SPARK PLUGS How to Read them (Part 3)

Some Spark Plug Samples (Used) and how to tell just how well your Car or Trucks Engine is Performing

[@DobleWhiteAndStabley]

I absolutely am grateful that you made a graduated comparison of how the spark plugs are supposed to look. This vid really helped me out in the carburated moter department. New moter enthusiest here so I don't have the experience and knowledge y'all do and I'm grateful you all on you tube are willing to help us out with your knowledge and tips.

[@RickyRisnandar]

i really appreciate people who willing to share their knowledge to others, thank you sir, love your video n greeting from Indonesia!

[@DavidSmith-mk7qo]

read and pass a test. I am a transmission man of 35 years. I took the ASE a few times over the years and I am sure my last one expired 20 years ago. LOL!! Of all the tube vids I see I am impressed by those that are informative as yours was. You can learn a lot here. But there are a lot of posts that simply leave you hanging. Again great job.

[@ruffyatutube]

Just want to say thanks for the show!

[@paulgregroy1986]

Hi, thanks very much I found your videos very interesting and very helpful I was glued to my smartphone, I'm the sort of a guy that really needs to listen to you a lot thank you

[@RockysRoadshow]

+Paul Gregroy Greetings Paul Gregroy....Thanks for Your Great comment, and, for watching as well..............................I guess, that I'll just start out with..."If a Person is Interested in a certain Subject, that Person will Learn"...and, as I see it, it's pretty much a given alright..........................My method of Reading Spark Plugs, is a some-what Old-School way of doing things, as compared to some Folks, that, might be using, that fancy-schmancy, wanna-be, and kinda looks-like, a Doctor's Ear-Checking Flash-light, to really have a close-up look, at a spark plug's Deposits/Condition, but, call me different, just never, ever, call me..."Late-For-Dinner"...!!!...lol.........................When a Spark Plug (or more than one), has a reasonable amount of Mileage/Kilometer-age/Engine running time, on them, and, are removed from an Engine, to have a look-see at them, as to, just, what-ever the Wear Rate of the Electrodes, and the amount of Deposits, or lack there-of, on them, happens to be, I would say, that, that's about, be-in, in the same Ball-Park, as a (certified) Doctor, armed with a Tongue Depressor (kinda looks like a pop-sic-le stick on steroids...lol), and this (imaginary) Doctor, asks the Patient, to, open-wide, and say Awwwww, so's He, or She, can have a look-see, at, presumably, the Patient's Tonsils, perhaps...???...lol............................Well now, on a more serious note, most of these Spark Plugs, that You saw in this particular KZbin Video of mine, were, for the most part, out of Engines, that were Fed, the Air/Fuel (gasoline) Mixture, by a Carburetor, and not, Fuel Injection, that used, one or more Fuel Injectors, which started, oh, around the mid 1980's, in North America, as I recall...........................The newer, Fuel Injected Engine's Spark Plugs, will probably, not have, as many Deposits on them, and, quite a few of them, will probably be showing, an almost white-ish color, on the spark plug's Porcelain-looking material, that usually surrounds the center electrode, just so You know.......................Before I depart...Please, always, try to Remember, to..."Not-Be-Looking-at-Your-Smart/Cell-or-what-ever-Phone", when-ever, You are...Driving a Vehicle...or...just being a..."Pedestrian"...cuz, the last thing, that I want to hear about, is..."He, (meaning You), was watching a..."RockysRoadshow"...KZbin Video..."When-it-Happened"...!!!...and...I sure hope not.........................The reason, that I mentioned, what, I just did, is, cuz, I recall seeing a Pedestrian, while, as, You were sayin', being..."Glued" to Her Smart-Phone (well, maybe I should clarify, just a wee bit, perhaps, as in, Her Hand, was "Glued" to the Smart Phone, that, in-itself wasn't the real problem, but rather, Her..."Eyes"...were Fixated/Staring-at, the Smart Phone's..."Screen/Display"...when..."it"...Happened...say what...???...Yes-Sir-ee-Bob..."She"...Walked-Right-Into-a..."TELEPHONE POLE"...!!!...Ouch...!!!..........That particular incident, is only, One of the reasons, that I tend, to end, a Post/Reply, such as this one, with................Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@DavidSmith-mk7qo]

Good job glad to see a video that explains this issue well.

[@davebruton5731]

I bought a 70 Pontiac two years ago , lost my job it sat , never got to drive it . Last week , I drained and replaced the fuel , today I pulled the plugs and cleaned ' em with a wire brush . Cranked the motor , installed the plugs an Viola ! ? Started on the first turn ! Your video came up today and timing was perfect ! Your explanations brought it all back to me ! Thank you

