04 Mazda Tribute No Start Is It Engine Damage BONUS VIDEO!

[@2secondslater]

Reading spark plugs for diagnosis has it's time and place, especially when tuning vehicles, reading a new set of spark plugs gives a lot of information about mixtures and heat range and engine performance. Other faults can be found by reading plugs also such as oil burning, detonation, pre-ignition and also blown head gaskets in some cases. In fact I diagnosed a Ford Kuga with a head gasket issue on No.3 cylinder just a few days ago, reading the plug along with the misfire when cold negated the use of a cylinder leakage test. A cylinder leakage test was used and showed no fault with the offending cylinder, we have to keep in mind that a cylinder leakage tester will only apply shop air pressure (@100psi) to the cylinder whereas a gasoline engine at idle will normally produce upward of 300psi at idle.

[@SchrodingersBox]

Why would you read spark plugs when tuning an engine as opposed to using equivalence ratio and fuel trim which gives instant data on the stoichiometry? I can’t understand how reading plugs would be an advantage. what am I missing?

[@godfreypoon5148]

@@SchrodingersBox You can read them to see if the spark plug you selected was too long...

[@2secondslater]

@@SchrodingersBox the method of dyno tuning a custom engine with fuel injection involves setting up a map for a knock sensor, for instance, from scratch. This is done with the aid of a microphone and headset to detect pinging or detonation audibly and then filling in the map for the frequency the pinging or pre ignition occurs at. Pre ignition and pinging will not always be audible and this is where reading plugs comes in. You can determine if pinging or detonation is occuring in individual cylinders by deposits left on the insulator, there are instances where stoichiometry differences occur between individual cylinders due to manifold design, intake air flow reverberation, differences in intake runner lengths, header pipe length and bend differences, hot spots in combustion chambers and on piston crowns, spark plugs heat range too high, even slight manufacturing variations in rod length or piston pin height can contribute to knocking. Stoichiometry isn't going to address knock completely, an engine with perfect stoichiometry can still knock, this is where plug reading is crucial to determine which cylinder and what conditions the knock is occuring. Then we have old school carbureted performance engines ie dirt track, circuit racers and drag cars where fuel/air distribution is nowhere near perfect and one cylinder can run rich whilst one is running lean and so on, a read of the plugs is very important to run a safe engine tune and select the correct heat range plugs as there is a lack of a knock sensor(s) to keep the engine safe by retarding timing or richening up stoichiometry or both. There is a lot of history and documented procedures and case studies for reading plugs, it is a skill that many don't have, and that a lot that do read plugs, do incorrectly.. It is not some black art and does not involve guess work. Even manufacturers read plugs during engine development dyno tuning or in on-road testing phases.

[@flightofthefatman]

@@2secondslater Man I know nothing. 😔

[@SchrodingersBox]

how does reading plugs help determine detonation better than a scantool with knock sensor PID or a scope on the knock sensor? Seems to me getting real time live data for instant validation is better than running an engine with detonation long enough to see it on the plugs and not even being able to determine it anyway.

[@frugalprepper]

I knew that cylinder had a hole in it as soon as a saw the spark plugs. I could have diagnosed the rest with a vacuum gauge. Of course you have to wonder if the engine damage was actually there before you saw it.

[@SchrodingersBox]

Ha!!! Schrodingers engine damage box!

[@billsmith2212]

Would a basic cranking vacuum test indicate a failure ? It would not reveal where the problem is . But you would know that the engine is not sealing and pulling a specific amount of vacuum on a good crank - with the throttle WIDE OPEN . I think vacuum testing is often overlooked . It is quick and can point you in a direction . I don't have a back pressure guage . But a used the vacuum guage to diagnose a clogged cat 😺 on a friend's Honda Accord through the oxygen sensor hole . If I was Bernie Thompson from ATS , I could have run a volumetric efficiency test through an E Scope . I bet most DIY's don't have one !

[@SteveLowe65]

My thought on the middle cylinder is detonation damage. Overheating engines will knock like a Jehova's witness, piston's new name is Chip!

[@reneneron2971]

Steve Lowe agree. Engine was severely overheated, then started detonating damaging pistons. I suspect the hole in the middle cylinder was caused by a chunk of metal from the top of the cylinder head.

