Worst case scenario just happened in my engine
This is a follow up to the thread about Trouble code and scary ass sounds.... Post #1 in there has a back story.
Anyways, so I pulled my plugs today, first thing I was going to check to see what is going on. And I found some really shitty stuff.
This is the first one I pulled. When I went to pull the coil pack, the whole thing just came up. No unscrewing of the spark plug necessary. All the way over on passenger side, I believe this is #1. Magic #1. **** #1.

(corrections in italics The camera couldnt really focus, cuz it sucks, but if you look here you can see that part of the insulator on the spark plug broke off.
You probably cant see it here, but the threads on the spark plug are just about 100% stripped. Like the spark plug was blown out of the cylinder. Also, by looking at how the boot is burned and split, it looks like it really was blown out. I also can not get the plug out of the boot of the coil pack. Awesome.


I tried to get a couple of shots down into the valve cover with a flashlight, but the camera still sucks and wont focus.
Here is cylinder #3's coil pack boot... something tells me the oil that is splattered on there probably isnt good.
Lookin down into 3 before I pull that plug.
Here is a look at spark plug #3, as a reference.
Here is a look at the top of the other two coils... Everything in there had this thin white dust film over it. I am guessing that is bad too.
OK, so. I am betting that just about any dealer I take this to will find a way out of warranty. "You were using spark plugs other than what came with your car" "You have an intake installed" "You are 24 and probably drive too fast" etc etc etc... I will probably take it by just in case, but I am preparing myself for not getting a bit of help to fix this thing.
So. If I do have to rebuild this myself, I am guessing I'll need a new head, pistons, sleeves, coils, gaskets, valves (maybe?). I am thinking that whatever happened is super BAD and the spark plug coming apart a little probably is going to batter the **** out of the sleeves and valves.
Thoughts?
(sorry for the long ass post, I want to inform everyone as much as I can to help me out here...)
Last edited by Johnboy12358; Feb 19, 2009 at 08:57 PM.
Hmm that could go either way. I'm mostly concerned about how #1's threads are stripped and how it was blown out of socket. I dont know what would cause that. . . i want to guess a result of leaning out some how? seeing as how white the plug is?
I dont know man, I thought I was pretty light on the mods side. I mean the only real engine mod I have is GM Stage 2, but something went wrong. That is for sure.
I'm thinking that at the least its going to need a new head, but I dont know if you can fix a head that has been blown out like that. And if I am in there for a new head, then lets do new pistons, and if I am doing pistons then why not.... and on and on
I'm thinking that at the least its going to need a new head, but I dont know if you can fix a head that has been blown out like that. And if I am in there for a new head, then lets do new pistons, and if I am doing pistons then why not.... and on and on
is the #1 coil ******* melted on the end?
I had oil on my 3rd spark plug and they just replaced the gasket and told me the white film I had was nothing.
Then 3 weeks later my car turned into and SS with the STI exhaust and my #4 ended up having zero compression and died because the #4 injector they installed from the GM stage 2 kit was bad.
Thank god for warranty they put a whole new motor in it you might be on that path but I don't want to say for sure.
I just really want to know why that #1 coil is melted on the end....
I had oil on my 3rd spark plug and they just replaced the gasket and told me the white film I had was nothing.
Then 3 weeks later my car turned into and SS with the STI exhaust and my #4 ended up having zero compression and died because the #4 injector they installed from the GM stage 2 kit was bad.
Thank god for warranty they put a whole new motor in it you might be on that path but I don't want to say for sure.
I just really want to know why that #1 coil is melted on the end....
is the #1 coil ******* melted on the end?
I had oil on my 3rd spark plug and they just replaced the gasket and told me the white film I had was nothing.
Then 3 weeks later my car turned into and SS with the STI exhaust and my #4 ended up having zero compression and died because the #4 injector they installed from the GM stage 2 kit was bad.
Thank god for warranty they put a whole new motor in it you might be on that path but I don't want to say for sure.
I just really want to know how that damn coil is melted on the end....
I had oil on my 3rd spark plug and they just replaced the gasket and told me the white film I had was nothing.
Then 3 weeks later my car turned into and SS with the STI exhaust and my #4 ended up having zero compression and died because the #4 injector they installed from the GM stage 2 kit was bad.
Thank god for warranty they put a whole new motor in it you might be on that path but I don't want to say for sure.
I just really want to know how that damn coil is melted on the end....
Last edited by Johnboy12358; Feb 14, 2009 at 01:39 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Really... I wonder if its the same problem. If I could get out of rebuilding this thing on my own it would be good. I will mention that to the dealer.
Speaking of which, I need to find a good dealer around here. The one in Denton isnt my favorite. Last guy I dealt with was a dick.
Speaking of which, I need to find a good dealer around here. The one in Denton isnt my favorite. Last guy I dealt with was a dick.
x2 afraid of
Last edited by Johnboy12358; Feb 14, 2009 at 01:44 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Another thing when you take your car to the dealer clean the inside very well, don't leave any time slips or any other types of racing paraphernalia, not even a track flier in the glove box. If your dealer is a dick i wouldn't put it past them. I think for the most part if you just throw your stock intake back on you won't have much of a problem with them. Right now some dealers are just happy to have work to throw out to their techs.
If you haven't taken it to the dealer yet put the stock plugs back in includining the one that blew out. Mine did the same thing on #3 with one step colder plugs, they tried to get out of repairing it by saying they wern't torqued to spec. Well I had one of their techs replace the plugs so it ended up being their fault and the replace the head under warranty. Good luck
If you haven't taken it to the dealer yet put the stock plugs back in includining the one that blew out. Mine did the same thing on #3 with one step colder plugs, they tried to get out of repairing it by saying they wern't torqued to spec. Well I had one of their techs replace the plugs so it ended up being their fault and the replace the head under warranty. Good luck
Another thing when you take your car to the dealer clean the inside very well, don't leave any time slips or any other types of racing paraphernalia, not even a track flier in the glove box. If your dealer is a dick i wouldn't put it past them. I think for the most part if you just throw your stock intake back on you won't have much of a problem with them. Right now some dealers are just happy to have work to throw out to their techs.
we did that and the spark plug blew and ruined the thing that is connects to...why can I remember the name of that part....anyway we got it fixed and no it wasn't covered by wannenty
it cost about 500 to 600 cdn to replace
it cost about 500 to 600 cdn to replace
It doesn't come out of the dealers pocket. It comes out of GM's pocket and if they don't send an inspector out witch they rarely do is all you have to worry about if the dealer wants to do it. Something this small would not throw up a red flag.
for 1 never put those kindof plugs on any car...does not make it faster beeter burning or anything..its a hook to get u to buy something u think is better....also did u gap the plugs right??? NO SPARK PLUG IS PRE GAPED..even if it says so it takes just one jonny to drop the package during shipping the **** them up..and all 3 sides would need to be gaped near perfect to .040. the white is from coolant.


