Why does ATV exhaust glow red? is it WOW or bad for ATVs?

I will start with my story today. I’m a daily ride my ATV to my farm. One evening, while riding my ATV, I suddenly felt my legs getting hot. I’d like to know why and how my legs get that temperature while riding. I stopped ATV and looked at the engine. OMG! My exhaust pipe is like my wife’s red lips. It’s glowing in cherry red, and it’s hot like hell.

I’m panicked. I am figuring out what to do when the ATV exhaust overheats. I stopped the ATV and kept it for 1 hour to cool down. After that, red got out from the exhaust pipes. I returned home and researched why this was happening. Also, my brother is a great mechanic. He explained this situation to me. This article will explain all I researched and how I fixed my ATV in easy steps. Keep reading manual riders.

How are ATV exhaust pipes getting overheated?

When your ATV’s spark plug makes a weak spark to burn the air and fuel mixture, all mixture will not burn in the combustion chamber. That unburn mixture comes out to exhaust pipes. In pipes, it will ignite with heat. When this process happens for a period, This will make the exhaust pipes hot and glow red.

In most cases, ATV exhaust gets hot and glows red due to ATV’s fuel mixture being too lean, the ignition timing being changed, or due to damage to the exhaust system. Exhaust systems are mostly made with stainless steel, ferritic, and some aluminized steel. These steels need the highest temperature to melt. So, when exhaust overheats, it will not melt or change the pipes’ shape. But getting overheated is not good. If you have experience at night, you can see exhaust glow in red to orange gradient, making some sparks from the muffler.

Is ATV exhaust glowing red regularly?

Atv exhaust head pipe can heat up and glow red when it performs at max level for a long time. So, when the head exhaust pipe glows red, you can leave it to cool down. It’s normal, and no need to worry about it. The Head pipe is the top part of the exhaust system, and the engine connects. You can cool it down quickly.

Shut off your ATV and leave it to cool down. After 10 – 30 seconds, this red glow will go away. But wait 10 – 15 minutes before you ride again. Give more space to cool down the engine and make it run again without overheating.

What would cause ATV exhaust to glow red?

ATVs and every other engine vehicles generate heat when it’s run. So, when you ride your ATV to max speed for a ride, there is a chance to glow red head pipe that joins to the engine. It’s common for 4-stroke ATVs because the ATV engine runs at maximum speed and makes lots of heat.

You can notice this glow will go away in a few minutes after the ATV engine shuts off. It’s normal behavior for all ATVs, but quotations begin after the exhaust gets glowed in red after the second bend in the exhaust. If your exhaust is getting hotter and glowing like orange or white, it’s not good to wait.

There are a few reasons for this situation. I listed every scenario where your ATV exhaust can overheat and glow red. Check them below.

• Clogged exhaust pipe or muffler
• Clogged Spark arrester
• Clogged Mud on the radiator
• Air intake blocked
• Muffler going bad
• Clogged catalytic converter
• The issue with the spark plug
• keep idle for a long time
• Dirt on carburetor

Let’s drive through the possible scenarios deeply now.

The fuel mixture is excessively lean

The fuel mixture getting too lean is the most common problem to exhausts can overheat and glow red. Every engine needs specific fuel and air ratio to work. When the engine does not get much fuel to work, the engine will run in a lean condition. Little fuel mixed with a lot of Air will cause this problem.

When this happens, it will make a lot of heat, and over time, it can be a reason for damage to the engine’s piston. So, how to fix your ATV engine running in lean? First, you need to go for an easy step. Check the engine’s vacuum pipes. These vacuum pipes can damage over time. So, check for any cracks or damages. If you find any damage, you can easily replace it. Your ATV can run on lean due to carburetor issues or fuel jets issue. So, cleaning the carb and jets would be the best solution.

There are a few easy steps to identify your ATV run on lean or working usually. While riding ATV, did you feel your ATV did not quickly respond to the accelerator? When you deaccelerate, the engine keeps the RPM slowly going down. It is a sign for your ATV run on lean. If your ATV is backfiring too loud, it probably runs on a lean situation. So how to fix it? I wrote a complete article about ATV backfiring and how to fix it. Check it from here.

