More Spark Plug Q's

[Payneful13]

First off, these plugs and wires are only about six or seven months old. The four bad plugs came from positions 2, 3, 4, 5 and the good two were from 1 and 6. The reason I checked my plugs today was because about two weeks ago I lost 100 miles per tank of gas....now I'm wondering why and how my plugs got all jacked up.

The first picture is all six plugs and the second picture is only the bad four. Hopefully the pictures are good enough for you to see what I'm talking about. And hopefully someone may know of a reason for my plugs being like this after such a short time.

 

[mrboyle]

From what I can tell by the pics the engine is running extreemly lean. The white ash on the bad plugs and the fact that they have melted both indicate that high tempatures associated with running lean. The one bad plug that is black most likely looks that way because it quit firing after melting. As to why this is happening? There are soo many reasons (ie. vacuum leak, bad injectors, dirty MAF sensor, etc....)

 

[Payneful13]

Could this be caused by a potentially bad head gasket? I've been losing antifreeze for a while now and I have been having a bit of white "smoke" flowing from my exhaust. The "smoke" persisted today even after I put new plugs into it. I have not found any sign of antifreeze in the oil or near the spark plugs.

About two months ago, I was coming back to Ohio from West Virginia and my radiator overflow hose came disconnected. Spewing out all of my antifreeze and overheating the engine. Could this have been the cause of the meltdown?

I'm trying to find a place to start. I'm praying I don't have to deal with head gasket issues because I don't have the time or the money to get into that.

 

[Anime]

Those plugs look pretty bad for a few months of use, but you've pretty much solved it. White smoke is from the engine burning antifreeze in the cylinders. It's highly likely the head gasket blew from overheating, and now the coolant is making it's way into the cylinders and fouling up the plugs. The burned up plugs might be from a combo of the antifreeze mixing with the gas and causing a poor burn, and just from when the engine overheated. You're probably looking at a head gasket replacement on both sides, and while you're at it you might as well do some cooling system maintenance (hoses, clamps, etc.) to prevent any more overheating, and perhaps new spark plug wires as well. It's likely the plugs you just put in will eventually see the same fate as the ones you took out if the leak goes unfixed.

 

[Masterd]

Now thats a sick motor. It looks like exhaust gasses were able to get above the hex portion on the bad plugs.

That definitely looks like preiginition to me. Probably from letting the motor get so hot.

 

[waterrider919]

Man!! What's up with the GAP on those boys! How did that happen?

 

[Payneful13]

Just an update for everyone who replied to this thread.

Today, I finally added some Barrs Stop Leak to my radiator, hopefully it will seal up the bad head gasket a bit. In two weeks, when I get paid again, I'll pull out my plugs and see if they have suffered the same fate as my last ones and get some more plugs if needed.

In the mean time....I developed a break leak right where the hose splits to go to the left front caliper and over to the right front side as well....

 

[MDewell]

My god...what's up with the gaps? LOL!!

 

[Payneful13]

I thought it meant inches....lol j/k