Today I decided to try and figure out why my car started running rought again. So far I replaced a bunch of vacuum lines, cleaned the TB and changed the fuel filter. What a difference! Ran great... for about a day and a half. then it was back to hard to start, idled like crap part of the time and would sometimes die. Today I changed my spark plugs and I think I found my problems Here's a list of what the plugs looked like

#1 - Light tan, looked fairly normal to me
#2 - Mostly black but the metal strap off the top is white
#3 - Lots of white deposits built up around the plug
#4 - Like #1 but with a little but of oil deposits
#5 - Tan, looked fine.
#6 - White ash
#7 - Tan again
#8 - The worst of them all. Oil deposits caked up all around the center tip and up around the metal jenk. Looked like bong resin all around it. I knew my car was smoking something.

After all this, I checked my TPS, it's .46-4.66 which seems about right, maybe a little low. Also hooked up my fuel pressure gauge and drove around. With the vacuum off the fpr it stuck at 44psi the whole time. With the vacuum line it ranged from about 35-44 staying around 40 at idle. I shut it off probably 20 mins ago and it's down to 20psi. I did this once before and it dropped pressure pretty rapidly.

So, is it most likely leaking injectors? What about #8? This one worries me ALOT. But on the bright side my car feels like I've knocked about 4 seconds off my 1/4 mile in the past 2 weeks

 

I wouldnt worry about it too much, yet. I know quite a few cars that were 'serviced' somewhere and the tune-up really consisted of 7 plugs, not 8. The #8 is the one that ends up staying in the car.

Check them after a while, pull one of the 'good' cylinders, and then pull the #2,3, and 8 and compare them. I'd be most concerned about the #3 personally.

 

Your tps should be at .54-.56 at idle for proper performance. Also I had a problem of my FP leaking down so during the winter I redid the fuel system. i got all new injectors, FPR and even got a new fuel pump and stuff. It stil goes down to 0. i give up but the car runs good.

 

 

Well I know for a fact that the #8 plug has been pulled. I've had problems with them fouling for a while. about 2-3 months ago I pulled all 8 and hit them up with my dads bench grinder with a wire brush deal on it. Made all of 'em look like new and re-gapped them. But I think that episode of car work might be partly at fault. A) The plugs I pulled out are Autolite "25"s. They are about twice as long as the R43TS ac delco ones I put in today. B) I gapped them according to chiltons which quoted a 45 gap.. But I drove it about 100 miles or so and it finally tripped a code 44 again. but also believe the exhaust manifold has a leak right around where the #8 is. Could that cause oil on my plugs like that? And as far as #3 look like it's running lean, what can I do about all this? What is there to check. All the sensors 'cept the MAF are new.

 

Sound's like a worn valve guide on 8, maybe 3,4, and 6 as well (burnt oil can show up as white ash). If you're lucky could just be teh valve stem seals.

 

bong resin.......

hahahaha! i wish i was on the west coast :lala:

 

Got it here on the east coast as well.......hehehe