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Dave Bruton………..You're welcome, and, thanks for watching...…….Good to hear, that, your car, was..."waiting-for-you"...lol.....…...Ah yes, kinda like, a dream-come-true, so to speak.........Here's some information, that, should help you out.........If the "coolant" (anti-freeze and distilled water mixture), hasn't been changed in some time, then, there can be, some unseen "corrosion" going on, inside of your radiator, and heater core too (oh, and, some heater cores, are a, pain-in-the-you-know-what, to remove and replace...!!!...lol)......... Is the Motor oil, nice-n-clean...??? (dirty motor oil, usually, starts plugging up the hydraulic valve lifters, over time, and, at first, it's usually, tick-tick-tick, that you'll hear, then sometimes, gets louder, and starts going, Clack-Clack-Clack...!!!...um, no thanks...lol)..........Automatic transmission...???...clean auto-transmission fluid, showing on the dipstick..???...........Rear axle (differential) gear oil, filled up to, where it should be...???...how dirty is it...???...and....the list, goes on and on...lol..........Enjoy your ride, and.......till next time.......Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@richardmouton9883]

you are the man. so many companies have not done a video, or even racers, or even mechanics thank you for this.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...richard mouton.................Thanks for the nice comment, and, for watching as well......................Here, I had a bunch of, older, used Spark Plugs, that I kinda hung on-to, that were out of, mostly older Engines, that had Carburetors (not fuel injection) on them, while also, for the most part, also having, a, shall we say, Ignition System, with a Lower High Voltage Output, as compared to, some of the other, Factory installed, Higher Secondary Voltage (Output) Ignition Systems, that started, oh, some-where around 1975 there-abouts (using the good ole General Motors HEI/High Energy Ignition System as a reference point...in time, that is)......................You'll probably find, that, there probably won't be as many Deposits, showing-up, on the Spark Plugs, that were removed from, a much newer, Computer Controlled, Fuel Injected Engine, and also, while probably having a certain percentage of Ethanol (alcohol), added into the Gasoline, at the very same time................There are some Folks, Racers perhaps...???...that might be using a Magnifier/Flashlight lookin' thing, where-by, they can have a really good "Close-Up", of the Spark Plug, that they are Reading, so to speak....................Thanks again, and.........till next time..........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@alexpavlyuchenko6953]

Thank you for your effort to bring us this valuable material.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Alex Pavlyuchenko....You are Welcome, and, Thanks for the nice comment, and for watching as well....................The Spark Plugs, that I used in this Video, are mostly out of, much older, lower compression (ratio), Carburetor equipped Engines, and, as You saw, they had quite a bit, in the way of Deposits, showing on them...................You will more than likely, not be seeing, as many Deposits, on the Spark Plugs, that come out of, the much Newer Engines...unless...there happens to be an "issue/problem", with either, the (computerized) Ignition System (weak or faulty), or, the Fuel (gasoline) System (too rich of an air/fuel ratio/mixture), that is usually, a (computerized) Fuel Injection, type of fuel system (since about the mid 1980's there-abouts, in the USA or Canada, that is).............Thanks again, and........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Thanks kindly, my Friend from Indonesia!...It's nice to know that I'm able to help out People from all around the World...Your Kind Comment, along with all of the other Great Comments, that I have received (and, still am receiving) on most of my Videos so far, are really letting me know that I'm doing an alright job...I sure didn't know very much about anything, when I was a Kid...But, as I got interested in how things work, I looked closer at, and learned a great deal about...Take care Ricky.

[@WesselLemmer]

Thanks again, you've been more than helpful.

[@c41man]

I like your explanations and visuals on reading spark plugs. I just rebuild the sbc 350 in my Nova and I want to keep an eye on my plugs to check my work. The plugs look good going by your video, thanks.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...DIY Dave..........Thanks for the nice comment, and, thanks for watching...........I'ts good to hear, that, your engine, seems to be healthy...........If you are using, those old school, cheaper spark plugs, then, check the spark plug's "gap", once in a while, as, the old rule of thumb, use-tah be, that, there would be, about .001" (one thousandths of an inch), gap "growth", for every 1,000 Miles, that, the vehicle travelled...........Also, on those older style/cheaper spark plugs, when the "center" electrode's outside edges (around its perimeter), started to get rounded over (not a sharp edge anymore), then, the ignition coil, would have to, work a lot harder, to make that spark, jump the gap...why you ask, well...from what I've heard in the past, was that, high voltage sparks, find it much easier, to jump from "sharp" edges..........Makes sense to me alright, as, the much newer spark plug's "center" electrodes, are very small in diameter, and usually made out of precious metal (platinum/iridium), so, the center electrode would be able to last longer, seeing as how, it was so tiny, as compared to, the older/cheaper spark plugs, that had, the much larger diameter, center electrode, which was not, made out of a precious metal at all, and.......till next time........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@jamestrigwell7460]

Really excellent and clear, unhurried explanation. Best I've seen here. Many thanks.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...James Trigwell………..You're welcome, and, thanks kindly, for your very nice comment...…...It's a good thing, that I'm able to slow down my speaking, because, my thinking process/imagination, operates very fast, but somehow, I'm still able to relax...go figure...lol...……..I have a lot of ideas, maybe, too many, that, probably won't see the light of day, so to speak...……As for spark plug reading, then, my way, is very general/old school, where-as, some of the 1/4 mile drag racers, use-tah (maybe, still do), remove the spark plugs, right after doing a run/race, and look down, into the depths, of the spark plug's firing end, with, what might resemble, a Doctor's, ear examining, magnifying flashlight, in order to, closely inspect, way down in there...…….There are probably some websites. that might show, what there were looking at/for...……...Thanks again, and...….till next time...….Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

You are most certainly welcome, my Friend....I'm glad that my video was able to be of some help to you...Take care, and have yourself a nice day!

