TiCPU

I was curious about how my spark plugs were looking like, with the methanol injection kit installed and now pumping 87 octane fuel (and still stepping on the gas quite a lot) for 2-3 weeks. Two first pics are slot 1, the later are slot 4 and in the latest one i used the flash, which seems to be better to see details. They look good, what do you think?
The spark plugs

Here's the best one, not to flood the thread;

mike25

id say they look a little on the rough side

TiCPU

I see the tip seems to have growing white dots on it, is that what you mean? Would it indicate something's wrong? 57500 kilometers / 35800 miles on them.

pimpnwink

iTrader: (1)

its not that bad i have seen worse you can replace them if you like since you already have them out.

mike25

not neccissarily anything wrong...ive never really seen bad plugs...but from guessing and the few plugs i have seen id say they may be getting close to being ready to be changed

TiCPU

Thanks for your opinions, I'll change them soon then! I only popped out first and last cylinders to see their status.
I looked around the net to see what could be learnt from what I see on mine, but nothing like this, and they still look pretty neat!

Sharkey

iTrader: (1)

the small black specs on the porcelin indicate a little bit of detonation. may not be enough to cause knock though.

it is hard to read old plugs. the best way to read a plug and judge a tune up is to install new plugs, go for a drive ( a good hard one) let it cool and pull the plugs out. ive even gone to the extreme in race vehicles were i install new plugs, run the car and as it goes through the top end shut it off, pull off to the side and pull a plug and check it. this is however an extreme when fine tuning, and on a cast iron head motor were you wont pull the threads out when removing a plug from a hot head.

theneelster

New copper plugs are what 10 bucks? Just swap em out.

Bika

iTrader: (3)

quit using 87 octane NOW. your ground prongs are freakin green. and the electrodes are white. thats bad. what mixture of water / meth are you using? the plugs look like you are running hot and lean.

TiCPU

Currently I'm using ~~ 20% methanol, for the coloring, maybe it's the white balance of the camera, doesn't look green to me on here, and it's the stock tune, I'm looking the get it tuned very soon though.

Yes, yes, as soon as I've got new ones in my hands

Bika

iTrader: (3)

20% methanol is not enough to justify using 87 octane. you are obviously getting knock, and white usually means lean or hot. either way i definitely would say those plugs are not healthy. do you have a wideband to monitor your afr?

are you stock, or are you stage 2?

also, are those stock ngk plugs or step colder ngk? might wanna go with the bkr7e if you havent already.

IMO, put a full tank of 93 or 94 octane in there and hold off running meth until you get tuned.

TiCPU

I'm currently stock, stock, only a cold air intake a methanol kit in preparation for stage 2 and tuning. No wideband but I've got an interceptor coming my way though, better than nothing! And yes, those are stock spark plugs, I'll try those colder plugs when I change them.

And in Qc, Canada, I've never seen any pump selling more than 92 octane hehe, most of them are 91 haha, cheap gas.. US gas last so much longuer for a lower price.

AIS

This plug looks perfectly fine. The grounding strap discoloration is right as it should be in the middle indicating the right heat range. The tip isn't melted or rounded off. You have to remember you have over 35K miles on these things so their not going to be white on the porcelain.

By the way, whats the plug gap set on these? It's hard to tell but it looks like it could bet tightened up a little more. How much boost are you running?

Rodney

Bika

iTrader: (3)

even 91 or 92 is better than 87.

really? maybe its just the pic distorting it, but i thought that tip looked rounded and like it had white stuff on it.

Area47

detonation. not enough timing due to the car running the low octane map. burnt tips.

change them, run 91 from now on.

theneelster

That's true about Canada, for the most part they don't get 93 or 94 octane at the pump. So you're running meth without stage 2 and a tune? You can run 87 in a redline stock it just runs like **** (I guess the same for cobalt ss/sc)...I suppose the meth would up the octane. And don't run the colder plugs until you add stage 2.