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 Post subject: Spark Plugs - Diagnosis?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:59 pm 
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Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:21 pm
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Todays to do list included flushing the chargecooler core and changing the plugs, then on to a replacement lambda sensor.

Turns out the chargecooler was absolutely full of oil. Took 4 goes of putting about half a litre of petrol in it and sloshing it about to have the petrol coming out roughly the same colour as it went in.

Then on to the plugs. I've attached an image because although I cant be sure, they worry me quite a bit. Looks like all 4 cylinders running lean :? Cylinders 2 and 3 also had a fair amount of oil in the spark plug holes but I have read that this is likely due to the rocker cover being insufficiently torqued down.

Granted they are Iridiums which I didnt know and have done 15000 miles under me and god knows how many under Stu before me, but its the colour thats worrying me. They are laid out left to right as they were in the head drivers -> passenger side across the bay.

Needless to say, I'm glad a new fuel filter was fitted on Wednesday and a bottle of injector cleaner will be going in the tank before my 150 mile drive to Aviemore tomorrow.

What do you guys think looking at them? (please dont be offended if I dont respond, leaving for a weeks holiday tomorrow so may not be able to reply to thank those who give opinions)

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:10 pm 
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Location: Sunny Fareham, UK
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Look okay to me, apart from the oil as you say.

Doesn't seem to be as common the bolts slackening off on the 205 setup as the other GT4s, but maybe this is your oil problem, (good cheap first place to start anyhow!). This may turn out to be a knackered rocker cover gasket...

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:23 pm 
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Look the same as my 205 ones, all except far right, but that might be camera trickery/angle.

I feared the same when i took my first set of plugs out, (165) but you come to know when something isn't right over time, they look fine so don't worry.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:24 pm 
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Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:21 pm
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I thought they looked heftily lean?

I've only breifly driven the car afterwards but it seems a lot more responsive. The plug gaps look quite massive, you can fit a credit card in them :shock:

Image

I've put a post in the wanted section for a replacement oem catch can as the one on mine is knackered. I had assumed it was insulated for some reason, but in reality its broken to bits on the end that feeds the pipe back in to the intake. Consequently the intake was utterly full of oil pre-turbo and as above for the chargecooler :roll:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:47 pm 
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Hi.

Plugs they look umm. Okay ish. Not an easy one, as the image res is a little low, any chance of the full size image file, I like to work a little further into image magnification size, that way the story can be unfolded.



As mentioned already, the 3rd to right a little oily , the far right lean

2nd from left okay

if you drive gingerly, etc then the engine will go into closed loop, so the plugs will be a light colour.@ 14.7

Are the plugs shown in direct relationship to orientation to the engine layout, if this is the case, then number 1,far left seems a little interesting, greater build up of residue has accrued, in addition to the colour change, probably linked to number 3’s slight problem.

A hot plug swap is the only way, to get best results from inspection, run for test, kill engine as soon as you are happy with the run, coast to stop, nice and quickly, pull the plugs, that way any tell tell signs will show up.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:27 pm 
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datajon wrote:
Hi.

Plugs they look umm. Okay ish. Not an easy one, as the image res is a little low, any chance of the full size image file, I like to work a little further into image magnification size, that way the story can be unfolded.

As mentioned already, the 3rd to right a little oily , the far right lean

2nd from left okay

if you drive gingerly, etc then the engine will go into closed loop, so the plugs will be a light colour.@ 14.7

Are the plugs shown in direct relationship to orientation to the engine layout, if this is the case, then number 1,far left seems a little interesting, greater build up of residue has accrued, in addition to the colour change, probably linked to number 3’s slight problem.

A hot plug swap is the only way, to get best results from inspection, run for test, kill engine as soon as you are happy with the run, coast to stop, nice and quickly, pull the plugs, that way any tell tell signs will show up.


Thanks for that jon. Yes, I tried to keep the plugs in the orientation they came out the engine. The left hand side is the drivers side, so if I have my numbering correct, they plugs are left to right, cylinders 1-2-3-4.

Unfortunately, my digi cam is having real difficulty focusing on the plugs and not the back ground.

I was somewhat confused by 1 appearing lean, but the usual culprits 2 and 3 being fine :?

I'll try get some more pics later on but they will now probably be useless as I have been away for a week and come back to a "tidied" room courtesy of mother and the plugs have vanished. :roll:


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