[@paxtonz8]

Excellent video and great information, thanks.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Swaggerboy740....Thanks for your nice comment, and, I'm glad that you liked it as well....Take care, and have a good one...

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings TylerART....Thanks for your comment....One of the Best Design Features of Holley Carburetors is that some of them have "Externally-Adjustable-Float-Level-Settings", (Yes-Sir, I'm talking about the ones with "Duel" float Bowls, one front, and one rear), and even if you have to remove the "Plug" in order to watch the Gasoline/Fuel Dribble out in order to Confirm that the "Wet-Fuel-Level" is set properly (and, make sure your Vehicle is on "Level Ground" when you do so!), then...(con't)

[@joaovilaca4204]

Rockys Roadshow. Very good lesson, very good indeed. I've some knowledge about the "shape" of Spark Plugs, and what may cause it, but after I saw this video, I learned some more about the issue. Thank you very much.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...JOAO VILACA.............You're welcome, and, thanks for watching............This Spark Plug video of mine, is only very basic in nature, as compared to some others..............Some, shall we say, spark plug experts, go as far as, using, what appears to be, comparable to that, of what a Doctor uses, to look inside, of a patient's ear.............It kinda looks like a Flash-Light, that's bent at a 90 degree angle on one end, that also has a magnifying glass-like thing, and maybe a light as well, so as to, have a really good Close-up, at the spark plug itself (I think).............Then, some, go as far as, cutting the screw-threaded part of the spark plug off, to probably, have a much better look, at, what the color of the deposit is (if any), that might be on, that particular part, of that spark plug....and.......till next time.......Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@davidchapman3563]

This is really helpfull to me.im kinda new to 2 stroke motorized bicycle motors and this is helping me diagnose my issues and helps me help other people with them

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...David Chapman.........Thanks for watching.........Well, I've spent, quite a bit of time, with, the good ole "2-Smokes", ooops, I meant to say, "2-Strokes" (as in, 2-Stroke cycle engines)...........About the only thing, that might, make reading, a 2-stroke-cycle engine's, spark plug colors, more difficult to read, than, that of, a 4 stroke cycle engine, is probably, a really low ratio, of, gasoline, to, 2-stroke oil mixture..........Let's take for example, some of those, gasoline to oil mixture "ratios", shall we..........Some, much older, 2- stroke, motorcycle engines, as I recall, could have had, a 20-to-1 (gasoline to 2-stroke oil) mixing ratio.............There was also, a 2-stroke oil (was it Optimol?), that was mixed, up to, 100 to 1...!!!...(Wowsers...!!!)..........Then, there are also synthetic, 2-stroke oils, as well as, blended, 2-stroke oils too..........Then, some folks, still like using, castor (bean) oil (old school stuff, that works...!!!)...........I usually, end up, using 50 to 1 ratio, for most 2-strokes, these days, and, even that ratio/mixture, can show up on a spark plug, as well...........Here are a few things, that you might want to think about..........What Gasoline, type and octane rating, does your motor's manufacturer recommend...???............What type of 2-stroke oil, and (mixing) ratio, is recommended...???...........Always, try to use the Factory "recommended" spark plug, to help keep your engine "safe", especially so, the "heat range" of the spark plug, so, you don't end up with engine "damage"...!!! (try to get the same spark plug brand and type/numbers, and/or letters on it), that was "originally installed", in the engine, by the manufacturer..........Make sure, that, the spark plug's "Gap" (that be, the air space, that's between, the spark plug's, 2 electrodes), is, the same as, what your engine's Manufacturer "specifies", or, if not, Ya might end up with a weak spark, at the spark plug, or maybe, if it's too Big, then, that in itself, can overwork the ignition coil (if it has one, that is)..........Use good quality 2-Stroke oil (never use the cheap/junk stuff), so, your engine lasts a long time...........Always, try to use, "fresh" gasoline, not, old, sitting around for a long time, gasoline, because, it's crap (so to speak)...........If the spark plug gets really dirty (might be carbon deposits), then, that can cause a..."Weak Spark"...or, a..."No Spark"...situation, where, that high voltage, will usually, try to find the easiest way, to an (electrical) ground source, and might be, right through, something like, carbon contamination, that's, stuck onto the spark plug's porcelain, as an example..........Also, keep your engine's "air filter"..."Clean"...because, that engine has to breathe, oh, and, a Dirty air filter, will usually make the engine run "Rich" (air to fuel ratio/too much fuel in the ratio), and less performance, and less gas mileage, it will usually be............So, if Ya keep things fresh, clean, and not too old, parts-wise, then, your 2-stroke cycle engine, should have the best chance, at being "trouble free", well, hopefully, that is...........Good luck, and......till next time......Be Safe (wear a helmet...!!!).....take care, and have a good one.

