Fouled plugs

sounds like your engine is burning a lot of oil.

mrcheerful

not by any chance a Toyota? Derek

Sounds like it's done a lot of short journeys and not warmed up properly and the plugs have sooted up a bit. Nothing to worry about IMO if it's not using oil and it's running OK.

Jinx

'performance'

Doesn't it usually mean it's running rich? My oil level is going down a bit though.

In news: snipped-for-privacy@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com, petermcmillan snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Oh f*ck, here we go again.

Pinking Pt2.

Post a photo. Mind you lots of people will look at it and tell you you have sooty plugs from lots of rich running (ie short journeys) which is what is suspicioulsy soounds like. Oil on the plugs is just that - an oily slightly tacky coating.

If the nose insulator is a tan or coffee colour, and the electrodes are not burnt then the plugs are fine. Every plug I have *ever* had gets a black ring around the edge to match the rest of the soot on the cylinder head.

'performance'

Yeah, it's not oily, just sooty.

OK, I'll just replace them then. They didn't last long though :(

Why do you think they need replaced after 4k miles when they are supposed to last 36k?

Are you sure they are the right plugs? They sound as though they are running too cold. If they are the same as the old ones, are you sure that the old ones were correct?

Rob Graham

They're not the same plugs as my last ones, and they are (supposed to be) the right ones. My previous set were NGK. My next set will be different again because I'm going for Fiat ones.

The engine's running weird (weirder than usual) at idle. Makes a funny noise.

It's not the make that's significant but the design. Long nosed plugs run hotter than short ones and your engine will be designed to use a plug with a certain 'reach'. If you use Fiat ones they may be just as bad as the others because they are of the wrong type.

Rob

Yeah lol, I do buy the right ones. With one brand it could've just been an error in their book, but with two there's a high chance that at least one was right. The Fiat ones should definately work properly though.

OK. If you say so.

Rob

Soot is rich.

Basically..

Sooty black - running rich. Oily black - burning oil White - running lean Light brown - spot on.

It's going to blow up and kill you. Push it off a cliff now.

Oh, and put your PC inside it first.

John

Why on earth does that maen it's the plugs? Air leak, arcing HT lead, tracking dissy (if fitted).

Before you swap four plugs you need to knwo why (even if it's just an incorrect plug grade) otherwise you will be swapping them again in 4k.

Post a photo! (if possible)

Greeney yellow - you found the only station in the world still selling leaded fuel.

Little metal balls - it's pinking like a bastard and melting your pistons...:-)

petermcmillan snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote on 12 May 2005 07:11:40 -0700:

I expect your plugs are perfectly normal. Do remember that after travelling 4k miles each plug will have been exposed many millions of small explosions. They will not look brand new, especially if your engine is running rich and some of the petrol is turning into carbon rather than combusting fully...