[@int53185]

Good diagnosis! Wouldn't be the first time a 'customer' lied, or at least stretched the truth. Probably was overheating for a while, causing the oil to cook and destroy the timing chain, tensioners and guides. Finally reached a critical phase, warping the cylinder heads and block. With detonation due to high cylinder temperatures causing disintegration of a piston caused by high frequency shock waves that literally hammered out a piece of that middle piston. I had one of these motors with over 200K miles on it and it still ran good. Lack of maintenance spelled disaster for this engine.

[@Face2theScr33n]

Another inspiring video from a good man. Thanks, Matt!

[@kman-mi7su]

Thanks for showing the "post mortem" exam! Today was a pretty good day, unless you're the owner of the Mazda. Keep the awesome videos coming. I'm going to buy one of your t-shirts.

[@SchrodingersBox]

Thank you!!

[@50sKid]

This guy absolutely roached his engine! Good lord!

[@flightofthefatman]

Thanks for the follow up video. Parts changers are good for the economy.

[@8953147]

Thanks for the money shot Matt- appreciate the tear down!!

[@theautomotivegarage]

Another - Great Quality Video Sir, very Informative and Educational. Learning something New everyday. - Every-DAY. .Thank You!!!

[@50sKid]

Ooo, you're turning bolts! My my, things have changed around here lol. ;-)

[@Agent-nw3it]

Yo dude! You're alive! I guess you've just finally fixed all the issues on your E46 :)

[@prikolasvaikstantis8613]

@@Agent-nw3it how E46 can be fixed? It's bmw you can't fix bmw and drive it more than 1000 km without new problem..

[@Agent-nw3it]

​@@prikolasvaikstantis8613 I know, I am trying to convince him to start making videos again :)

[@Honky_Konky_Phooey]

Another quality video, always look forward to seeing the next episode. Keep up the good work fella 👍

[@OneLegged-honda-mechanic]

Don't you just love seeing engine carnage 👍

[@SchrodingersBox]

it’s like an autopsy!!

[@jrautotech6992]

Great video I love all your videos thank you for sharing and God bless you.

[@RobertCiampa9112]

GM You keep a well organized shop

[@simonilett998]

Sweeet....Ummm guess we found the coolant leak🤣 and we may have just seen a cracked intake seat or 2 there too. And maybe that odd looking cylinder was the only survivor👍🇦🇺

[@charlesajouri7233]

And that's why i only buy toyotas and take care of them. Thanks for the videos Matt.

[@quintonm8609]

I think reading spark plugs is for the most part obsolete, although, I do think there is some good science behind it. For instance, if you pull a plug out of a car with a no start and it's melted... Well... That's some good information. Otherwise, you can get all the other information from a scan tool and by using the big pink thing between your ears and behind your eyes. What's that called again?

[@worsttintentions]

Are you thinking about pulling the pan off? I gotta know where that piston chunk went unless it lean burned a hole in it or sent it through the exhaust. Side note, it may be lodged in the cat.

[@SchrodingersBox]

Good idea!!! Yeah I think I will do that!

[@motordad875]

Yes I would love to see that too.

[@worsttintentions]

@@SchrodingersBox Awesome, looking forward to it if you make a video on this channel.

[@godfreypoon5148]

When I read your last note, I mentally heard the meow of the intro cat.

[@georgebonney90]

Im luvin all this great content, thank u sir

[@SchrodingersBox]

Thanks George and congratulations again- are you able to access the paid channel now?

[@georgebonney90]

No sir im still unable to access ive tried afew times

[@name9287]

You are my automotive teacher :)

[@SchrodingersBox]

It is an honor! Thanks for letting me share my experience with you!!

[@baddriversofnorthtexas6850]

I had an 05 mazda6 with the same engine, same mileage, and it had compression issues also. Hopefully the design flaws didnt carry over into the skyactiv engines. Although I hear that gummed up intake valves are popular because of direct injection.

[@alanscrivner1881]

Polymerized oil in #3 is my guess for that nice smooth black finish. It's a nice thing to have on cast iron cookware, but probably not ideal for the inside of a car engine. I wonder how many times he brought the engine up to the oil's smoke point to get that nice of finish?

