How's the condition of my spark plug? Pics attatched*

[markp]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and I was just wondering if anyone could help me find out 2 things:

1) How's the condition of the tip? Does it look like I'm not running too lean/rich?

2) Why is there oil on the thread but not on the tip? I don't see any oil seepage into the well from the valve cover although my valve cover is leaking a little bit of oil elsewhere.

Please check out the attatched images, thanks.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Looks pretty good I'd say you're running about where you want to be. How long have you had those plugs in the car?

 

[markp]

It's been about 4 yrs... So is it normal to have some oil on the threads? Thanks for your reply

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

For being 4 years, I'd say they look pretty good. As for the oil, I would say thats pretty normal looking too.

 

[markp]

Alright thanks. It's just that I've read that oil on the spark plug may indicate bad piston rings or valve seals. If it was either of those 2, would I have oil all over the elcetrode/tip as well?

 

[TunaTalon]

For images of spark plugs showing various engine problems see Spark Plugs -2

Beside the normal operation image it says "Grayish-tan to white in color indicates the plug is operating at the proper heat range as well as correct jetting and the cylinder is running healthy."

 

[markp]

Thanks for the link, the tips do look okay. It's just that I'm wondering where the oil on the threads could come from if I don't see any oil leaks from the valve cover into the spark plug well from the top.

 

[CTP]

A small amount of oil is pretty normal. I can't remember the last time I pulled plugs in any car that didn't have at least a little oil on the threads.

 

[Noogabox]

Codename: Upgrade, Xbox 360 TalonThis Jumping issue is definatly ignition related. When you have poor ignition under boost the amount of boost that your turbo produces will signifigantly reduce. You will have the RPM's go up but you will randomly have the car Jerk and rpms will drop like 500 and them come back up. This is from when your car misfires it retards timing. It causes the rpms to go up and down too when you try to hold the Accelerator at a constant point. You definantly have a ignition issue. Now that we know thats a Misfire we need to look at what is causing it for you. Misfire can be caused by a couple things. Assuming your ignition its self is fine then you either have a gap that is too large or fuel is way too rich. Note that if your air fuel gets richer your ignition requirements go up.

If you gap ALL THE WAY to .024 then you have a weak spark. The culprit can be a weak ignition coil or bad wires. It takes "X" amount of voltage to jump a gap. When the air is denser ( as in boosted) that "x" number goes up. at .035 you should be purring like a kitten at 10psi Boost. Take in mind at 14 psi Mitsu has plugs gapped out at .032. If you are all the way down to .024 at 15 psi boost you need more voltage out of your coil! You can always get a higher volt ignition. However to compensate till you get beter ignition you can have a smaller gap like that, it just does not ignite the fuel as well with a smaller spark.

I recomend the 80,000 volt On plug cap. Does a little better than the 65,000 volt Oem ( on a good day when it was new)

I personally like NGK Iridium Ix myself gapped at .035 at 10psi

Codename: Upgrade, Xbox 360 Talon

 

[delta448]

Your plugs look okay, however it appears to me as though they might be getting a little too hot. The threads should only be blackened about halfway up. I would switch to the next colder heat range. Lots of carbon on a couple of them, running a bit rich? I advise you to try to run the coldest plug that doesn't foul.

I personally like NGK Iridium Ix myself gapped at .035 at 10psi

You also have a different engine. 4G63's don't like Iridium from my experience.

 

[dsmzoom]

They look fine to me, as for the oil I don't think its something you have to address, NGK BPR6ES and gap them at .o28 and call it a day.

 

[delta448]

.28

He means .028".

 

[markp]

Thanks for the advice. This is actually kinda an old thread and I have since then changed them out to the 7ES gapped at .028 (2 months ago now) and have leaned out my AFR to about 10.5:1.
A peculiar thing I found when I just took them out 2 days ago while doing a compression test is that all my plugs are now free of any oil at all unlike in the pics in this thread. Any idea where the oil came from in the beginning or where it went now?

 

[delta448]

If it is indeed oil, it probably came from a little spill when someone was putting oil into the oil filler hole.