Notices
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks 1987 - 1996 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350 and larger pickups - including the 1997 heavy-duty F250/F350+ trucks

blue flames?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 05:28 PM
  #1  
blueovalboy86's Avatar
blueovalboy86
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: maryland
blue flames?

friend of mine has a 95 f250 with a 351 and 5 speed. has true duals with glasspacks. if he gets on it real hard in 2nd gear and lets off at night, it will shoot blue flames about 1 foot past the tip. but i have 3 or 4 other friends that do it too. buts its only the stick shifts that shoot flames. why do stick shift 351s shoot flames when u get on it hard and let off?
 
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 06:06 PM
  #2  
Skandocious's Avatar
Skandocious
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 1
From: Davis & Newcastle, CA
My best guess is that the high RPMs are pushing excess fuel into the combustion chamber, while the exhaust pressure builds in the pipes, and when they let back off of the gas the high exhaust pressure (rich with fuel) equalizes by blowing the built up pressure out of the pipes. Where is the ignition coming from? My best guess is that the exhaust temperature is so high that the fuel rich exhaust fumes are able to combust. This is all speculation.

-Chris
 
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 06:16 PM
  #3  
blueovalboy86's Avatar
blueovalboy86
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: maryland
the ignition is stock. everything is stock...but it seems all my friends fords that do it is only manuals. and 2.5 inch true duals with glasspakcs and 4 inch tips...i dont see how the egt would get too high...because it didnt do it with stock exhuast...he even put the stock exhuast back on to go thru inspection and now it doesnt do it. He was wondering so i figured id ask
 
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 06:49 PM
  #4  
88 f150's Avatar
88 f150
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 135
Likes: 1
Timing is overlapping just enough to allow the exhaust valve to be open while the fire is still occuring. Unburned fuel in the exhaust is firing up. Old timers used to run a plug wire from the dist. to the exhaust tip where a spark plug was fitted. The unburned fuel from the cyl not being used would ignite out the pipe.
 
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 07:21 PM
  #5  
blueovalboy86's Avatar
blueovalboy86
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: maryland
well is there a way to adjust something so it doesnt do it anymore?
 
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 08:48 PM
  #6  
88 f150's Avatar
88 f150
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 135
Likes: 1
It could be that your buddy is revving high enough to float valves. Dont rev so high or install stiffer valve springs. Or perhaps your buddies springs are not up to par. When the valves float the ignited fuel is exhausted. If the springs are weak the valves will float at a lower rpm
 
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 08:56 PM
  #7  
alxsnmr's Avatar
alxsnmr
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 1
From: St Louis
Something else to ask is if the Cats are in good condition or even in place. They may be overloading during the manual transmission reving up where the auto trans engines do not over load the catylitic converter. The newer trucks did have air injection as well and the valve float may be just enough to cause the flame front to continue down the exhaust all the way out the tail pipe. Some of the newer ford diesels had a recall because the filter to clean the soot out of the exhaust would plug up and cause a flame out the tail pipe.
 
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 09:04 PM
  #8  
blueovalboy86's Avatar
blueovalboy86
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: maryland
like i said in the original post, it has true duals with glasspacks. no cats. he can go to 4k and let off and it will do it. but all the manual 351s iv seen do it. his truck doesnt have air injection.
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-2

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
story-6

2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026

 Brett Foote
story-9

5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time

 Joe Kucinski
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 10:09 PM
  #9  
cowboy4x4's Avatar
cowboy4x4
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
my 5.0 does the same thing with no detremental effects. I wouldnt worry about it plus it makes people wonder whats under your hood.
 
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2007 | 10:54 PM
  #10  
blueovalboy86's Avatar
blueovalboy86
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: maryland
i know it is the ULTIMATE cool factor lol
 
Reply
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 02:37 AM
  #11  
Fordman_Evs's Avatar
Fordman_Evs
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
From: BC, Canada
My old 300-6 did it and my buddy's ranger does it. Both trucks were/are straight piped run into glasspacks. We have fun with it.
 
Reply
Old Jun 5, 2007 | 04:36 AM
  #12  
jimbo beam's Avatar
jimbo beam
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 2
From: Hawkeye Country
My 86 will pop blue flames, 351 with long tube headers with glasspacks and no cats, its an auto. It'll do it when I put it down into first gear manually and stand on till about 4500 rpms then let off. When its dark out I can watch the blue pops as it cackles and rumbles back down.

Also works if i shift it manually from first to second, standing on it till 4500 I shift out of first and wait a second before hitting second. Both my pipes stick out in front of my rear passenger side tire, if I'm running someone I'll let it pop flames at their car. If extremely loud exhaust straight in their window don't freak them out, then the fire will.
 
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:10 AM.

story-0
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-1
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-2
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-3
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-5
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-6
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

Slideshow: 10 most surprising Ford truck options/features in 2026.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:17:22


VIEW MORE
story-8
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026

Slideshow: Here are the top 10 Fords coming to Mecum Indy 2026.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:49:49


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 worst Ford truck wheels of all time

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 16:49:01


VIEW MORE