[@TheEclipsegsx98]

But polymerized oil in #3 would not reflect on the spark plug of that cylinder right 🤔 or rich/lean and timing advance would not reflect on a spark plug either right! Like your comment it shows that's there's some kind of information we can still get of the spark plugs (not for damage in most cases) but still useful info 👍

[@alanscrivner1881]

​@@TheEclipsegsx98 I'm not a spark plug whisperer. I'm also illiterate when it comes to reading spark plugs. Sadly, I have to rely on my scan tool for rich/lean conditions or timing issues. Instead of subjective spark plug observations, I'm stuck depending on objective data (at least for cars after '96).

[@TheEclipsegsx98]

No doubt scan tool it my first to go tool but i do believe that spark plugs do have their spot in the process of gathering all the info to see the engine's performance and state. Good input on your comment 👍

[@robbedoeslegrand236]

I can't believe you totaly missed the fact that there are 2 cylinders missing in this V8 block!

[@northpoint1039]

Couldnt help but notice that the coolant ports on the block looked pretty clogged. Could that have something to do with the overheat?

[@SchrodingersBox]

Great observation!!! I didn’t notice that!

[@danb7856]

Good video. Be good if they were timestamped for different sections of repair so we can refer back to them

[@spelunkerd]

Funny, even with the bell clicked I don't get notification. KZbin robots are making executive decisions based on other factors.

[@Pablo_Automotive]

Well done Matt =)

[@parreiraleonardo]

Hello from Portugal 👍 the Lauch CRP Touch Pro that you use is really compatible with almost any car? Or it is compatible just with USA cars? I was interested in that tool but I'm worried that it wouldn't be compatible with European and diesel cars that we have a lot in south Europe. Also, I'm only finding on ebay the Touch X129 and the Touch Pro Elite version (about 250-300$)... Not exactly the same as the Touch Pro that you have with that green button and those buttons on the left side...

[@SchrodingersBox]

It is not only compatible with just about any car but it actully connects better on asian and european cars better than my other scantools.

[@parreiraleonardo]

@@SchrodingersBox thank you for the answer. By the way, there is any cheaper scantool on the market that is as good as this one? Or 250$ is the cheapest/quality that we can get? The cheapest is the CRP 129X version. Is it as good as the Pro or Pro Elite Version?

[@SchrodingersBox]

Man, any less than $250 and you are not likely to have the features you need. You can start with a CRP 129 but once you develop skills you will wish you invested more.

[@ralphvaccaro2638]

Good job on the video 😀

[@SchrodingersBox]

Thanks! 😁

[@govhickenlooper]

But we love parts changers.

[@SchrodingersBox]

Hahahaha you kill me dude!! Goddammit WHO IS THIS??

[@stevenjames7073]

@@SchrodingersBox 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤩😂

[@randomugliness1238]

Did this engine warp as a result of interference or was it overheated as well?

[@randomugliness1238]

Although thinking about it more you said that when the car died on the owner they said they saw white smoke. So I'm guessing engine warps due to the internals meeting and then took the head gaskets with it.

[@SchrodingersBox]

the warp would be from heat for sure. This engine must have got ridiculously hot.

[@Face2theScr33n]

@@SchrodingersBox Seems to me you must be correct, the side with the horrible warping in this video must have been serious-as-a-heart-attack hot!

[@markboheman5691]

I’d love to hear your current thoughts on the pandemic.

[@SchrodingersBox]

I believe we are going to see the pandemic miraculously disappear after the election.

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

@@SchrodingersBox You are only one of about 50 people who have said that to me word for word. How sad, after all those who have died that it will come down to children playing on the hill.

[@int53185]

@@SchrodingersBox At least Pelosi's hair looks good!

[@flightofthefatman]

Have the Democrats so far said anything about Russian interference this election? I'm guessing not but would like to know.

[@zeferrum]

Schrodingers Box can you expand a bit more ? As a long time viewer from Canada this statement is ambiguous and I would love to hear or read your complete thoughts.

[@sethblackmoore3057]

Would a starter from a American spec v6 work on a Japanese spec 4 cylinder?

[@SchrodingersBox]

depends on teeth in flywheel and starter design.

