exhaust flames out of my 93?

[4GIRLS]

Thanks to my daughter, I just noticed that I am shooting pretty decent flames out of my exhaust under hard revs. I just did the bassani catted y-pipe through a 3" Hooker Aero chamber.

I know this can't be good. Just for some background, I have done TONS of repairs-IAC, TPS, Cap, plugs, wires, harmonic balancer and fuel pump, etc etc etc in the last 2 months. Timing supposedly is fine, but I do have an exhaust leak where the Y meet the stock manifold, thanks to a bad Bassani pipe....

I am still plagued by this damn start then sputter and die issue when its been sitting and I have to imagine this is related. Obviously too much fuel is getting by, but what else is the most likely culprit? Bad part maybe....

yes I found one post about this but it was for a carb veh, and I didnt want to necropost that one. I also know that flames are cool and I totally agree, but I dont want to burn up my cat again or do any other damage.

Thoughts?

[dockillenger]

With what you have already replaced, I would say the start the sputter and die is probably a vacuum leak. And that might be the culprit. Although that sounds crazy. And awesome at the same time.

[Ewgoetz]

Originally Posted by dockillenger

With what you have already replaced, I would say the start the sputter and die is probably a vacuum leak. And that might be the culprit. Although that sounds crazy. And awesome at the same time.

+1 to that.

You now have a option to make a lot of money.... Put it up for sale in LA where all the low riders and bouncing cars are. Mention in the add flames shoot out the tailpipes! Lol

[oakback]

Have you had your injectors cleaned and flow tested? I don't the "fuel treatment" that super lube does, I mean removing your injectors and taking them to a place that specializes in that sort of thing. Last time I had it done, it was $12 per injector, and I had them back the same day.

A vac leak would make you run leaner, I don't see how that could cause flames.

[Seattle FSB]

If you have a mis-fire from a non-firing spark plug, fuel will load up in the modern Bassani cat causing the Metalic Substrate to break apart and fly out of the exhaust in flames. Heard a "popping" sound?

New Bassani CAT = Warranty
Used Bassani CAT = Out of Luck

(Do not admit cause to Bassani and always claim professional installation).

[cougarmandan]

Flames are due to fuel not burning in the combustion camber and moving down the pipe. I'd revisit the plugs and look for one that is wet and reeks of fuel. If you find that, then you can work on that particular cylinder for plug gap, fowled plug, back plug wire connections, wet cap, etc. Also, realize that there are normal conditions where this would be considered normal, like just starting it up and its cold, running rich and you rev it up and down a few times. You combine that with your exhaust leak letting in extra air and and the free flowing exhaust, and I see some potential realized here. The factory exhaust is alot better and slowing down and filtering out this sort of thing.

My 92 also does the start and sputter things sometimes too. I replace the IAC and TPS as well with only moderate improvement. Right or wrong, I attribute this to having over 200k miles and the factory speed density programing doesn't take into account that its wore out and tired.

[Steve83]

Originally Posted by 4GIRLS

I just noticed that I am shooting pretty decent flames out of my exhaust under hard revs.
...
Thoughts?

"Doc, it hurts when I bend my arm like this!"
"Don't bend your arm like that."

Stop romping on it for no reason, and don't let your kids play with your truck.

Originally Posted by 4GIRLS

I just did the bassani catted y-pipe through a 3" Hooker Aero chamber.

Do the Ford catted Y-pipe thru a Ford 2-chamber.

Originally Posted by 4GIRLS

I know this can't be good. Just for some background, I have done TONS of repairs-IAC, TPS, Cap, plugs, wires, harmonic balancer and fuel pump, etc etc etc in the last 2 months. Timing supposedly is fine, but I do have an exhaust leak where the Y meet the stock manifold, thanks to a bad Bassani pipe.

STOP replacing parts; especially if you're gonna replace them with aftermarket crap that neither fits nor works. Start DIAGNOSING things, and only replace parts that FAIL a published test. Only replace them with parts that PASS the same test. Take as much time as you need to UNDERSTAND each system so you can figure out what's not working right. In this case, you have 2 apparent issues: 1) overfuelling or poor combustion putting too much unburned fuel into the exhaust, and 2) ineffective 2ndry air system not handling the unburned fuel in the exhaust. Start with #1: EXHAUST LEAKS, fuel pressure, FPR leak, combustion chamber deposits, plug color & gap, wire & coil resistance, cap & rotor condition, HEGO contamination... Don't move on until ALL of that is 100% fixed.

These captions explain the NATURE of an exhaust leak, even though they show a different leak location than your main one:

[TheUnforgiven]

Steve he should be able to drive the shit out of it if he damn well pleases for no reason other than "he can" without it being a flamethrower.

[Steve83]

Maybe. But if he "dont want to burn up my cat again or do any other damage", then that's probably not the best way to drive it.

I usually drive mine (and my CV and my duallie) like I stole it, but I keep them all running right with parts that fit & work.