[@davidchapman3563]

RockysRoadshow i apreciate the help!thank you!

[@denisrailey777]

Great intense video. Thanks for sharing.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Denis Railey...........You're welcome, and thanks, for the nice comment, and for watching too...........These older spark plugs, that you saw in this KZbin video of mine, were mostly out of older, higher mileage engines, that I had stored away, for quite a few years..........There's a pretty good chance, that, the much newer, fuel injected/computer controlled engines, will probably have a lot less, in the way of deposits, showing on their spark plugs, so maybe, keep that in mind, just in case...........Might even find, that, the newer lawn mowers these days, might also have their spark plugs, showing less deposits on them as well...maybe...???...and.......till next time.......Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@mattheweburns]

Thanks for the video, very helpful!

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Matt B...........You're welcome, and thanks for watching...........You might find that, some of the newer, fuel injection equipped engine's, spark plug's inner porcelain, might very well look, an almost, off-whitish color, as opposed to, the used spark plugs samples, that I was showing in this particular video, that were being fed the air/fuel mixture, from a carburetor mostly...........It's usually a pretty good idea, to compare, each spark plug, to each of the other ones, that make up the whole set of spark plugs, for that particular engine, as, if one or more of them (in the set), look kinda different, from the others, then, that, at times, could be a very useful clue, that something, isn't working or operating, as good as it should be doing, and......till next time.......Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Thanks for the nice comment Javier....While most people throw away all of their used parts (car or truck), I tend to keep most of the old/used parts just in case I want to back to them for further examination....I had no idea that this thing called KZbin would appear in the Future (well, back then anyways)....So, I guess that it was rather fortunate that I kept the old stuff that you see in some, if not most of my Videos, enabling me tell you about them....Take care, and have a nice day.

[@kris993tt]

Hey Rocky, thanks for taking the trouble to make this vid man :). I have some issues with my engine and I learnt a lot from it. It was great help in learning to how to actually read my plugs! If you could offer some advice on my issues listed below, I would be indebted! I have a 396ci Chevy Small block in my track car (an Ultima) weighing in at 1000kgs. It has a 750cfm Edelbrock carb, running 10.4:1 comp putting out around 500Hp. It's a dressed crate engine ie came complete with carbs and HEI dist. The issue I have is detonation (at load and WOT) when I set timing at 16 deg initial and 34 total. Backing it off to 31 deg total still sees some detonation. I then had some misfire. When I pulled the plugs, 3 out of 4 from the left bank had glazing on them. The right bank ones looked ok (from your vid; medium/dark tan on the ground strap and tip of center electrode). The porcelain did turn black towards it's base though (as seen with a bright LED point light). The plugs were Champion C59YC. Are the plugs too cold for my application? They are black towards the base of the center electrode and the base ring of the plug. And why am I seeing detonation? I have installed a set of NGK's with a 7 heat range on them (2 steps hotter?). Misfire has gone and she revs clean and idles well but all this when parked (I haven't taken her out to the track yet and she isn't road legal). Would the 7 heat range on the NGK be ok? If you could point me in the right direction :) ? Thanks in advance! Kris