An issue with exhaust valves

Exhaust values are located inside the combustion chamber, which will open and close when the fuel-air mixture comes in and goes out. So, on these valves, carbon will build up with time. It will prevent the complete close, and when the explosion occurs in the combustion chamber, it will come out to the exhaust pipes. To fix this problem, you need to disassemble the engine cylinder head and do some cleaning and adjustments to the valves. If you are unfamiliar with this operation, you should get expert help.

Loose, cracked, or damaged Exhaust pipes

We ride ATVs in rugged environments. So ATVs are getting a lot of bumps, pulls, and rollovers. When this happens, exhaust pipes can be lost or cracked. When exhaust pipes get cracked or lose connection, it will lead to a low-pressure situation. The solution for this is to search for cracks or loose junctions and make them fix or replace them.

Using an aftermarket exhaust system

Aftermarket exhaust systems are designed for more performance. So, they make it with low weight. In this case, exhaust pipes are leaner than stock pipes. Thin exhaust pipes will get in hot and be in red easily. 

Blocked air intake or tailpipe

Air intake can be blocked by Mud or dust, or rats use their nets in the air intake. So you should check the air intake and clean it well. The tailpipe can easily be blocked with Mud or dirt if it is a rollover or in some situations. When the tailpipe gets blocked, there is no space to go out of the exhaust stream. It will heat the inside. Also, if you have a spark arrester on your ATV, it can be clogged too. So you need to check it and clean it properly. I wrote an entire article about spark arresters and how to maintain them correctly. You can read it here.

Why Air cooled ATV exhaust glow red or overheated?

Small ATV exhausts can be overheated and glow red like this. Especially small ATVs are cool with Air when you ride. These ATV engines have a flywheel. When the flywheel goes terribly, the engine’s magneto timing will change. We know the engine works as a cycle and has a timing system. So, it would be best if you fixed it immediately. Otherwise, it will damage the engine badly.

Also, it can be another reason your ATV’s carburetor is not getting full fuel flow. While fuel goes through the chamber, it will help to keep the engine cool. If your ATV’s exhaust gets heat every time, it’s not good. Fuel igniting on the exhaust can be a reason for engine damage. So, you should investigate the issue and fix it immediately.

This ATV needs more airflow to cool the engine than liquid-cooling ATVs. Also, if Air cooled ATV exhaust gets heat and glows red, there are two reasons. The engine’s fuel mixture is too lean, or EFI is too lean. So, in this situation, you need to replace jets with suitable bugger pilot jets or use a fuel programmer to reverse the EFI system.

Why does the Atv manifold glow red?

The exhaust manifold is a central component in the ATV. It connects the exhaust pipe to the engine. Mainly manifold should always work to make the engine run smoothly and to get the best performance. When the tailpipe is clogged, or the exhaust stream is not getting out correctly, the ATV manifold will overheat and get red. So, when your manifold gets like this, you should fix it ASAP.

Atv exhaust glow red when is it idling?

This problem mostly comes from air-cooling engines. These engines cool themself with the Air while riding. Also, liquid-cooled ATVs need airflow to the radiator. So, it needs to ride the ATV to solve the air problem. When beginner riders face this problem, take a ride without keeping your ATV idle.

Your ATV needs Air to breathe. Also, when you put it on idle, the fuel is not going much to the engine. When you ride, fuel flow will work on the engine, and it will help to keep the combustion chamber a little cooler. So, please don’t wait and take a ride, as I mentioned above.

Did you change the ATV exhaust system without EFI tuning?

ATV fuel injection systems come according to the stock exhaust system. When you replace it with an aftermarket exhaust system, the fuel-to-air ratio and the fuel and air mixture will change. So, this can be a reason for the unburned fuel to come to the exhaust and burn in it.

The bottom line

I hope you get all answers to your questions about the overheated exhaust on your ATV. The most common reason for red cheery glowing exhaust pipes is your ATV running lean. Follow my steps, and you will solve your overheating problem. When Mud gets stuck in the tailpipe of the air intake, it will reason overhead the exhaust system. When you keep parking your ATV for a long time, cover ATV to prevent rats or squirrels from entering.

They will make your ATV their nest. I also wrote an article about why ATVs overheat, How to Identify Overheating, the Reasons Behind it, Troubleshooting, and Tips to Avoid it. you can read it here. As I mention in every article, Always keep your ATV clean. Happy riding, manual riders!