Basic CDan Tune up w/ Spark plug Advice?

[mxvet354]

So my new shipment of little red boxes arrived a couple of days ago. I have had a slight miss around 1,700 to 1,900 rpm's for a month or so, nothing too bad to enough to get on my nerves. It would only happen on the interstate if I was going uphill and the rig was under a load. Anyway, I knew the previous owner had Autolite "professional" grade, wires, NGK plugs and a non OEM dist. cap. I also had a slight oil leak from the dist o-ring.

So I replaced plugs, wires, air filter, dist cap, rotor, PCV and o-ring. All of maybe 3 hours of work until the "professional' grade rubber came off the #6 cylinder plug while I was trying to remove it. Of course it had to be the worst one. I will save all the drama but it came out in pieces after a (6) hour struggle. Other than that it went like cake and was not difficult at all. Even got the timing right the first time around thanks to a great write here on MUD. Still need to do the fuel filter but after the struggle with the spark plug rubber, I was happy to have it overwith.

I would like the experts here to look at the plugs and let me know what you think. I know how to read 2-stroke plugs very well but not that much about car plugs. These look very, very lean to me.

My rig runs like a new one and the miss appears to be long gone. I actually enjoyed doing this work, I had a local shop quote me $700 to just install these parts, I about fell over. If not for the #6 plug issue, this was easily a 3-4 hour job. Here are the pictures, I look forward to any advice or comments....

Thanks in advance guys....

Curt

 

[ERG80]

Good job Curt. I dont know much about reading plugs but by looking at this site they dont seem to be that bad.

Have you got a link to that timing write up you used?

 

[jlg32281]

Those plugs don't look bad at all. Were they gapped correctly?

 

[ShawnTRD]

Looks like the tips of them are burned down pretty good. It was time to change them.

 

[mxvet354]

EGR - I do have that write up printed off and in the back of my truck. Anytime you need or want it, just let me know. It was super easy and as always, the write up and comments here were great. I will find the link and shoot it over to you as well.

No possible way to measure the gap with all the crud on the electrodes and the tips were almost entirely gone. The difference in idle and driving is very noticeable. Hopefully my mileage will get back to where it was a few months ago too. Just to get rid of the mis is good enough for me.

 

[ERG80]

EGR - I do have that write up printed off and in the back of my truck. Anytime you need or want it, just let me know. It was super easy and as always, the write up and comments here were great. I will find the link and shoot it over to you as well.

Thanks

ERG80

 

[jlg32281]

let me clarify, they don't look bad for plugs with a lot of miles on them.

 

[Kernal]

For comparison here is a set of Denso Iridium IK16 plugs (0.4mm center electrode) with 100,000 miles on them fed mostly Citgo gasoline in the south. Before they were replaced the engine was running well.

http://www.centuryperformance.com/spark-plug-reading-spg-192.html

 

[jvazquez53]

Look to me like "normal" wear, seen worst.

 

[azTony]

Share the link with us all when you get a chance.

 

[mxvet354]

Here is the link that I used for replacing the dist o-ring. The thread does make a note to say the rotor will rotate slightly on removing it, which is correct. When installing the sub-assembly with the new o-ring, make sure you get the rotation pointing at the #1 wire position. I did not the first time and of course had to go through the whole sequence again. Not difficult at all, just takes a little time. I am so glad I made these little improvements, makes me love my LC even more....

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/262624-how-replace-distributor-o-ring.html

I found something interesting last night, the new plugs & wires were installed by the PO in April of '06. Not sure how many miles but at least that puts some sort of timeframe on the plugs and wires. They were charged $423.96 for plugs/wires & dist cap, it did not mention the rotor.

A little weird too that my running temp is approx. 5-8 degrees lower according to the scan gauge over the weekend after the new components. Now that doesn't make any sense, does it?

Thanks again guys, I just thought they looked a little lean to me. I guess motorcycle plugs and car plugs are a little different . I do enjoy learning though, it's all good!!

Curt

 

[motorking]

Spark Plugs

So my new shipment of little red boxes arrived a couple of days ago. I have had a slight miss around 1,700 to 1,900 rpm's for a month or so, nothing too bad to enough to get on my nerves. It would only happen on the interstate if I was going uphill and the rig was under a load. Anyway, I knew the previous owner had Autolite "professional" grade, wires, NGK plugs and a non OEM dist. cap. I also had a slight oil leak from the dist o-ring.

So I replaced plugs, wires, air filter, dist cap, rotor, PCV and o-ring. All of maybe 3 hours of work until the "professional' grade rubber came off the #6 cylinder plug while I was trying to remove it. Of course it had to be the worst one. I will save all the drama but it came out in pieces after a (6) hour struggle. Other than that it went like cake and was not difficult at all. Even got the timing right the first time around thanks to a great write here on MUD. Still need to do the fuel filter but after the struggle with the spark plug rubber, I was happy to have it overwith.

I would like the experts here to look at the plugs and let me know what you think. I know how to read 2-stroke plugs very well but not that much about car plugs. These look very, very lean to me.

My rig runs like a new one and the miss appears to be long gone. I actually enjoyed doing this work, I had a local shop quote me $700 to just install these parts, I about fell over. If not for the #6 plug issue, this was easily a 3-4 hour job. Here are the pictures, I look forward to any advice or comments....

Thanks in advance guys....

Curt

Hi,
I am the Technical manager for Autolite Spark plugs. Your plugs actually look pretty normal (though oxidized and worn out). Modern cars run very lean, it is really a lost art to be able to tell how a car is running today by "reading" the plugs. They are supposed to look like the ones you removed. If you have further spark plug or ignition questions, i am happy to answer at Jay.Buckley@Honeywell.com