Need some help reading my plugs
 

I have looked at several sites on how to read spark plugs. but it wasnt really helping,they just ad extreme cases of this and that..
Sorry that the picks arent that great, i took them with my pc.

Here's the "mods" list.

*fmic. 2.5" piping/tb elbow
*bs delete
*bc 272's, bc springs & retainers
*arp head studs

thats pretty much it.


I'm running 12blbs of boost. the plugs i'm using are bpr7es.
I'm also running the stock 1g maf, bov is recirculated.

not sure if any of that info is needed but yeah:Misc.block:..

cyl # 1 & 3 have a white strip across the tip of the ground terminal that goesabout 1mm down, from there it's a grayish color down to the threads with a little bit of white towards where the ground terminal meets the threaded part.

on plugs #2 & #4 the ground terminal is gray, no white on the terminal.

on all the plugs, the electrode is white for the most part.

The bitch runs HOT btw! It never gets to the red or even close, but it runs hot. I dont like it..

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

looks like your running a bit on the leaner side of things but normal enough otherwise.

im assuming everything else is stock other than the listed mods?

the higher boost on the stock turbo tends to heat things up a lot, and if your running an automatic with the smaller stock turbo its only going to add to the heat problem.

white is leaner, black is richer, and you want a light brown ish color on the spark plugs.

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

Nice shirt!

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

+1, I love pussy.

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

can you identify if its running too lean by looking at the plugs? as in unsafe a/f ratios? I agree its running lean. would it fuel cut if it was starved enough? or something like that. theres no sign of det. on any plugs.

so brown-ish color is good. on which part of the plug? on the electrode or ground terminal or both?

Its a 5spd, with the stock 1g turbo.
The previous owner claimed it has a rebuilt block, with .40 over pistons.
thats all he stated. he didnt even know what cams it had.. so as far as internals go i have no idea whats done to it. all mods i listed are the things i have seen so far. the only thing i didnt put on the list was the morosso oil pan, oil feed relocation & aftermarket oil return.



thanks!

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

Thats my response when someone says "whats up with your shirt"

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

[QUOTE=Shane@DBPerformance;410470]Nice shirt![/QUOTE


Ahhaa, thanks!

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

No, reading plugs is not nearly accurate enough. I also hope it isn't really .040 over...

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

No, reading the plugs is not accurate. just a general guideline for a rough estimate.

i usually look at the ground electrode.

these cars do not fuel cut if you are over-running the injectors. they stock fuel system hits it limits around 15 psi.

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

okay, thats good to know. why do you hope it wouldnt be .40 over?

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

Nevermind, this looks like a 2.0, then you are fine.

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

Right on, makes sense now.

as far as maxing out the fuel system i should be in the clear, I'm onlly running 10-12 psi.


I'm going to pick up a old school data logger & WB for now so i can see whats going on.

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

yeah its still a 2.0. just out of curiosity were you just thinking about the clearence in-between the pistons? Im sure that could be a problem

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

Just get a wideband to know the a/fs and datalogger to see if it's knocking. You could be very rich at part throttle and lean during boost and never know by looking at old plugs.

To truly read plugs, you need to put in a brand new set, do a full throttle run and then shut the car off as soon as possible before letting the rpms come back down and then look at the plugs with a light and possibly a magnifier.

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

Indeed im getting a WB and data logger. The plugs have maybe 30 miles on them, majority of the pulls were wot. they look okay, but im giving up on trying to read them.

I thought i would be able to get a decent reading to know whats going on with the engine, but from what everyone says including you it sounds like its not accurate at all for what i really want to know.

thanks for the help, I'll let you know what my logs and a/f look like once i get them.

Re: Need some help reading my plugs
 

Proper heat range will show as a band about the 45 degree mark on the grounding strap, then the plugs are right heat range.

Typically a white insulator (ceramic) = leaner. Black specs on insulator=detonation, again it is all relative to how/when you are sampling.

1 heat range colder at 12psi is probably a bit towards the cold side on pump gas, but you are probably fine. You may run out of fuel pending how the system flows up top, and you'll know when you hit fuel cut with that MAF.

Get a WB in there and a logger, upgrade pump/injectors/maf and have fun!