Quoting Pot:
Compared to the other 3 plugs, this is the only one with the oil on the threads and white/tan tint on both the electrode and ground electrode.
... that's one fluffy plug!
Can you post a pic of the other plugs?
Quoting Pot:
I replaced the valve stems last year and while the oil on the threads are a concern, my main concern at present is why both the electrode and ground electrode look the way they do.
Did you do the seals with the head in place?
Did you check the valve/guide clearance?
Was their oil in the exhaust ports?
Many times, when new seals are put on worn guides, the "fix" only lasts a short time.
Quoting Pot:
I think your right fuel, cylinder 2 injector may be clogged or not pushing adequate fuel.
... not so sure I agree with that hole being lean enough to matter on any significant level
Lean makes heat, and heat would turn that fluff to a hard baked glaze in a heartbeat on a hard pull.
I will agree you're probably getting close to running out of headroom with your fuel system, but my personal experience has been if you were trully flirting with disaster, the plug would have more of a white/yellow hard glazy appearance. (or, if things were really hammering, there'd be a scaled apperance and little balls of death making an apearance)
Listening to the injectors with a mechanics stethescope will tell that tale. An injector with a clogged last chance screen will give a noticeablly more hollow "click" when it fires.
My opinion is that the vast majority of what you are seeing on that plug is oil, plain and simple
... most likely from the guides
If it was getting past the rings, it *generally* glazes up the plug on a hard pull. The chamber temps are higher when the rings would be letting you down under boost, (allowing oil to enter the chamber/be "available" to make deposits.)
.. It would also increase the knock count considerablly.
Be sure to check the intercooler pipes, especially if you are still evacuating the crankcase into the inlet piping. Clean up any oil found there and monitor
Be sure to check the piping post turbo. Clean any oil found there and monitor
I'm half blind, but I can't see the green tint in that pic /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
Many times, additives in the fuel can give a false coloring, but it's usually a more reddish/brownish tint.
With the shiat they call "fuel" anymore, the possibilities are almost endless on that front. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
These motors *generally* don;t allow coolant into the chamber ... without letting compression gases into the cooling system fairly quickly/soon after.
You would know pretty quickly if that was the case, as you'd be pushing coolant out into the reservoir on hard pulls.
You can use a five gas analyzer to sniff the coolant for h.c. if you suspect a teeny leak, but I would think a visual check of the combustion chamber would tell the tale.
... in fact, that may be your best bet at this point.
If you had any significant coolant in the chamber (enough to ash the plug) the piston in that hole would have a washed/clean/dryer appearance compared to the other holes.
My suggestion would be to look a little deeper at the motor the next time you have the plugs out. With the plugs out, turn the motor over with a wrench untill the exhaust valves are open on #2. My "guess" is that you'll see a gooey mess on the backs of the valves.
That said, I'd run it, and continue to monitor things.
The timing line on the ground strap looks good, and it hasn't glazed up.
Too many folks condemn motors that are still serviceable.
Watch for condensation and/or a funky sweet smell in the exhaust, monitor the coolant and oil levels more carefully
... and boost on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
In fact, a hard pull every time you drive the car would go a long way towards keeping things tidy in the chamber. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif
