Spark plugs

[Rinker85]

Tonight I replaced the spark plugs. Cylinder one and two look terrible. What could this indicate?

 

[Bt Doctur]

3 and 4 are running way too hot or your getting water into the combustion chambers

 

[Rinker85]

I read a little bit about spark plug conditions. There is wet or dry fouling. Mine indicate dry fouling.

"Dry fouling, or carbon fouling, is often caused by an overly rich condition, and the problem may lie with your air cleaner (clogged) or ​

carburetor

. Other possible causes could be low compression, vacuum leak, overly retarded timing, or improper ​

spark plug heat range

."​

Am I on the right track here? I will check the timing tomorrow. It's on a 1984 2.5 L OMC

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... I'd be much m,ore concerned 'bout 3, 'n 4 bein' so clean, rather than 1, 'n 2 bein' carboned up,.....

 

[alldodge]

If a air cleaner was clogged then all plugs would look the same. I see its running a bit lean, and there is probably some oil burn in the first 2 cylinders, but can also be water

 

[Scott Danforth]

since plugs 3&4 have been steam cleaned, we can assume that either the head gasket is gone or the exhaust manifold/riser is leaking or the head is cracked

Rinker85 , fresh water or salt water?

any rust trails from the manifold to elbow gasket joint?

when was the last time you had the manifold off and pressure tested?

did you do a compression test?

 

[Rinker85]

since plugs 3&4 have been steam cleaned, we can assume that either the head gasket is gone or the exhaust manifold/riser is leaking or the head is cracked

Rinker85 , fresh water or salt water?

any rust trails from the manifold to elbow gasket joint?

when was the last time you had the manifold off and pressure tested?

did you do a compression test?

You just jarred my memory. Thank you. I went back to a question I posted in 2010 about the Manifold. The Manifold was rusted and pitted . I cleaned it up pretty good and used JB Weld to fix the pitted areas. Back then I was told if might get me through a couple of years. I guess it lasted 8 years and now time to reinspect and probably replace. The 2nd picture is before and the first picture is after clean up from 2010

 

[Rinker85]

I will take some pictures of the engine now. I do believe there are rust trails

 

[Scott Danforth]

I do believe there are rust trails

smoking gun

pull the manifold, pull the studs, take a belt sander with 60 grid and remove about 0.060" of the mating surface. has to be dead flat

do the same with the elbow.

hope they clear up

never ever ever used RTV on that joint...ever

 

[Rinker85]

Here are some pictures of the engine and Manifold. There's some rust and a lot of carbon under the manifold by the alternator.

 

[Lou C]

You might want to take the intake/exhaust manifold to a machine shop to get it resurfaced on both the exhaust end and the intake/exhaust ports. There is a lot of rust in the intake ports. While replacement might be the best option, it can be tough with older OMCs, as far as finding parts.