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park Plug Analysis
CARBON DEPOSITS
Symptoms:
Dry sooty deposits indicate a rich mixture or weak ignition. Causes misfiring, hard shifting and hesitation.Recommendations: Check for a clogged air element, high float level, sticky choke and worn ignition points. Use a spark plug with a longer core nose for greater anti-fouling protection.
OIL DEPOSITS
Symptoms: Oily coating caused by poor oil control. Oil is leaking past worn valve guides or piston rings into the combustion chamber. Causes hard starting, misfiring and hesitation.
Recommendations: Correct the mechanical condition with necessary repairs and install new plugs.
TOO HOT
Symptoms: Blistered, white insulator, eroded electrode and absence of deposits. Results in shortened plug life.
Recommendations: Check for the correct plug heat range, over-advanced ignition timing, lean fuel mixture, intake manifold vacuum leaks and sticking valves. Check the coolant level and make sure the radiator is not clogged.
PREIGNITION
Symptoms: Melted electrodes. Insulators are white, but may be dirty due to misfiring of flying debris in the combustion chamber. Can lead to engine damage.
Recommendation: Check for the correct plug heat range, over-advanced ignition timing, lean fuel mixture, clogged cooling system and lack of lubrication.
HIGH SPEED GLAZING
Symptoms: Insulator has yellowish, glazed appearance. Indicate that combustion chamber temperatures have risen suddenly during hard acceleration. Normal deposits melt to form a conductive coating. Causes misfiring at high speeds.
Recommendation: Install new plugs. Consider using a colder plug if driving habits warrant.
GAP BRIDGING
Symptoms: Combustion deposits lodge between the electrodes. Heavy deposits accumulate and bridge the electrode gap. The plug ceases to fire… resulting in a dead cylinder.
Recommendation: Locate the faulty plug and remove the deposits from between the electrodes.
NORMAL
Symptoms: Brown to grayish-tan color and slight electrode wear. Correct heat range for engine and operating conditions.
Recommendations: When new spark plugs are installed replace with plugs of the same heat range.
ASH DEPOSITS
Symptoms: Light brown deposits encrusted on the side or center electrodes or both. Derived from oil and/or fuel additives. Excessive amounts may mask the spark, causing misfiring and hesitation during acceleration.
Recommendation: If excessive deposits accumulate over a short time or low mileage, install new valve guide seals to prevent seepage or oil into the combustion chambers. Also try changing gasoline brands.
WORN
Symptoms: Rounded electrodes with a small amount of deposits on the firing end. Normal color. Causes hard starting in damp or cold weather and poor fuel economy.
Recommendation: Replace with new plugs of the same heat range.
DETONATION
Symptoms: Insulators may be cracked or chipped, improper gap setting techniques can also result in a fractured insulator tip. Can lead to piston damage.
Recommendation: Make sure the fuel anti-knock values meet engine requirements. Use care when setting the gaps on new plugs. Avoid lugging the engine.
SPLASHED DEPOSITS
Symptoms: After long periods of misfiring, deposits can loosen when normal combustion temperature is restored by an overdue tune-up. At high speeds, deposits flake off the piston and are thrown against the hot insulator, causing misfiring.
Recommendations: Replace the plugs with new ones or clean and reinstall the originals.
MECHANICAL DAMAGE
Symptoms: May be caused by a foreign object in the combustion chamber or the piston striking an incorrect reach (too long) plug. Causes a dead cylinder and could result in piston damage.
Recommendation: remove the foreign object from the engine and/or install the correct reach plug.