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What are my spark plugs telling me???


Guest Anonymous

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Guest Anonymous

I've replaced my damn intake gaskets AGAIN. My #1 plug STILL looks like the first picture below:

You can divide the #1 plug in half. One side of the plug looks pretty good (light brown kind of like the 2nd picture) and the other has the black deposits with white specks. I assume this is a lean mixture problem.

I can still spray some carb cleaner into #1 and get the idle to smooth out a tiny bit. Is some leaking normal in this area?

Could I have a leak on the exhaust side??? What would cause 1/2 the plug to look like this?

Is it possible that the intake manifold is not machined flat? No matter how much I tighten things I always have that very slight leak.

I am going insane trying to figure out what is causing this.

-Justin

'76 02

'97 m3

http://www.bmw2002.net

number1.jpg

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Guest Anonymous

Maybe you're getting some oil coming down one of the two valve guides and just leaking onto one side of the plug. Usually, the exhaust guides will loosen up before the intakes, so if it's fouling on the side that's closest to the exhaust valve, that might be it.

HTH,

Matt

Maximillian Importing

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Guest Anonymous

Is ditch those platinums, TRUST ME!! They foul out sooooooooo quicky on these cars. Get a set of Bosch Supers or some NGK's, WAY cheaper then a set of platinums.

1 platinum = damn near 4 bosch supers.....

HTH,

Lyle

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Guest Anonymous

I get a little oil consumption.

Slightly more than a 1/2 quart in the past 2000 miles I think.

I also have a rough idle. The longer it idles the more the engine shakes.

I've replaced plugs/wires, I have a pertronix with a blue coil (new red going in soon after I find a resistor).

I figure I can check to see which side of the plug by putting a piece of tape on the back of the socket on the side that is gooped up. I'll see where it stops.

-Justin

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Guest Anonymous

I had a spare set of platinums around so I put them in.

In fact I kill the copper tops MUCH quicker. The platinums seem to withstand whatever is happening with #1 better.

The others look fine (like the 2nd pics).

I've never had any fouling problems with them, I used to run them off and on over the years with motor #2 and this current motor.

-Justin

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Guest Anonymous

1/2 a quart really isn't much for 2k miles of driving unless it's all going down one valve, which might be the case. If it's a relatively fresh engine/cyl head, you might have one bad valve seal on that cylinder, sometimes the lips get torn off when the valves are installed. FYI, you shouldn't have any perceptible vacuum leaks anywhere on that intake, might be worth pulling it off again and having a machine shop plane it to make sure its flat. Get the water neck done at the same time too to so they are exactly the same thickness.

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Guest Anonymous

I'm amazed it fires at all it's so encrusted with burnt oil (211k). If it wasn't for the CD system I would have to clean it every 2-3k miles; as it is I clean it about every 5k so it doesn't clog up completely. Yeah, I know; I should rebuild the engine. But it runs so well, and oil's cheap compared to engines!

Mike

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Guest Anonymous

Yes, the motor is a low mileage Metric Mechanic motor.

Far as I know I have teflon valve guides instead of the stock rubber ones. The oil usage has been a constant since day one.

I think the idea about having a machine shop plane the intake is a good idea. Did not even think of the water connection. I'll include that too.

-Justin

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