A little real time help here - unexpected spark plug look (HG?)

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IdahoDoug

IdahoDoug

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OK, gettin wierder.

Pulled all six plugs fully expecting one to be clean in support of my theory the HG blew Friday. Instead, I got one dirty, and 5 clean ones. These plugs were new NGKs in September, and have almost exactly 2500 miles on them, so I guess it would be tough to see "cleaned by steam" ones at low miles. Also, the dirty one was in #6, which also has the only notably dirty piston top - others look clean. Dirty one looks wet/oily and tons of black deposits.

Also noted that my block heater leaked quite a bit yesterday, but not sure if this was due to the high cooling system pressures of the expected HG, or what. This has an old O ring and I've been waiting for a new one to show up from an O ring vendor.

The rad cap is about a year and a half old - OEM of course. So, wondering what's up here. Any thoughts? I'm heading back out to check more stuff.

DougM
 
Maybe its not the head gasket.:frown:


A crack in something?
 
Just guessing, number 6 could be sucking in oil and pushing exhaust into water jacket.

Could be that number six has an ignition problem - distributer cap, wire, plug and hasn't been firing hot.

Could be number 6 injecter is over fueling. If you pull the head, have the injectors cleaned. I reckon you have probably pulled as many injectors as you care to. Best to get as much accomplished with the labor investment as possible.
 
Ah Dan's gnomes have worked backwards this time..!

Maybe it got hot enough to suck oil by a stuck oil control ring on the piston. Just the hottest one of all #6. Run a compression check, replace the O-ring as planned, pressure check the cooling system for leaks, and new plugs of coarse. My guess is that it was a little low on coolant from the block heater, and then blew the o-ring. Overheated, and sucked some oil in. Diagnose well before tearing it apart. I don't think that it is the HG
 
OK, new news. Cranked it over with the plugs out. Put a compression testor on #6 and got 300psi. Cranking must have sucked coolant into #6, then even a fraction of an inch of noncompressible fluid must have given the false high number. I compression tested this engine 2500 miles ago when the new plugs went in and it was normal -185 actually.

Thought about the dirty plug in #6 and I believe it's just filthy because the steam in the cylinder was loosening crud up and that's why it came out filthy like that. So, if I had been unaware and driven perhaps 50 miles or so the cylinder cleaning would have been completed and I'd have pulled out a sparkling plug.

So. I'm leaving on vacation for 2 weeks in 30 hours and here's what I'm doing to preserve the engine as I don't want coolant in the cylinder or rings.

1- coolant drained
2 - all plugs back in except #6
3 - start engine - really just let it catch and shut down - to blow any accumulation of coolant out dramatically. Simple cranking wasn't doing it in case any of you are curious. This did it.
4 - replace plug in #6.
5 - start engine for 5 seconds to start heating the piston/cylinder walls/rings (I'm now here)
6 - repeat after 15 minutes to make certain nothing gets too warm - time to dissipate heat/
7 - repeat twice
8 - pull FI relay so won't start now
9 - pull #6 plug and shoot marine fogging oil in it.
10 - crank over and repeat with fogging oil.
11 - replace #6 plug
12 - order parts from Dan
13 - put note on steering wheel not to try to start
14 - go on vacation.

I want to heat the cylinder environment to dry the rings out. Leaving the engine frozen in position with coolant in the rings is inviting disaster IMO. That is a huge problem if they stick, so I think it's worth this time consuming procedure. And I don't think the fogging oil will get down there and fully displace the coolant whereas the heat and movement will.

Comments?

DougM
 
You guys are a lot of help (heh). Got it done, now packing my favorite flip flops and leapard G string.

DougM
 
Enjoy your vacation Doug. You have earned it!
 
Doug,

Have a great time on your vacation.

SS
 
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