Now what? Oil in headers

[hopsedge]

I’ve recently installed the AI Uk Weber conversion and intake manifold on my ‘67 SV. I’ve also fitted headers in place of the orig exhaust manifold, replaced the mech fuel pump with an electric (1.5-4 psi), and messed with timing significantly. After many months of not running at all I got it running this morning. Much to my disappointment, I now have oil leaking out of the union b/t the headers’ outlet and the Y of the exhaust. This can’t be good. My garage fills with exhaust. Does anyone have ideas why this happening? The car ran normally before I installed the new carb and headers.

 

[sunalp]

That's interesting. Don't see how, unless you have a seriously damaged head, that oil could get into the exhaust.
There is no oil passage where the headers bolt to the head and even worn out valve seals wouldn't cause
a leak. Smoke and fumes yes. I believe you have an oil leak elsewhere. I'd check your valve cover gasket, especially around the rear where it faces the firewall as oil can leak down the back of the head and block and onto the exhaust from there.

Have you followed the weber set up instructions? You need to do this especially if it's a new carb as every engine is different. What works on one really well may not work the same on another. What you think is oil may be overly rich oily gas. Let me know if you need the Weber set instructions as I may be able to email them to you.

By the way, where did you get those clamps that you have on your pipes?

 

[hopsedge]

That's interesting. Don't see how, unless you have a seriously damages head, that oil could get into the exhaust.
There is no oil passage where the headers bolt to the head and even worn out valve seals wouldn't cause
a leak. Smoke and fumes yes. I believe you have an oil leak elsewhere. I'd check your valve cover gasket, especially around the rear where it faces the firewall as oil can leak down the back of the head and block and onto the exhaust from there.

Have you followed the weber set up instructions? You need to do this especially if it's a new carb as every engine is different. What works on one really well may not work the same on another. What you think is oil may be overly rich oily gas. Let me know if you need the Weber set instructions as I may be able to email them to you.

By the way, where did you get those clamps that you have on your pipes?

OK, rich oily gas. I think that’s better than straight up oil, but admit not knowing for sure. The valve cover is not leaking. I’ve not yet touched the mix or idle screws on the carb and would be grateful for whatever setup instructions you might have, Steve. Right now, I’m still maddeningly tinkering with the timing. I am assuming I need to get that straight before I start trying to adjust the carb. The pipe clamps came from Moss.

 

[bulldurham]

Looks like a oil drip and run ; you might wipe it off, place a piece of card board on the header pipe, run the engine and try to trace it back.
I would check the oil pressure line as well as it may have been re- routed at some time in the past. Like Sunalp, I don't know of any other
line or opportunity for oil/fluid to reach the header pipe, unless it would be clutch or brake master lines .Also check for a drip from the bottom of steering box

 

[alpine_64]

As above.. likely an oil leak on the motor dripping down.
Wash the side of the block with degreaser then run again and look for the oil leak.

 

[mxp01]

What trouble are you having with the timing?

 

[Acollin]

Could the drips be from something other than the engine oil? I like the idea of trying to catch the drip on the cardboard. Above the manifold in my own series v there are a few sources of liquid. First guess would be the steering box oil. There are a few systems that contain liquid in that general area. Brake /clutch — my car carbs.
The pattern in the pictures might also suggest that the liquid in question is running along a wire or a cable before it hits the header— not dripping consistently in one spot but running along and dropping from an edge, cable , wire when the drip gets so heavy it can no longer resist gravity.
good luck— I hope this helps
Andrew

 

[hopsedge]

Update: Thanks everyone. I set up a piece of cardboard this afternoon to catch the drips from whatever overtop the headers might be leaking. For whatever reason nothing dripped or otherwise fouled the headers even after running the car for quite a few minutes to get up to operating temp. I’ll cross my fingers for now that this will not reappear. I cannot yet find any obvious source of a drip.