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings kris993tt....I will open with, Thanks for your nice comment, and, for thanking me in advance, my Friend....Now then..."Doctor Rocky" in da House!...now, bring me the "Patient!" (aka, your Ailing 396 Chevy small block Engine)...lol....Oh my gosh, where to begin....I know, how about I start with the "Imbalance", as in One of your Engine Banks seems to be burning the Fuel quite well, whereas, the Other Bank is "Not" doing so good, well at least 3 of the 4 Spark Plugs on that particular Bank looked "Glazed" as you had indicated....To me, those 3 Glazed spark plugs are trying to let you know, that, they are not very happy!....My first though has me thinking that, it could perhaps be an "Imbalance" with your Edelbrock carburetor, or perhaps even a "Distribution" Imbalance with your "Intake Manifold', or even might be a "Vacuum Leak" at any of those 3 out of 4 Intake Ports on the Intake Manifold, to the matching Ports on the Cylinder Head, with that there "Gasket" being responsible for maintaining a good "Seal" between the 2....The very Fact, that only 3 out of the 8 Spark Plugs in your Engine are having the Problem that you had mentioned, also has me thinking that, there might also be an Ignition related issue as well perhaps? Just to let you know... My Method of Reading Spark Plugs is "Old School". Some of the Folks that are Really into it, are Cutting-Off the Metal Shell (threaded portion), and having a Close-Up Look at the Center Electrodes Porcelain, way down where you can't usually see it, and, those High Tech Guys/Gals, are using a Magnifying Glass, of one sort, or another! In this Day and Age, your Best, and Safest Bet, to ensure that you Don't Damage or Destroy your High Horsepower Engine, is, to Invest, and Install a "Wide-Band"...or better yet, "2" Wide Band Oxygen Sensors, one in each of your Dual (I hope) Exhaust Manifolds/Headers, that usually comes in a "Kit" with an "Air/Fuel" Ratio Gauge, that will give you a "Read-Out" in Real-Time, as you are Driving/Racing. and... a REV-Limiter for your Ignition System, so you Don't Blow-Up Your Engine!!! Oh yeah, about installing the/those Wide Band Oxygen Sensors... I would recommend Installing "2" Wide Band Oxygen Sensors (again I say, one on/in each exhaust manifold/header!...lol). You can wire it with a switch, so you can switch between both "Banks", while having only "1" Air/Fuel" Ratio Gauge. or... Go the A-List (Actors) way, or in other words, Spare No Expense!..lol. Seriously now, what I meant to say, was to, have "2" Air/Fuel Ratio "Gauges" on, in, or near your Dash (as in dashboard), that way, You can "Monitor" Both Exhaust "Banks" at the very Same Time!...thus Preventing some very Tearful, and Expensive Engine "Damage!" The, so called "Glazing" that I'm use to seeing, is when, you have a set of spark plugs in your Engine, that are all coated with Deposits, and, the Engine only sees City Speeds for the most part...Until, that Car, or Truck, gets taken on a lengthy Drive on the Highway/Interstate/Autobahn/etc., with the Resulting increase in spark plug Temperature, that, kinda melts, and Fuses, those there Deposits into a wanna be Kiln Fired Glaze, that you see on some Tacky "Glazed" Pottery Object!...lol...but, unlike a stationary Pottery Object, that there "Glazing" on the Spark Plugs becomes "Conductive", resulting in, one or more "Shorted-Out" (to Ground) Spark Plug/s!!! I never Rule Out any possible things, that may be causing a Problem, as, I keep finding "New" things from time to time, when I, like others Assumed that, I think it's this, or, I think it's that...We just have to Keep-On-Lookin until We actually Track Down and Find that Culprit/Gremlin! Now, about your "Detonation" Problem... What Fuel are you using? I hope that it's Very High "Octane", because of your "High" 10.4 to 1 Compression Ratio! I'm not even sure that 93 Octane (R+M divided by 2) Pump Gas would satisfy your Engines needs, when you are pushing it that hard. Or, are you using Race Gas/Aviation Gas Perhaps? Also, try to find out if your Fuel (gasoline?) has any "Ethanol" in its Mix, and perhaps, let me know. With having the 5 out of the 8 Spark Plugs Showing the Tan Color, as you had mentioned, that to me Indicates a "Not too Lean" Mixture (Air/Fuel Ratio). Also, by seeing that usually "Safe" Tan Color, it shouldn't hurt your Engine, as compared to a spark plug that enters that, White Colored Porcelain, that I will call, the..."Destruction Zone!" Generally speaking, when you are running a Race Car, more then likely, you will be running spark plugs with a Lower Heat Range, for the reason (my train of thought), that, you are Really "Working that Engine Hard", and, the spark plugs will be running hotter because of that... whereas.. If you tried to run a Heat Range of that "9" (Champion Heat Range) on the Street, in No-Time, those spark plugs would be covered in Carbon, especially, in slow and non-moving Traffic! A higher heat Range is needed on the Street, so, the spark plugs Reach their "Self-Cleaning" Temperature. If it was me, with having your situation, I would be sticking with the Installed/Recommended Spark Plugs that were in the Engine, when it was in the "Crate", and, hopefully, your Crate Engine was Built/Adjusted by a "Reputable" Dealer/Person, that knows what they are doing. Watch out now...With the Champion Spark Plugs, the Higher the Number = a Higher Heat Range... whereas... with the NGK's, the "LOWER" the Number = a HOTTER Heat Range!!! (at least from what I recall, that is). Even Your Champions Numbers are a bit different, to what I'm use to seeing. Probably/maybe, they might just be Racing Spark Plugs perhaps. I had a look-see, and with your Champions, they appeared to be a Number "9" Heat Range, which must be Racing Plugs, because, I usually run a Champion Heat Range of "12" on the Street. The black, probably "Carbon" that you see at the spark plug/s "Base", is probably the Result of having your Carburetor with the "Choke" On, that provides a Really "Rich" air/fuel Ratio/Mixture, on your Very Cold Engine, before it reaches Operating Temperature. Another thing...Has your Engines Piston Rings "Seated" in their Cylinder Bores yet? Keep an eye on your Oil Level, Oil Pressure and Oil Temperature. Hmmmm, gee, I wonder if Kris has an Adequately Sized "RADIATOR", with the Ability to "Shed" (Transfer that Very Hot Coolant, aka, antifreeze/water mixture) of all of that "Large Quantity" of "Heat", that his Mighty 396 Chevy V-8 Develops, that rivals that, of a Nuke-lee-ear Power Plant? Hey Kris, make sure that your "Radiator" has the "Capacity" and "Rating" that can Handle your 500 Horses!!! Also, the "Newer" the Radiator, the Better. Why you ask?... Because, I have already had at least "2" instances, where, those Radiators of mine, became very Sneaky, and did it Silently as well, in that, they started to Corrode/Plug-Up "Internally", causing "Over-Heating" of the Engines "Coolant" (again I say, antifreeze and water mixture!...lol). Find out what your Engine Manufacturer "Recommends" for a "Thermostat Temperature", as it Applies to the way in which your Ultima will be Driven/Raced, by You, the "Driver!" Engine Temperature is "Critical", and very, very Important, as it applies to Maximum Engine Performance, as well as, how long Your Engine is going to "Last" (seconds, minutes, laps, miles, kilometers, just pick one!...lol). Whenever you "Adjust" your "Total" Timing (with your HEI Distributor), you also "Change" the "Initial" Timing, and, how much Timing that there use to be, at any given RPM's Timing Advance, as compared with the Original/Previous Timing Setting. I would do the following... Clean the "Original" Spark Plugs, Check the Spark Plugs Gap Settings, then, Re-Install them in your Engine...or...Break out your Wallet, and purchase the Same Spark Plugs that were Installed in Your Engine while it was in its "Crate". Re-Set your HEI Distributor to where it was "Originally", as it came in the Crate. Find out just "What" Fuel (gasoline or whatever your Engines Manufacturer) Recommends for Your 500 HorsePower Engine, and, please, especially with 10.4 to 1 Compression, don't entertain the Thought of buying Cheap/Low Octane Fuel (gasoline?), unless, you can Add some Octane Booster "Concentrate", to Insure that you have the Required "Octane Level" to Scare Away all of that Detonation!!! Bottom line...Engines with High Compression Ratios "Need" High Octane Fuel, that's a given. You can only "Back Off" your Timing so much, then, Trouble will be Brewing. Check for any Vacuum Leaks, as in, everything like, Hoses and what they connect to, Gaskets, Carburetor mounting nuts or bolts, etc. Check all Electrical Wiring, and connections. Your Edelbrock carburetor might possibly have some Dirt/Debris/Crud inside it, perhaps from something like little pieces of Rubber Fuel Hose, when it may have been cut to length, and, those little rubber Bits were washed into your Carburetor, when the Fuel was pumped on through. So, there you have it (well, for now, anyways). I hope some of my Long-Winded-Ness, might help you find Your Engines, Culprit/Gremlins... Let me know, how it's going, if you care to, and, I'll help you out, as best I can. Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings once again kris993tt....I have a quite a few Automotive "Videos" on my KZbin Channel, that will probably help you out with your Ultima....To find them, just go to KZbin's "Main" Page, and, type...RockysRoadshow...into the Search Bar/Box at the Top of KZbin's "Main" Page....Doing the Search, should bring up about "77" Videos that I currently have on my Channel, and, most are Automotive related....The "First" Video of mine, that you should watch is titled...Spark Plug Misfire...and, this particular Video of mine, will show, how You, Others, and Myself as well, can at least somewhat "See", if that "High Voltage Electricity" that the HEI Produces, makes its way, all the way to "Each", and every Spark Plug, to make sure, that the Spark Plugs are "Receiving" that "High Voltage Pulse" from the HEI Distributor, in order for all of your Engines Spark Plugs, to be able to "Create" a nice "Strong Spark" between its 2 "Electrodes!" I use a "Flashlight" to Demonstrate, How the "High Voltage Pulses" should be making an "Inductive" type of "Timing Light" Behave, when the Ignition System is working Properly, and, as it should. I had a very Bad Ignition "Misfire", on a Chevy V-6 Engine a while back, and, I barely made it home that day, because the Engine was running Horribly/very sick. It turned out to be 1 of the spark plug Wires/Leads, Electrically "Arced", where the Wire/Lead gets attached/crimped to its Metal Terminal, way down inside the spark plug "Boot!" It did show up, when I took some Ohm's (resistance) readings, and, also, I did notice some White-ish, Corrosion-like Deposits on that particular Wire/Lead as well. Now I'm thinking, just because something like, a Set of spark plug Wires/Leads that are "Factory Fresh", (in my opinion), doesn't mean that they are absolutely 100% "Fool-Proof", or, in other words, perhaps a "Manufacturing Defect", might just be causing a problem or two. If the "Crimping/Mechanical Attachment" is not 100% Positive, where the spark plug Wires/Leads "Conductive Core" gets Fastened to the Metal Terminal, down inside, either the spark plug "Boot", or the down inside the "Boot" at the HEI's Distributor Towers end of things, that alone will eventually cause some very Unwanted High Voltage Electrical "Arcing" to be happening, resulting in, a very Bad "Misfire" like I was telling you about, a few paragraphs earlier (above). I have learned over the years, to, Never take things for granted, as, like always, "Things Happen!" Good Luck with your Ultima... Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@Okierover]

