Re: TOY: glowing exhaust manifold

[Paul Cherubini <monarch@xxxxxxxxx>]

Kerry White wrote:

> Could be running lean since I know my TPS is bad, and O2 sensor is probably
> bad also, but it sure doesn't smell lean. 

It's a vicious circle; if you drive for a long time with the engine
out of tune or with a bad TPS or oxygen sensor your exhaust will
have alot more unburned hydrocarbons which ends up overheating 
and plugging the catalytic converter in turn causing the exhaust
manifold to overheat and likely crack.  EGR system will get carboned up
quicker too.  Plugged converters and EGR's also wreck power and
fuel economy.

But if you practice preventive maintainance like replacing
spark plugs every 15,000 miles and setting the timing even though the
truck is still running good and replace the oxygen sensor, spark
plug wires, distributor cap and rotor every 100,000 miles or so even 
if the truck is still running good, then the EGR
valve and catalytic converter last practically forever. And your 
exhaust manifold will never overheat and crack. 

Same deal with the cooling system. Replace the antifreeze every year
or two even though the system is not running hot and you'll avoid
head warping and cooling passage erosion and head gasket failure.

Paul Cherubini