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  • Spark Plug Analysis?

    I changed Red's spark plugs. They say to change them every 20K miles with the blower. The blower doesn't have 20K on it but the plugs do and I'm bored. I paid the Ford dealership $900 to change the plugs at 100K miles. That's because the original plugs in that engine block break off when you go to change them at 100K miles. Not IF they break, they DO break. So screw that, I grumbled and I paid them. After that, the newer plugs are built better and they don't break off.

    So here we are. You guys know what a spark plug is supposed to look like. I can tell you that No. 6 was loose, not even hand tight (after I paid Ford $900). But I don't know what's up with No. 4. It was in tight. What say thee BSers, if anything?

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    Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

  • #2
    Here's something for ya Pdub....I know it's a Honda site, but plugs are plugs. Good info. Hope you can see the heat signatures with your style of plugs.

    https://honda-tech.com/forums/forced...2A%2A-3063102/
    Last edited by oletrux4evr; December 27, 2021, 02:30 PM.
    Ed, Mary, & 'Earl'
    HRPT LongHaulers, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.


    Inside every old person is a young person wondering, "what the hell happened?"

    The man at the top of the mountain didn't fall there. -Vince Lombardi

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    • #3
      I need to see the business end of the plugs a lot closer. Peewee, it's time you learned to read plugs like a real racer. Garlits used to have a tutorial on reading plugs but I can't find it. ANYONE?
      Last edited by studemax; December 27, 2021, 02:43 PM.
      Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

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      • #4
        Originally posted by studemax View Post
        I need to see the business end of the plugs a lot closer. Peewee, it's time you learned to read plugs like a real racer.
        My camera won't take a closeup. I think we might need another book to read these fancy ass plugs with the hoop instead of the gap that you can set. I reviewed that link that Ed sent and these plugs don't show any of that stuff. And you can't see most of the ceramic on the tip of it, it's hidden back in there.

        But in the meantime it's occurred to me that if we did read them and discovered something, there's not a danged thing I could do about it. Red's dyno tuned and set, don't touch it. It's more like what does it mean when 5 of the plugs look identical and three of them don't.
        Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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        • #5
          Pdub.... a good color to look for is what one would call saddle tan, Daerker means you are running rich, lighter means you are running lean.... double check the gap and make sure the metal is not eroding away! if the metal is eroding and the color is too light, that means predetonation or spark knock is occurring and timing would need to be retarded... a good idea may be to take red to the shop that tun ed him and have them read the plugs for you...
          Last edited by silver_bullet; December 27, 2021, 05:18 PM.
          Patrick & Tammy
          - Long Haulin' 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014...Addicting isn't it...??

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          • #6
            Superman came over and looked at the plugs and said they look really good (sans No. 6). Said I could have driven them another 50K miles and I said the blower folks say no. He schooled me on spark plugs and there's plenty enough tip to look at on that style of plug. He said that a loose plug is a scary thing, it can shoot it slam through the hood like like a cannon projectile- I was lucky. Maybe Red's .03% faster now from the extra compression

            I was gonna do another thing just because, change the blower (serpentine) belt. It absolutely doesn't need it but I could drive around knowing it's got a new one on it. Before I ordered one I studied it like a puzzle and then I had to go back to the installation manual for the blower to believe it, and yep - to change that belt you have to remove the blower, the blower mounting plate and all of the plumbing for the intercooler that's in the way. It's never been in my adult (age-wise) nature to intentionally run anything of mine to failure but that belt will be one of those things.
            Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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            • #7
              If the contact surface of the belt is cracking it needs changed . If not , I would just keep a eye on it . And on a serpentine belt it could be both sides . I don't think it's catastrophic if the belt fails to to the engine . But there is the possibility that it could rap up a accessory like the alternator, p.s. pump , air pump and so on and wipe out them or the brackets. That said , yeah I would run the belt . And I would rather have one cylinder run rich than lean .
              Previously HoosierL98GTA

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              • #8
                I don't think it's catastrophic if the belt fails
                If that engine happens to be overhead cam, damn right it will cause damage with the belt fails.... The camshaft stops and the crankshaft keeps turning. You get bent or broken valves at minimum.

                Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by studemax View Post

                  If that engine happens to be overhead cam, damn right it will cause damage with the belt fails.... The camshaft stops and the crankshaft keeps turning. You get bent or broken valves at minimum.
                  Seen many in the scrap yard like that.
                  pull a head and see a mess

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by studemax View Post

                    If that engine happens to be overhead cam, damn right it will cause damage with the belt fails.... The camshaft stops and the crankshaft keeps turning. You get bent or broken valves at minimum.
                    Pdub's talking about the blower belt.
                    Tim
                    Melbourne Australia

                    65 Hardtop Impala, 70 GTS Monaro, 93 "80" Landcruiser

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                    • #11
                      Pdub's talking about the blower belt.
                      No shit, Sherlock. I can read.

                      Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

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                      • #12
                        The belt drives the A/C compressor, alternator, blower, power steering pump and the water pump. If it broke it would make a short trip of it because I'd lose the water pump. It might make for a much shorter trip if it broke while I was in a corner on a road course and lost the power steering (SURPRISE!!!). The blower added a couple feet to the belt run but it uses the rest of the stock belt run. The stock belt run is shown in yellow below.

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                        That's what it looks like on paper, the mechanical drawing. I figured I could draw on that drawing, sort of an overlay, to show what all else is in there after the belt is installed. But I figured that was too much trouble when I have a camera. When you open the hood and say, "Let's just change that belt," this is what you see (below). You have to just believe that the belt is in there somewhere. There's two bolts behind the blower you can't even shine a light on for all the other stuff that's in there. Change that belt just for the fun of it? Nossir.

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                        Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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                        • #13
                          Drive up here with a new belt and we'll tackle it. It's just bolts.

                          Dan

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by DanStokes View Post
                            Drive up here with a new belt and we'll tackle it. It's just bolts.

                            Dan
                            Oh I'll do it but not one minute before it needs it! I put all that stuff on there (and I still can't quite believe it) but it'll break my heart to take it all back off. And my knuckles and my arms and...
                            Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by studemax View Post

                              No shit, Sherlock. I can read.
                              If that is the case Einstein, can you explain to me how the blower belt keeps the cams from turning?

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