Thanks so much for the education. I wish I had a pic of the plugs I pulled from a 2006 Ford Explorer. The outer electrodes was eaten away back to where the electrode curved. We put new plugs in and it was a completely different car. Thanks again.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Eric Stephens.........You're welcome, and, thanks for watching.........It's good to hear, that, all the engine needed, was a new set of spark plugs, b-cuz, the cost of doing so, isn't all that much at all, when being compared to, one of those...(and, I'll use PG-13 terminology), as in..."Oh My Goodness"...I just spent my Vacation Pay, to fix the car...truck...or...what-ever...the heck it is...lol...........I'm guessin', that, your 2006 Ford Explorer, has a V-6 Engine in it, b-cuz, if it was a V-8 Engine, then, those particular spark plugs, are very long, and can sometimes get stuck, and, sometimes, they can be quite the headache, to get them removed safely, from the (V-8 engine's) cylinder head............If you do have the (4-liter) V-6, then, from what I saw, was that, it would probably be using, some conventional/common looking spark plugs...........I always "check" (aka, measure), the..."Gap"...that is between the spark plug's Electrodes, and, make sure that, that Gap, is with-in the Gap-size (usually measured in, thousandths of an inch), that, the vehicle Manufacturer, recommends, for that "exact" engine (please note, that, some spark plug designs..."are not"...Adjustable/Gap-able...!!!)...........Those..."eaten-away"...electrodes, would probably have caused, the "Gap", to increase, to quite the BIG Gap-size alright..........When-ever the spark plug's "Gap-size", shall we say, grows "Bigger" then Specified, then, the Ignition coil, or coils, as the case may be, will have to Work a Lot Harder (think in terms, of the ignition coil, being over-stressed), in order to make a "Spark", jump between those, "much further apart", Electrodes..........If the spark plugs are the common/older type (no precious metals on them), then, they usually don't last all that long, and, they should be changed, at the Manufacturer's recommended "interval"...........Same goes for all ignition system parts, Filters, etc...........Installing, New Ford/specified spark plugs, that have the correct electrode Gap, will more than likely, result in much better Performance, and better Gas Mileage too, but, only, if Ya can keep Ur Big Foot...under control...!!!...lol...and........till next time.......Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

