[carcraft69]

Hey guys, I just got my engine to start tonight. First off, after it started and ran for a few seconds it shut off. It started again for a few seconds, but it shut off again. The engine has not ran in about 6 months untill tonight. I think the problem with the engine quitting is fuel, but ill worry about that later. When the engine was running, I saw sparks coming out of the header. I was wondering if this is normal (im pretty sure its not) or what it could be that there is sparks exiting from the headers. Any help would be great.

[brian0605]

sparks leaving the header isn't uncommon. Especially noticeable at night. It is probably carbon,nothing to worry about at all. Just make sure whenever you crank an engine for the first time in a while that you verify all fluid levels and keep an eye on the gauges for a while till it's all warmed up and at normal operating temp. Brian

[scholman]

carcraft69,

If you mean to say there are red hot particles flying out of the headers as the engine is running because you have the headers un-corked then this is normal for an engine that has not run for awhile. It is caused by "things", "critters" that have gotten into the header during the down time and when you start the engine these particles catch fire and come flying out. It can also be any carbon that had built up inside the combustion chambers,prior to non-operation time, catching fire and get exhausted out of the engine. I think it will stop doing this after you get a few minutes of running at operating temps.

Now if you mean there are electrial sparks coming from the headers then there is a wire shorting out and sparking. This could also be why the engine dies out so fast.

Scholman

[carcraft69]

Thanks. Im pretty sure it is just the carbon then, that is what my dad figured, but i wanted to make sure nothing was wrong. Also they are brand new headers

[Chevrolet4x4s]

possibly a bad ground ,or a plugwire may be burned and arcing to the primaries.if it was coming out of the collector it may have been dirt and debris from sitting or unburned fuel lighting off
Shane