Engine mis-fire question

All:

I was following a friend in his '84 Countach; at red lights his right side exhaust was red-hot, and the engine was popping with the occasional flame shooting out the same exhausts. We were mostly in a lot of stop and go traffic. He didn't seem too concerned, and said the car needs to be driven hard - short stop light to stoplight driving does not agree with the car.

My questions is - the right side only exhausts being red hot and the flames etc - is that normal?

Any responses are appreciated - just want to pass along info. to my friend.

Thanks.

Kevin S.

All:

I was following a friend in his '84 Countach; at red lights his right side exhaust was red-hot, and the engine was popping with the occasional flame shooting out the same exhausts. We were mostly in a lot of stop and go traffic. He didn't seem too concerned, and said the car needs to be driven hard - short stop light to stoplight driving does not agree with the car.

My questions is - the right side only exhausts being red hot and the flames etc - is that normal?

Any responses are appreciated - just want to pass along info. to my friend.

Thanks.

Kevin S.

Is it an injected CT, or carbed? Does it have cats? First thing I would test is whether the fuel pumps are running. Easy way to do that is to carefully feel the exhaust on both sides after running the car for a couple minutes. If one side is hot, and the other not, it means one bank is not running and there is either an ignition or fuel delivery problem on that side. In my '84 injected CT, it would occasionally run really rough. Finally one day a friend was over, put one hand on the exhaust and found one side cold and therefore not running. After checking for power at the fuel pumps, turns out the contacts on my fuel pump relay were corroded, and that pump wasn't getting 12V. I pulled both relays (on the PC board in the left side rear wheel well), cleaned the contacts, and never had another problem.

 

If both sides are getting fuel, and the car has cats, one side could be dumping too much fuel into the exhaust. Either a carb float is stuck, or he has an intermittent ignition not firing the fuel/air mixture, and the excess fuel in the exhaust is causing the cat to overheat.

 

The first scenario will only result in poor drivability, the second is a serious fire hazzard, so have him check it out before he drives it again.

Is it an injected CT, or carbed? Does it have cats? First thing I would test is whether the fuel pumps are running. Easy way to do that is to carefully feel the exhaust on both sides after running the car for a couple minutes. If one side is hot, and the other not, it means one bank is not running and there is either an ignition or fuel delivery problem on that side. In my '84 injected CT, it would occasionally run really rough. Finally one day a friend was over, put one hand on the exhaust and found one side cold and therefore not running. After checking for power at the fuel pumps, turns out the contacts on my fuel pump relay were corroded, and that pump wasn't getting 12V. I pulled both relays (on the PC board in the left side rear wheel well), cleaned the contacts, and never had another problem.

 

If both sides are getting fuel, and the car has cats, one side could be dumping too much fuel into the exhaust. Either a carb float is stuck, or he has an intermittent ignition not firing the fuel/air mixture, and the excess fuel in the exhaust is causing the cat to overheat.

 

The first scenario will only result in poor drivability, the second is a serious fire hazzard, so have him check it out before he drives it again.

 

It's injected - Thanks for the info. I will pass along the info.

Thanks.

Kevin