[@sethblackmoore3057]

@@SchrodingersBox ohhhh ok thank you for the reply

[@edwardthor7763]

"We've got the worse warp I have ever seen and catastrophic damage to a piston today is a pretty good day." So has the job and society warped him a little?!!😂

[@shaunewing8973]

I’ve rebuilt so many of these heads . There junk

[@billyr9840]

Nice !

[@Barnekkid]

I'd like to join your community but is there some way I can prepay for the whole year, and more importantly, can I use paypal?

[@SchrodingersBox]

Sorry but neither option is available at this time. Payment is through Stripe- a secured credit card service commonly used through the industry. It’s very secure.

[@ismarmeskovic]

i strongly disagree with your statement 2:07 .you can diagnose / read from the spark plugs if you know how mate!

[@stupersyn1]

Maybe after that you can read my tea leaves.

[@SchrodingersBox]

EXACTLY Eric!! One of the the main variables with reading plugs is the very first thing most people do when their car acts up is change the plugs. They can’t change the fuel trim though!

[@ismarmeskovic]

@@stupersyn1 will do right after i complete shade tree mechanic course mate 😀

[@stupersyn1]

@@ismarmeskovic 😂

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

"But it never overheated." When you do that engine swap I hope you also go through the cooling system including belts, hoses, check any fans and the radiator. Likely you will find some things like, I dunno, maybe the root cause?

[@SchrodingersBox]

Absolutely!!!

[@crisprtalk6963]

I read the plugs to tell the future... mine say I am screwed!

[@seiyoseki5851]

Hi Matt, Sensei, I’m from Japan. I have joined you website community recently, I’m wondering if I can call you or something, I’ve got some troubles with my car and there is no trouble codes detected, both LT and ST fuel trims are around -9% at idle, gasoline consumption is like crazy high.

[@SchrodingersBox]

I would start by checking for a damaged fuel pressure regulator diaphragm

[@seiyoseki5851]

Schrodingers Box thanks a lot for the tip, and I have just noticed when I was driving the car , every time I release the throttle, STFT goes back to 0% and it stays at 0%, then if I hit throttle again, STFT goes positive to 3-6% for 2, maybe 3seconds, then STFT just drop down to negative -15%~ -6%, LTFT just stays around -9%. PS: Super glad to join your community.

[@SchrodingersBox]

Even more evidence of a fuel pressure regulation issue

[@seiyoseki5851]

Schrodingers Box Thanks so very much, I will replace the regulator and see what happens then. Thanks again, thanks

[@SchrodingersBox]

I am not saying replace it- I am saying it’s a likely variable.

[@ajlal13]

I've come back after a loooong time as life happed. Are you still providing the paid video training?

[@SchrodingersBox]

Welcome back!! Yes I am. It is at www.schrodingersboxqm.com.

[@m721ac]

is his temp gauge working fine?maybe thats why he claims it never overheated.

[@m721ac]

btw, do you ship your shirts overseas?

[@SchrodingersBox]

Yes the shirts are from Teespring and they ship overseas.

[@jefferyjensen3179]

Could the missing pieces of the interference be held in front of the cat?..

[@SchrodingersBox]

Absolutely. They often get pushed out the exhaust valve.

[@prikolasvaikstantis8613]

I would check if injector for cylinder no. 3 isn't leaking...

[@SchrodingersBox]

Ah good idea. That could explain the discoloration.

[@technomage6736]

With this kind of overheat, I wouldn't be surprised if anything happened

[@PhillyDee215]

Engine is toast😱

[@robertmedina6875]

Man you got a short one Matt 🤣🤣[ruler] I am laughing with you my friend not at you..joking lol

[@mrt5354]

👍

[@dennisgundlach87]

I see you have a rake in your garage

[@SchrodingersBox]

Yes it’s my home garage.

[@dennisgundlach87]

@@SchrodingersBox yeah just being funny, really do like your video's, good content and info, keep them coming, you also have a shovel

[@gsxellence]

Pre-cat failure

[@pl5882]

Greetings 2%ers!

[@jonathanhamilton8465]

Detonation

[@danb7856]

That engine is fked

[@SchrodingersBox]

FUBAR!!

[@JeanKalala-m4v]

Partie gecson😊

[@JeanKalala-m4v]

Mazda tribitte 4siledfic😊