Blown Spark Plugs (pics)

[Raceit]

These aren't from my truck, but rather a friends '97 F150. Apperently he was just driving and then a loud pop came from the engine. The pictures show the plug that lost it's tip. The bad part is that the rest of the plug is still somewhere in the engine. They've called the auto parts store where he bought them from and they were less then helpfull. The best they could do is have it repaired and then file a claim with Autolight or the autoparts store.
Has this ever happened to anyone else? Maybe someone can throw out some ideas as to where to go if it doesn't get resolved after a huge repair bill.


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Thanks!

 

[IgotTwo]

Dare I ask the brand name of the plug?
Spell it backward if any sponsors are listening.
What can anyone tell you to do? Do your homework about the company and read the fine print on it's warranty Maybe you can track a history of similar problems with some better business agency or industry association. Search the web.

Small Claims could work. It’s a pain but can be an education (and sometimes the defendant doesn’t show and you win…. and then you have to collect…. but you win)

Those plugs look hard to defend. But God only knows what the “spin doctors” will dream up.

Then again you may be surprised someone may decide to be responsibile for a change and work it out with your friend.

Good Luck

 

[Raceit]

AutoLight plugs. That's all I've ever bought and I've never had any problems. But that's not to say that one in a million plugs has a chance of a defect.

That's a lot of good info IgotTwo. I'll will pass that on. Thanks.

The sad thing is that the guy was thinking about selling it to get a new 4door F150.

 

[drnaline]

Big Bang

Did you put another plug and try to refire the engine. I've raced alot with and with out nitrous and your plug look like a backfire or was detonating real bad. How did the other plugs look? Did any of them have very tinny black ball stuck to the white insulater? Are you sure you have the right heat range plug? I've blown up many plugs and never had a problem with what was left in the cylinder. At the rate the piston goes up and down it is very likely that the remains got blown out the tailpipe or in the exhaust. If it doesn't refire then some thing probabley helped the plug to destroy itself.

 

[Raceit]

They put another plug in and it sill runs rough. The check engine light comes on and a diagnostic check comes up with the number 6 cylinder is losing compression. And all the other plugs were checked with no evidince of a problem.

 

[drnaline]

Check this

I'd have them check the injecter on that cylinder. Sounds like a bad valve, or maybe punched a hole in the piston. Is there an excess of blowby?

 

[IgotTwo]

Now you got me thinking, I was going to swap out my plugs this week with autolites.
I'd really be interested how you friends makes out with autolite. If you have the time let us know.

 

[MSTNGGUY88]

I have run autolites in everything from race cars to street cars. And everyone has been the cheap regular autolite and never had a problem. They are better for spark than most platinums. I think something in the motor went wrong maybe detonation.

 

[IgotTwo]

Point well taken.... but it does make you think

 

[newexplorerguy]

looks like plug got real hot! a bit long

Raceit;
Wow! Just to give you a qiuck background here; I worked in an automotive engine shop in San Francisco for eight years. (worked on and built a lot of motors).
I took as close a look at the plug as I could by making the pics as big as I could. What I noticed was that the outside of what is left of the porcelain in the center of the plug is very white; which leads me to believe that the plug got very, very hot. The electrode also looks as if it was melted. You can see small balls of melted metal around what is left of the electrode.
I may be wrong, but I think the truck may have had a fuel delivery problem or an ignition problem that caused that cylinder to run very hot; causing the plug to overheat and melt. There may be a bent valve or a hole in the piston caused by a large piece of the porcelain breaking off due to the extreme heat. Once this is fixed, you may also find that there is another problem to be fixed (fuel or ignition system).
Now, if the truck is under some type of warranty, and the part that caused the plug to overheat is under warranty, then your friend should take that up with the warranty company. If a covered part causes the failure of another part, the warranty company should cover it.
Hope this helps some.
George

 

[jimmiecakes]

I'll go with George.... even using the wrong heat range of plug wont give this kind of stuff. There's something else going on inside this motor.

BTW, I used Autolites for years with no problems.