will spark the mixture. When this happens, the mixture will still be combusting when it hits the exhaust system.

Pull a leading plug and see if you have spark. I bet you don't.
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Old Dec 24, 2011 | 01:20 PM
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I'm checking my plugs out today just got new coils before the 2gcdfis maybe the second gen could is bad. I have new plugs so I'll put them in and see if there is a difference
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Old Dec 24, 2011 | 01:43 PM
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Ill go with too rich thats why you are losing gas mileage and by choking it your increasing the fuel even more. A cold rotary running rich will always turn the exhaust red.The unburnt fuel is burning in the exhaust.
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Old Dec 24, 2011 | 06:55 PM
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I put in bur7eq or whatever the 2 gen s are in the leading spots and regular ngk in the trailing since I have 2gcdfis seems to be running better but will give it a cold start tomorrow morning and see how that goes. If I'm running to rich should I adjust the mixture ?? Or is this going to be a cold weather thing?? Also my plugs I took out were a little brown with a bit of corrosion but I have never changed the plugs in the three years I have had this and it seems to be running smoother. When I was starting it from cold I could hear little backfires like a pop pop but very quiet I will see if thesis still the case tomorrow?
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Old Dec 24, 2011 | 07:25 PM
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Check the leading igniter also
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Old Dec 24, 2011 | 08:00 PM
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Hhhhm would the 2gc have anything to do with this I have brand new 1 gen coils in already
But I just put second gen plugs in the leading today? Do ppl think I am running rich or that I'm running rich because of a bigger problem I know it's Christmas so don't think to hard
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Old Dec 24, 2011 | 08:14 PM
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Originally Posted by RotorMotorDriver
This. Glowing exhaust is typically RICH, not lean. Lean increases gas temperatures inside the pipe, true, but not hot enough to make the pipes glow like that because all the fuel is completely burnt up and its just hot air.

Overly rich causes unburnt fuel that is still combusting to travel down the pipe where it continues to burn, thus causing the pipe to get hot and glow. This also makes sense as to why it did it with the choke on, since the choke basically blocks air to richen the mixture for warm up. This would exaggerate any problems you have any other time. Not to mention obviously this also explains the fuel consumption, you're just pumping the gas out the tail pipe.

You need to check your ignition (coils, ignitors, plugs, wires, timing, etc). 80% of all carburetion problems are ignition

~T.J.
Basically this, check both your ignitors, and the wiring for the direct fire you got. I wired mine backwards going to my ignitor and it still ran fine but was running extra rich and the exhaust about melted down.

make sure your cats not clogged up and that your airpump is working properly while your at it.
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Old Dec 25, 2011 | 12:48 AM
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Coil is wired right so the only thing would be ignitors does anyone have a good way to check ignitors then?
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Old Dec 25, 2011 | 12:49 AM
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Or should I just search...... Hopefully someone's in the Christmas spirit
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Old Dec 25, 2011 | 01:28 PM
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So no red exhaust but now it's squeaking and was having trouble idling when cold could this be sign of the igniter failing I just switched spark plugs with 2 gen leading and regular trailing??
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Old Dec 25, 2011 | 01:30 PM
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Did i do something wrong in the plug change ?
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Old Dec 28, 2011 | 06:49 PM
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I'm sick as a dog, and damned near out of patience here, so at the risk of repeating myself:

Did you visually verify that you have spark on your plugs?

Or you could just keep on swapping parts around hoping it gets better...
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Old Dec 28, 2011 | 11:56 PM
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Well car runs fine daily aside from backfiring with the choke on but I will visually check spark this for suggestion will update tomorrow.
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