hey everyone,
so the last time i checked my plugs which was about a two months ago, they were all like the one in the left picture.
now i was changing out my exhaust cam i decided to check their condition again, and here they are all like the left one, except cylinder 3, which is the plug on the right.
now what does this mean? something changed over the last two months it looks like cyl 3 is running lean or hot or something?
TIA,Marko
question about change in spark plug texture.
Re: question about change in spark plug texture. (EstoMax)
Pic of plug overheated plug per Denso website:
The insulator is still white in this scenario. Yours appears coated gray. And it still has the black carbon on the seat. Might as well throw some NGK pfr5c-11's in there while you've got em out. Whether they help or not, the look on the face of the sales clerk when you drop 80 dollars (in my case) on spark plugs (2 sets) is priceless. You can tell he wants to ask "Are you outta your friggen mind foo?!??" But he probably already knows the answer.
Modified by 240sHorTy at 7:23 PM 7/3/2005
The insulator is still white in this scenario. Yours appears coated gray. And it still has the black carbon on the seat. Might as well throw some NGK pfr5c-11's in there while you've got em out. Whether they help or not, the look on the face of the sales clerk when you drop 80 dollars (in my case) on spark plugs (2 sets) is priceless. You can tell he wants to ask "Are you outta your friggen mind foo?!??" But he probably already knows the answer.
Modified by 240sHorTy at 7:23 PM 7/3/2005
Re: question about change in spark plug texture. (240sHorTy)
damn... hopefully my cyl 3 isnt leaking oil into it or anything.
time for compression test i suppose? and do shops usually do a leakdown test for free or what?
time for compression test i suppose? and do shops usually do a leakdown test for free or what?
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if it's too hot, the entire plug tip would be white, including the electrode. If it were oil, there would be gunky buildup all over the insulator.
As far as that plug looks from here, it looks like that cylinder is running rich. When you get ash deposits (which your plug looks like it has carbon deposits. very different), you'll find an encrusted build up on the electrode, which will cause a weaker spark. Yours just looks like there's some extra black on the insulator and electrode, which would indicate extra hydrocarbons in the cylinder.
As far as that plug looks from here, it looks like that cylinder is running rich. When you get ash deposits (which your plug looks like it has carbon deposits. very different), you'll find an encrusted build up on the electrode, which will cause a weaker spark. Yours just looks like there's some extra black on the insulator and electrode, which would indicate extra hydrocarbons in the cylinder.
Re: question about change in spark plug texture. (EstoMax)
Yes, I might concur. Image of carbon fouling per Denso:
In this picture the whole bottom end of the plug is pure black. An extreme example to be sure. Real life diagnosis is rarely so clear cut. When I was using oil, the deposits on the electrode were lighter, and almost white? Yours looks somewhere in between, but maybe closer to the black then light. So I defer to the 2nd opinion... It's definately a better scenario for your engine. Didn't mean to freak you out. Oopsy.
In this picture the whole bottom end of the plug is pure black. An extreme example to be sure. Real life diagnosis is rarely so clear cut. When I was using oil, the deposits on the electrode were lighter, and almost white? Yours looks somewhere in between, but maybe closer to the black then light. So I defer to the 2nd opinion... It's definately a better scenario for your engine. Didn't mean to freak you out. Oopsy.