AutoZone platinum plugs melted

[mjkearns]

I would like to know if anyone else has experienced this. My '93 XLT (approx. 150 K miles) was missing a little and my wife was about to take a trip to retrieve some things on a trailer, so I headed to the AutoZone to buy some plugs. When I got there, they were out of the plain copper variety I usually use, so the salesman suggested platinum plugs. I changed my plugs, wires and air filter, and drove the truck that night and all seemed fine. The next day, my wife calls me about 30 minutes outside of town, saying the truck was losing power and she was pulling over to turn around. However, as she was making the turn-around, the truck started working OK again. We decided she could still make the trip. Long story short, the truck eventually died and I had to drive to the next state with a borrowed truck to pull the trailer and we limped home at about 52 mph. When we pulled in the truck died and I couldn't get it to run. When I checked the plugs, 5 of 6 were completely melted while the back passenger-side plug looked brand new. I put in some Autolite Copper plugs and I could start the truck, but now it is running really bad. Do you think this was just a coincidence and attribute the problems to the age of the truck, or could the extra load on the engine from pulling the trailer have led to preignition, or did the platinum plugs play a roll in this? I'm bummed that I am probably looking at an expensive repair.

 

[Tbars4]

...Welcome here...

...I didn't know Autozone had their own brand of plugs...I wouldn't run them if I did though...Platinum plugs are commonly used on Explorer's and Rangers and are highly recommended but the brand names are usually Motorcraft and Autolite...What wires do you buy???

...You need to get your codes read even if you don't have a CEL light on, which I imagine you do and just did not state it...Pics of these plugs would be interesting to see also...Let us know and we will help get you back up and running...

 

[Masterd]

It sounds like it went way lean....but Im not sure how 5 plugs go lean on both banks but 1 plug in the back survives.

*Edit* You could check the lower intake gaskets..it does sound like you had some detonation going.

 

[Tbars4]

...:scratch:...After double checking with Autozone and confirming they don't have their own brand of plugs and re-reading the original #1 post..

...Something's just not quite right...After a plug and wire change, a 30 minute drive caused these kinds of problems???......I need more info...

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Could you post a picture of the damaged plugs?

 

[Michiganbear]

yea, would love to see pics of the plugs..

To me, with a melted platinum plug, I could visualize the ground electrode melted.. the center electrode on the plugs is pretty much flush with the end of the insulator.. normally.

 

[mjkearns]

OK, a little more info. The plugs were Champion platinum plugs from AutoZone not AutoZone brand. The day I changed everything I had to drive across town to pick up the trailer and drive back. The truck was running well both ways. My wife mentioned that she had trouble starting the truck the very next morning and that she experienced a loss of power a couple of times before she decided to pull over to turn around. All total she drove the truck about 360+- miles by the time we pulled back into the driveway. Could it have been that the truck was running bad/missing prior to me changing the plugs and wires was due more to a bad/clogged fuel injector on #3? Also, if I ran on a dirty air filter for awhile and then changed it, could that cause it to start running leaner? Don't know why that problem would crop up right after I change plugs, wires, and air filter. As soon as my camera batteries charge back up, I will post some pictures of the plugs.

 

[mjkearns]

Pics of the plugs

 

[JDraper]

Edit..nevermind...read the # wrong.

Looks like you have some serious detonation issues. Are you getting any codes? Is it possible that you had the firing order wrong or knocked a sensor wire loose when the plugs were installed?

 

[Tbars4]

..The air filter being dirty and the possible dirty injector would not be the cause...

...I'm thinking you have something seriously wrong or out of whack, but changing plugs back and it running only confuses me...

...Again may I ask, what are the stored codes???...

 

[Rjay007]

I would start by checking for a major vacuum leak. You may have knocked something loose when you changed the plugs and wires or simply have stressed a hose that was already going bad.

 

[mjkearns]

I haven't had a chance to take it some where to pull codes...I'm curious about the comments about vacuum lines. What are the two tubes coming off the back of the air filter housing? I disconnected them and wasn't sure if I replaced those in the proper order. If I'm not mistaken, aren't the vacuum lines on the driver's side, where there is actually room to move around and see what's what? Would a vacuum leak cause the mixture to go lean? I need to check the new plugs to see if the same thing is happening. I'm not sure if I want to put alot of time into diagnosing, as I was planning on selling the truck and getting what I could to help with the purchase of another vehicle, just not this soon.

 

[Tbars4]

...You have a 93 so you can pull your own codes with a paperclip...Click on the link in the first post here..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147734

 

[mjkearns]

OK, still no codes, but I did get a chance to pull the plugs and look at them. They actually look in good shape, but they had oil in the threads. Also, after pulling three and then returning them, I started up the truck and checked around the engine to see if I could see anything obvious like a loose hose, but nothing jumped out at me. I did notice that I have steam/white smoke coming out of my exhaust pipe. Also, looking under the truck I noticed water dripping from the exhaust pipe ahead of the muffler and also from the tail pipe. We probably wrecked the head gasket when we drove the truck home. At this point it's looking like I would have to drop more into the truck than it's worth to clear up the problems so I'm thinking I might cut my losses and just sell it for what I can get and move on.

 

[mjkearns]

OK, i was proceeding based on my suspicions that it was a leaky head gasket and bought some radiator flush, and some liquid head gasket fix, I know, I know I'll gunk it up, but I just wanted a little more life out of her until I could get another vehicle. Started to work on it this weekend, but after removing the thermostat and draining the radiator and refilling with flush and water, I couldn't start the truck. I pulled the driver side plugs and each was wet with what smelled like gas, but could have also been some water as well. I let it sit until this afternoon and actually got it started, but wouldn't you know it...the big steam cloud. Now is the head gasket to far gone to try the liquid gasket repair? ANd, if so, is that because the hole is too large, or due to the fact that I can't run the engine for the required 20-30 minutes without damaging worse?

 

[boggs1227]

my 2 cents.... any water in the oil yet then ...

yep the gasket sounds like it's gone .so i don't think any quick fix cure in a bottle will help you .you said you were wanting to sell the x off later on right ? if you can spend the money to buy new head gaskets and get the heads trued-up i bet you'll get more money selling it all repaired than a x that has a blown head gasket and get nearlly zip for it .who knows after fixing it you may decide to keep it ?!

 

[gsx220]

my opinion is if you like your truck and want to keep it spend the cash and fix it but if you really dont want to keep it you can get a truck the same year or newer for what the head gasket will cost to fix if you dont know how to do it yourself