...From what I recall, the 727-Torqueflite (Torqueflight) was supposed to be filled with Dexron, according to the books/manuals that I have read....I also recall hearing about, or maybe reading about, that the Dexron, had an Additive to help with the Auto-Transmissions Seals, as far as Conditioning the Seals, so that they don't start leaking perhaps?....Yes-Sir, nothing like having your car with a "No-Drive-in-any-gear-on-your-Shifter", while trying to get Home....Take care, and have a good one

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Sameer2762....Why, thanks kindly my Friend for your great comment....Actually, it has only "1" Thermoquad carburetor on it, and that's all it needs (flows 850 CFM!)-(Cubic Feet per Minute!)....If it was any other carburetor, then, it would only require about a 600 CFM size...Thermoquads have the ability to be over the recommended size because of the way that the "Secondary" Air Door was engineered...Also, comments below my videos have lots of information that you can read....Take care

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Thomas Ferrell....Thanks for your comment....I have run Lean a few times, but only while at lower RPM's and not at Wide Open Throttle! (luckily...whew!...lol)...Once, was when an EGR Valve got stuck open because of a chunk of Carbon (about the size of a pepper corn) got lodged between the valves pintle and the hole that it was suppose to close while at Idle, and wide open throttle....Another was a Nylon Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve "Disassembled" itself into 2 Parts!...(con't)

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Albinus81....Thanks for your comment, and great observation when reading your spark plugs with the various fuels used!....About the only thing that I may have seen, was something called "MMT", probably something that replaced Lead (led) as an anti-knock additive, which leaves a red-ish/brown color on the plugs....As long as your engine does not knock or ping and runs well, then all is good....Keep an eye on the Gap-Growth (electrode erosion)...Take care, and have a good one, my Friend

[@barryvj171]

The outer edge of the spark plug indicates low rpm mixture (pilot mixture screw and primary jet), and looking down the well will indicate midrange rpm (needle jet and jet needle), and the porcelain centre will indicate high rpm (main jet)... these days with unleaded fuel it’s much more difficult to ‘read’ plugs then in the old days with leaded fuels...

[@oibal60]

Superb explanation and set of examples!

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Gerald's Videos............Thanks for the nice comment, and for, watching too............Most, if not all, of the (used) Spark Plugs, that You saw in this KZbin Video of mine, were out of engines, that had a Carburetor, mounted on an intake manifold (as opposed to, an engine, that is Fuel Injected), and, there probably won't be much, in the way of Deposits, Showing, on a set of used spark plugs, that were removed from, something like, a much Newer, fuel injected engine, that's usually controlled by, its/the vehicle's On-Board Computer, and the many Sensors and Actuators that go along with it, as long as, the Engine is running correctly, and as it should be............The Deposits, that are showing on a spark plug, or set of them, sure do help quite a bit, cuz, it's a really easy way, to see, just how good or bad, each of the engine's cylinders, are burning the air/fuel mixture, and/or, if there happens to be a problem or two, at the very same time, and........till next time........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Wildfalcon55...Good job in coming up with your spark plug Holding Rack...I have done pretty much the same thing, only the blocks of wood that I use are currently organizing some screwdriver bits, and a needle file set...I usually remove one spark plug at a time, so I don't have to keep track of all of those spark plug leads...Just remember, if you trade in your vehicle, lets say you switch from Ford to Chevy, or Chevy to Ford, the cylinder numbering is different!...Take care my Friend

