ok, just got a new rb system, awesome love it to death, one problem, the reason I gave myself an excuse to replace it was because a pipe was getting red hot, ok well now about a 6 inch section on both header pipes are getting, you guessed it, red hot! I mean hot hot hot red hot, bright orange looking red hot, could this be running rich or lean causing it?? Also the car seems a bit hard to start now as well.....

 

Sounds like you are running way too rich. Have you adjusted the air mixture screw?
hanman

 

I have never ever touched that screw if ya can believe that, I even re-did the carb today but didn't touch them screws, i'll have to look into that if thats what it is

 

I'd say your running way too rich. Check the mixture screw as suggested earlier. Also while you at it, get your manual out and chek the idle speed too, they usually work hand-in-hand.

~T.J.

 

It's easiest to set the mixture screw with a Air Fuel ratio gauge, but if you don't have one:
Turn the screw all the way in clockwise, then turn it out 2 1/2 counterclockwise.
Then turn the screw in just a small amount at a time until the idle starts to get rough. Turn it back out just a hair to smooth it out. Then you need to set the idle speed screw over by the linkage. Set it to 750 rpm.
hope this helps,
hanman

 

rotary exhaust is hot ain't it?

check your timing first.

BTW don't listen to these guys about how to adjust idle mixture... the '80 carb is much different from the later ones, going by their advice will give you vastly screwed-up results. I'd leave it alone and first check timing... but glowing headers is not uncommon.

 

Mine used to glow after running it really hard.

 

Well, I have an 80 with RB headers they don't glow red hot. And if you don't have a Air Fuel gauge it is difficult to set the mix screw. If you have an 80 the two screw are right above/below each other, different than the later Nikki's.
Unless the timing has been messed with it is far more likely to be correct than the carb which he stated that he has messed with.
just my opinion,
hanman

 

Red hot exhaust = LEAN !

the more fuel, the more you cool down the charge.

LEAN also can cause the evil detonation.......

 

Well I used to have my idle so rich that it would puke black smoke out the exhaust but my headers wouldn't glow... likewise I drove it running so lean that the car wouldn't go over about 40mph and the headers didn't glow... so I don't think mixture has anything to do with it.

Timing WILL have a lot to do with it. Make sure the plug wires and coils are in the correct positions (front coil is trailing, rear coil is leading, front plugs are #1, rears are #2, top plugs are trailing, lower plugs are leading) and then check timing. If the mixture's firing too late then the fuel will still be burning when it gets into the header... well it will be anyway because of the inefficiencies of the engine, but it'll be a lot worse.

Running too high of an octane will also cause your headers to glow... non turbo rotaries should only use the lowest octane fuel available, usually 86 or 87. Any higher is just wasting money and power. This won't cause starting problems though... so make sure the plugs and wires are correct and timing's correct.