Cold exhaust, hot valve cover.

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Zachary Egnitz

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Hello. I have a new issue that has come about with my 440. First, some background. It's a new engine. (Maybe an 2 hours of run time and less than 5 miles of actual driving) It was built last year but was recently stripped to a short block to investigate a noise. It ended up being nothing of any significance and the engine was reassembled. It still needs to be fine tuned but it runs and drives fine.

Now the issue is the passenger side valve cover gets very hot, especially compared to the drivers side. Then the exhaust on the passenger side is cold. The drivers side is normal, I can touch the valve cover with no problem and the exhaust is warm. I've looked into this a little online but haven't really found anything of use. Any input is appreciated.

Here are some specs on the engine:
Engine:
493.41 cu. in.
10.89 compression
Bore 4.35
Stroke 4.15
Trick flow 240 cylinder head
Edelbrock troker 2, single pane intake manifold
Holly 850 double pumper
Harland sharp 1.6 rockers
Crane roller cam duration 234/242, lift .575/.595* (689551)
Howard roller lifters
Eagle crank and rods
Doug 2in headers
 
How close is the header to the valve cover? Is that side getting oil to the top end? If not, that can make some heat. And kill parts.
 
yellow rose said:
How close is the header to the valve cover? Is that side getting oil to the top end? If not, that can make some heat. And kill parts.
Click to expand...
The header on the passenger side is the same distance from the valve cover as the driver side. It is getting oil. We have had the valve cover off multiple times to check lash and everything was getting oil. Also we primed the engine and cranked it over with the valve cover off and oild was getting to everything.

Another thing to note is I used a spray bottle with water to check the header temperature and the passenger side header was much hotter than the driver's. Water evaporated immediately on the passenger but lingered for a couple seconds on the driver's side.
 
could you have an intake leak on the hot side that is causing a lean condition and hotter combustion?
 
pishta said:
could you have an intake leak on the hot side that is causing a lean condition and hotter combustion?
Click to expand...
I'll check the intake for damge/poor surface mating tomorrow but im not sure if that would effect the exhaust being cold.
 
Zachary Egnitz said:
Hello. I have a new issue that has come about with my 440. First, some background. It's a new engine. (Maybe an 2 hours of run time and less than 5 miles of actual driving) It was built last year but was recently stripped to a short block to investigate a noise. It ended up being nothing of any significance and the engine was reassembled. It still needs to be fine tuned but it runs and drives fine.

Now the issue is the passenger side valve cover gets very hot, especially compared to the drivers side. Then the exhaust on the passenger side is cold. The drivers side is normal, I can touch the valve cover with no problem and the exhaust is warm. I've looked into this a little online but haven't really found anything of use. Any input is appreciated.

Here are some specs on the engine:
Engine:
493.41 cu. in.
10.89 compression
Bore 4.35
Stroke 4.15
Trick flow 240 cylinder head
Edelbrock troker 2, single pane intake manifold
Holly 850 double pumper
Harland sharp 1.6 rockers
Crane roller cam duration 234/242, lift .575/.595* (689551)
Howard roller lifters
Eagle crank and rods
Doug 2in headers
Click to expand...

Have u ever flowed a torquer 2 intake ? They are very bad for runner distribution/or scatter . I worked on one off and on for weeks before I got all the runners to flow with in 25 cfm of each other , and had an 18 time national record holder flowing it and advising me. Could be urs is among the worst-------------??
 
famous bob said:
Have u ever flowed a torquer 2 intake ? They are very bad for runner distribution/or scatter . I worked on one off and on for weeks before I got all the runners to flow with in 25 cfm of each other , and had an 18 time national record holder flowing it and advising me. Could be urs is among the worst-------------??
Click to expand...
If this is my problem would this mean the passenger side isnt getting enough air or is getting too much?

My exhaust flow feels the same on both sides, it's just the temperature that's different. However I guess the engine is gonna push the same amount of air regardless of what kind of combustion is happening. Does this sound accurate?
 
