My 'Velle had been running fine, then a few days ago it started "popping" while cruising. I figured that it's time for a tune up, but decided to check my cap and rotor. Cap and rotor have wear and tear on them, but not too bad. Today I checked the plugs and found my problem. The #5 plug was nearly covered in soot, causing the misfire/"popping" I had been hearing and feeling. I took pics of all the plugs, but I didn't realize until right now (while previewing them on image shack) that all of them came out a little blury and dark. I'll just post one pic to kind of represent all the plugs, then post the pics of plug #5.

All but plug #5 pretty much looked liked this...

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/9413/1101061405nf0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Here are the pics I took of plug #5 (Sorry for being soo dark/blury :( )

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/5647/1101061426sr5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1577/1101061432fg1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img420.imageshack.us/img420/5432/1101061433me9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)http://img420.imageshack.us/img420/7136/1101061434hi3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Notice how on the pic of the first plug you can see the ground strap and electrode, but on plug #5, the soot build up covered almost the whole ground strap, and you can hardly see any of the electrode. Does this mean my rings are bad, and letting too much oil up into the combustion chamber? Or is this the cause of bad tuning? Or maybe carb issues?

Dang, that sucks. That's beyond my knowledge. I hope you get it figured out. Good luck.

Looks more like oil than soot to me, but as you said: the pics are pretty bad.

I had a few plugs looking like yours (including missing/chugging). Tore the engine down and found 4 broken rings and others totally worn to where the ring gap was 1/8". It's at the machine shop now.

What type of ignition system are you running? Is it an MSD? If it were mine.. i would start with a fresh set of plugs, and completely re-tune the engine. Check carb adjustments, manifold vacuum, timing ect. then run the car a bit, and pull the plugs to see if they're fouling again. Does the engine smoke at all?

No question, that's oil. I've seen this a hundred times. Oil is getting into the cylender somehow. It could be a bad valve seal, bad guide, allowing the valve stem to wobble a little and let oil past the seal, it could be a bad oil ring on the piston. If it runs ok, and doesn't foul that plug often, it won't hurt to run it like that. (depending on your hp) I've seen street motors (400 hp and lower) run for years like that. Obviously, the right thing to do is tear it down and fix the problem. But it's not as serious as it looks and you can put it off for awhile if you want. Keep in mind, if one cylender is fouling plugs now, it probably won't be too long before others start. (similar wear conditions are throughout the engine) Put plugs in it, drive it, keep an eye out for blue smoke out of the exhaust. It'll be ok for awhile.

I've got an MSD 6AL box with the Blaster 2 coil. My distributor is the one off my 307 and has been "updated" with a magnetic pickup. I've had the plugs get like this and worse before, but it's been a looooooong while since I've seen any plug(s) get like that. I've tried tuning my carb, but I'm no "expert" and can only tune to a certain point. The engine has smoked here and there, but lately the exhaust has been smelling pretty strong. It doesn't smell rich, but it also doesn't smell lean, it just smells really strong. I was told by someone years ago (don't remember who) that my heads were probably going to need new valve seals and/or guides. When I was told this, the motor was smoking real bad from one bank and not the other. The reason it was doing this was because I mixed up my old piston rings with the new ones, and ended up throwing the new rings out (this was my first rebuild :D ). And to top that off, it wasn't until I tore the engine down again (due to a twisted rod), that I found out I installed some of the rings upside down :clonk: LoL :D :D :D Anyway, since the last rebuild (back in '00 or so), it hasn't smoked at all.....well the times it did was because of bad tuning. As for blue smoke, I never seen any blue smoke come out the pipes, only white and black....but it's been a while since that's happened :D

Yeah, if it's not smoking, you'll be ok to put plugs in it. Like I said, just keep an eye out. White smoke is typically water or condinsation getting burned out of the exhaust. Black smoke is a rich condition, white with a blue tint is oil getting burned. As long as you got the rings in right side up this time, I think you'll be ok, lol!:D

With a MSD and their coil.... and no smoke... I say your heat range is WAY too low and too much fuel.

What plugs are they? Put fresh ones in atleast and make sure your tune is dead on. Have someone follow you and make sure no smoke is coming out. It may smoke and you cant see it. Took a while for me to see the smoke my engine was churning out on my first motor. Have them watch for black too. Cruise, part throttle, wot, etc.

Plugs are Accel shorty plugs, 276S.

The pics aren't the best, but I'd say that you are running much too rich, or you are running too cold of a plug. If you had an oil burning problem, the black deposit would be rather shiny, instead of the flat effect that you see in the pics.

Best Regards,

Mike

I had some of those and they fouled pretty often. I switch to regular AC and they haven't fouled anymore. I realize that you might need shorter plugs for your headers, you might want to talk to Brian about some Autolite racing plugs. I think he's pretty familiar with the part numbers.

Which Brian? I've talked to someone, lol, but I forgot what their SN is on TC. Anyway, I've talked to him on AIM (it's not working right now :mad: ), but this guy has recommened some Autolite plugs for me, AR-13 or AR-134. :)

The pics aren't the best, but I'd say that you are running much too rich, or you are running too cold of a plug. If you had an oil burning problem, the black deposit would be rather shiny, instead of the flat effect that you see in the pics.

Best Regards,

Mike

Well I guess you can say the "deposits" on the plugs were kinda dull looking. It almost looked like rock was forming on the plugs, lol. I would say that maybe I am running rich due to my Holley fuel pump and/or fuel regulator, but I've had this happen before with my 307's stock fuel pump. I know my carb isn't tuned right, and like I said, I can only tune it soo much. I would really love to take it and have it tuned right, but I don't have the money for that right now. I had went to this shop, C&J (I believe Enrique is familiar with the shop), and the guy had quoted me roughly $300-$500 to tear my carb down, rebuild it, make it flow 800-850cfm, readjust my distributor to work with my carb, and fine tune my motor. I wish I had the money to do that :)