[4GIRLS]

"Don't move on until ALL of that is 100% fixed."

I agree now. What I was doing before was going through posts and replacing the usual components, while I had some spare cash. yes I know bonehead move...

But seriously guys, great advice and good fun too! I have not tested the actual injectors. I did deafoam it like 3 times before I did the exhaust. So that is next, but with that plenum being in the way its a pain.

Yes I did have some popping but I atributed it to the normal exhaust sound that I have heard on other vehicles. I was only romping on it in the driveway to see if it still hesitated after the new fuel pump and balancer.

My sputter is really bad though, like it dies totally then USUALLY when i try to restart I have to give it gas and it shakes like a naked eskimo. I have checked all the vacuum lines, as far as I can tell, but I could have missed something, or one of the new things I put on is bad.......
I will let yall know what I find if your interested.


The thing about the Y-pipe though, bassani sent me a totally crooked one. The pipes that mate to the manifold are totally angled, and after the collector, it curves way up and towards the tranny.... fixable but that will void my warranty and Bassani is being a pain...

[Seattle FSB]

Dude, look in your Cat and see if there is any Metalic Substrate or just a hollow tube. Also pull all of your plugs and see which one(s) is/are not firing.

New Bassani Cat + flames from the exhaust = a blown Cat.

[Steve83]

Originally Posted by 4GIRLS

I will let yall know what I find if your interested.

We always like to see a thread finished out with the actual solution so that future users can search up their own symptoms & see what may be the cause/fix/cost/work.

Originally Posted by 4GIRLS

...Bassani is being a pain...

Did you pay by credit card?

[4GIRLS]

Originally Posted by Steve83

We always like to see a thread finished out with the actual solution so that future users can search up their own symptoms & see what may be the cause/fix/cost/work.Did you pay by credit card?

Yes I did pay by card, and through that Google store guarantee, but I bought it from Autoanything.com, 15% off.... I have sent them pics, they are working with Bassani. So far Bassani wants me to take it off, take full pics... This is my daily, I dont have time, my stock Y is in the garbage... Cats were fried, had cracks around O2 bung....

I have the Bassani hi flow cat, and its brand new, since its slip fit, I guess I can check it. Really hope its not already burnt up. That would suck... If so, guess its test pipe till next emissions test....

[4GIRLS]

Originally Posted by Seattle FSB

Dude, look in your Cat and see if there is any Metalic Substrate or just a hollow tube. Also pull all of your plugs and see which one(s) is/are not firing.

New Bassani Cat and flames from the exhaust equals a blown Cat.

Bassani Cat is different than Im used to. less dense on the honeycomb stuff, and there is a small hole through the middle...

[cajunrebel]

Check your fuel pressure regulator. When the diaphragm cracks on them they leak fuel into the vacuum line and flood the engine. I have seen a 460 run with a bad one and shoot 10+ foot fireballs out of the exhaust, but a smaller engine like a 302 would probably flood and stall out. You can check if it is cracked by pulling the vacuum line with the engine and key off and then turning the key to run while someone looks at the port on the regulator. If any gas comes out then it is bad and must be replaced.

[Steve83]

With the engine running, just unplug the vacuum line from the FPR and watch. If fuel shoots out of the FPR nipple (it may take 30sec), it's bad.

[cougarmandan]

I never knew that about fuel pressure regulators

[4GIRLS]

Originally Posted by cajunrebel

Check your fuel pressure regulator. When the diaphragm cracks on them they leak fuel into the vacuum line and flood the engine. I have seen a 460 run with a bad one and shoot 10+ foot fireballs out of the exhaust, but a smaller engine like a 302 would probably flood and stall out. You can check if it is cracked by pulling the vacuum line with the engine and key off and then turning the key to run while someone looks at the port on the regulator. If any gas comes out then it is bad and must be replaced.

We checked that line last month, no gas, but dont mean there isnt now...

[cajunrebel]

They can fail in an instant. My buddy Greg had the one fail on his 460 on an uphill stretch going back to base north of Las Vegas. In that one mile stretch it went from running great to shooting flames and almost burnt the truck up. Thankfully they sacrificed a blanket to choke out the flames.

[Steve83]

Originally Posted by 4GIRLS

...I bought it from Autoanything.com, 15% off.... I have sent them pics, they are working with Bassani. So far Bassani wants me to...

Screw that - you didn't buy from Bassani, and you aren't using a Bassani warranty. You bought from AA, and your warranty is with them, and they have NO REASON TO DOUBT that the part they sold you is hopelessly defective. So they need to SOLVE your problem NOW - FIRST.


Dealing with Bassani is AA's problem, and they can do that later on their own time. Bassani has known about this problem for YEARS, and they keep selling the same crap. If you let this REMAIN AA's problem, maybe more Bassani distributors will get fed up, STOP selling that junk, and Bassani will either be forced to build their shit right, or go out of bidness. If you do all the work, Bassani won't have any reason to change a thing.