Zachary Egnitz said:
If this is my problem would this mean the passenger side isnt getting enough air or is getting too much?

My exhaust flow feels the same on both sides, it's just the temperature that's different. However I guess the engine is gonna push the same amount of air regardless of what kind of combustion is happening. Does this sound accurate?
Click to expand...

I assume this is all being checked at idle, or close to it?
Maybe it straightens up at running speeds.
 
TrailBeast said:
I assume this is all being checked at idle, or close to it?
Maybe it straightens up at running speeds.
Click to expand...
Yes it happens idle which is around 800 rpm. And if we rev it up to maybe 1500 or 2000 you can feel the exhaust getting warmer and the valve cover cools down until you bring it back to idle.
 
Zachary Egnitz said:
Yes it happens idle which is around 800 rpm. And if we rev it up to maybe 1500 or 2000 you can feel the exhaust getting warmer and the valve cover cools down until you bring it back to idle.
Click to expand...

Why I asked is because that manifold might be ok for everywhere but idle.
Sounds like it.
I understand sometimes even little stuff still bugs us though.:D
 
TrailBeast said:
Why I asked is because that manifold might be ok for everywhere but idle.
Sounds like it.
I understand sometimes even little stuff still bugs us though.:D
Click to expand...

Thats a good point. Wish I still had the cast intake to test it. I'll probably get some temperature reading to see how bad it actually is and then either up the idle or get a dual pane intake.
 
Zachary Egnitz said:
Hello. I have a new issue that has come about with my 440. First, some background. It's a new engine. (Maybe an 2 hours of run time and less than 5 miles of actual driving) It was built last year but was recently stripped to a short block to investigate a noise. It ended up being nothing of any significance and the engine was reassembled. It still needs to be fine tuned but it runs and drives fine.

Now the issue is the passenger side valve cover gets very hot, especially compared to the drivers side. Then the exhaust on the passenger side is cold. The drivers side is normal, I can touch the valve cover with no problem and the exhaust is warm. I've looked into this a little online but haven't really found anything of use. Any input is appreciated.

Here are some specs on the engine:
Engine:
493.41 cu. in.
10.89 compression
Bore 4.35
Stroke 4.15
Trick flow 240 cylinder head
Edelbrock troker 2, single pane intake manifold
Holly 850 double pumper
Harland sharp 1.6 rockers
Crane roller cam duration 234/242, lift .575/.595* (689551)
Howard roller lifters
Eagle crank and rods
Doug 2in headers
Click to expand...
If it is running fine, not overheating, not making any weird noises I would not be to concerned. Drive it, put it thru 10 good heat cycles, read the plugs and make a determination.
From time to time engines do weird things dont get hung up on it they will drive you nuts.
 
Marcohotrod said:
try a performer rpm. read spark lugs. what is timing at idle
Click to expand...
We have been playing with the timing to try and resolve this issue and it appears to have no effect. Last I left it it was at around 30 BTC. (Still tuning it though)
 
512Stroker said:
If it is running fine, not overheating, not making any weird noises I would not be to concerned. Drive it, put it thru 10 good heat cycles, read the plugs and make a determination.
From time to time engines do weird things dont get hung up on it they will drive you nuts.
Click to expand...

If I can't find an easy (and cheap) solution that's probably what I'll end up doing. Hopefully it will just go away eventually.
 
It sounds to me as if you are trying to bandaid the problem with excessive idle-timing; possibly indicating a rough normal idle.
So then, I would look in the carb.
I would check the transfer slot exposures under the throttle plate, looking for one long and one short, due to a misaligned throttle valve, causing the hot side to be doing all the work.
If not there, I would look in the idle wells.
 
Zachary Egnitz said:
Around 1000
Click to expand...
Whoa, that is alot of initial timing.
Some high performance engines like alot of initial timing around 20-22 * at idle
Normal is more like 12-14* depending on the engine.
Why do you want that much?
1000 rpm is pretty high for a street application, manual or auto tranny?
 
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