i have replaced all my spark plugs and HT leads today, and did cyl 1 last and to my dismay it was covered with oil, number 2 cyl spark was a mix between oil and too hot. and the other 2 were too hot aswell. i have the book on spark plug symtoms which indicated that it could be valves, piston rings, seals e.t.c. now considering my car did overheat for a moment the other month could that have caused the "too hot" effect on the plugs? and what about the oil my car has only 30,000 on the clock so why the hell is it all over no 1 & 2 plugs? coments and solutions welcome!

Are you getting any blue smoke

Having oil on No. 1&2 could be because of some oil spillage. If you had a lot of oil on the spark plug your spark plug wouldn't be able to fire the mixture. You would have bore wash and the car would run rather lumpy.

Overheating signs on the spark plug might have occured because of leaning out or using the wrong heat range etc.

Oil on plugs can be a few things

Headgasket, warped cylinder head, Piston ring, stuck valve. or just general where and tear (not usual with 30K on the clock though)

Why did it over heat what was the problem?

no blue smoke nothing out of the exaust, well it over heated when i had my accident (thought id pierced the rad so topped up to max and drove off with bottle cap in hand!) so the light came on for about 2 seconds then fan cut in and then i stoped topped her up and put cap back on and off i went. it is strange though she does knock quite a bit when first started, when i go full throttle when cold she hesitates quite bad but fine when warm. I also thrash her every now and again to 6,000 rpm during a gear change to clear out the cobwebs e.t.c.

edit: just for clarification i used the same ngk's that came out of it and were specified by the cinq haynes.

hesitation when just started is common... if it hesitates for a while then it mightbe something more serious but if your saying it hestitates just as its been turned on from cold then its normal really.

Dare I suggest that 'full throttle from cold' might have something to do with the knocking problem, which is piston slap, which will have a bearing on the oil on the plugs getting past the rings as the pistons are loose.

Cheers

D

i really had no idea that full throttle from cold cound do that and it sounds like big end knocking when first starting, i use full throttle but never have i gone above 2,500 when cold, i know it causes engine damage if you do rev the ******** off it but i never knew full throttle could do the same? btw oil is at max and water is at max all the time so i dunno where the oil came from, in theory the level should have droped if oil got through to combustion chamber and got burned.??? im baffled i thought my engine was "a ok" as it flew though last mot 3 weeks ago.

Full throttle will lead to problems. Putting an engine under load when cold is just as bed as revving the nads off it.

If your oil is going nowhere, I would suggest that what you have on the plugs is sticky carbon residue, rather than oil.

If yyou've put new plugs in, change the air filter, if not done recently, and take it for a nice long drive.

Thrash it when warm by all means, but gentle throtle opening until then.

Cheers

D

well it was shiney and black when i pulled it out so thats oil id say lol, last week i bought a green panel filter and some ducting and replaced all the restrictions with a cold air feed from behind the bumper so thats all done, i must admit with all that i have done it has made her alot smoother! anyway thanks for the comments ill take them all out next month for precaution and check them. (goes off to find phone and put a reminder in).

rallycinq said:

Full throttle will lead to problems. Putting an engine under load when cold is just as bed as revving the nads off it.

If your oil is going nowhere, I would suggest that what you have on the plugs is sticky carbon residue, rather than oil.

If yyou've put new plugs in, change the air filter, if not done recently, and take it for a nice long drive.

Thrash it when warm by all means, but gentle throtle opening until then.

Cheers

D

Click to expand...

Can the air filter cause a deposit of carbon around the spark plugs? My plugs have a deposit of carbon around the rim, and I was going to ask about it. I've found that all of my plugs (a number of different types) have had a deposit of carbon. My car has just started running a bit bad, and am suspecting the spark plugs.

I've also found that the ends of the plugs (where the cable plugs in) tend to work loose, can this cause a build up of carbon?

I'm replacing my plugs (when it stops raining) with some Champon EON 6's, should I replace my air filter, it's exactly one year old, and has done 10,000 miles, they last a lot longer than that don't they?

Air filters should last about a year. The engine needs to breath easily, if it doesn't, then it can run rich. The lambda is supposed to ensure correct adjustment but can be out.

Cheers

D