[@charlesmabando6141]

SWEET ENLIGHTENING STUFF

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Charles mabando…………Thanks for the nice comment, and for, watching too...……..The spark plugs that I used in this KZbin video of mine, were the cheaper, older style/type, and the used ones that you saw, were also out of older engines as well...……….The, shall we say, newer engines (about 1985 and newer), in North America, started using on-board computerized fuel injection, while the pre- (before) 1985 engines, usually had a carburetor on the top of them...……..Some of those, so-called newer engines, in these newer vehicles, might have some more expensive spark plugs installed in them, right from the factory/manufacturer, and, will probably have, one or both of the spark plug's electrodes, made out of a precious metal, such as platinum, as an example...……..The toughest/longest wearing electrode material that I came across, was called iridium (spelling?), and might be able to last about 100,000 miles there-abouts...maybe...???...…….Those cheaper, older spark plugs, would only last for, about 12,000 miles or so, and...…..till next time...….Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings FriboZa....Thanks for your comment, my Friend....It was a long time ago (or, was it once upon a time?...lol), that I made myself very aware Not to assume that a certain problem was caused by "What I think it is", or was!....Like others, I replaced a few parts, Guessing, that, "That-otta-Fix-it", and, it didn't....With that aside (for the time being), while I wouldn't completely rule-out a Coolant Leak, I'll give you the "Patients-Vitals" (my 400 Cubic Inch Chevy V-8 Engine)....(con't)

[@Drakulea]

Thanks for sharing! Now I know for sure my bike's engine is running lean. Now I just gotta find out why and correct it.

[@SuperForkboy]

your videos are great!! and i would like to know a little about the actual plug and how to take the spring out and replace etc,do you have any video's on that topic?

[@thra5herxb12s]

I have created spark plugs of all these great colours at sometime in my life. Thanks for the memories.

[@RockysRoadshow]

+thra5herxb12s Greetings thra5herxb12s....Thanks for watching, and You're welcome, for a visual reminder, of the, shall we say..."Good ole Days"...back when..."Points and Condenser Distributors..."Ruled the Streets"...well, until, the..."Dual Point Distributors"...showed up, that is, and, most Spark Plug "Gaps", for most of those Points & Condenser Distributors, as I recall, were usually, only set to, oh, about .035"/thirty-five thousandths of an inch, and the Go Juice (aka, Guzz-oh-leen), had real Genuine (Tetra Ethyl) Lead in it...Wowsers...!!!...lol..............................These days..."Chrome Bumpers", aren't seen much...(excluding, some of the Pick-em-up-Trucks)...Until...a good ole..."Classic, or Old School Muscle Car"...passes by, and, for some of the Older Folks, that would probably be the equivalent, of a..."Big Flashy Fishing Lure"...being..."Dangled, right in front of a very Hungry Fish"...!!!...lol...............Well, in this Day and Age, having New Vehicles, equipped with Fuel Injection, and Space Age Computers, and other Futuristic Gadgetry, and the like, not to mention, that, so called..."Un-Leaded"...Gasoline, and even the..."Distributors"...as we know them, or use to know them, are disappearing from, some of the Engines all together, and, go by the name, of..."Distributor-less"...how about that................................Hmmmmmm...just thinkin'...........was it Carol Brunette (spelling?), that use to Sing...."Thanks for the Memories"...???................................So, there You have it, well, for now, that is, and.......Till next time.........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@thra5herxb12s]

And not forgetting the days of High octane 5 star leaded mega death.

[@RockysRoadshow]

+thra5herxb12s Greetings thra5herxb12s....Yes-Sir-ee-Bob........that "High Test", with all that "Lead" (led)....might have only been 10-Cents per Gallon...way-back-when...and...now-ah-dayz........a Quart or Liter of Guzz-oh-leen, might jump Up/Increase by, 10-Cents...over-night...!!!...Yikes...!!!...Then, in the 60's, or was it the 70's, we sorta, had to say..."Good-bye"...to those good ole..."Bias Ply"...Tires...(on Cars), and...Hello...to..."Radials" (Tires, that is), and, I recall seein', something along the lines, of a Car, having some words, like..."Radial Tuned Suspension", on, or near the Dash, possibly (1973-ish Firebird...maybe...???)...ah yes...the good ole days, and, mustn't forget, that good ole..."Shag Carpet"...and, the "Disco" (type of Dancing), that went along with it...!!!...lol..............................Well, till next time...............Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings strikemaster1....Thanks for your nice comment....I've heard that the Rotax engines are a great engine, with excellent build quality as well....If you do try extending your spark plug(s) replacement interval as suggested by your engines manufacturer, may I suggest for safety reasons that you pay very close attention to how your engine is running, you know, like, misfiring, or miss-behaving in any way, shape, or form, so as to prevent you from being harmed in any way...(con't)

[@9011combo]

The car runs great but needed to do the timming. I just pulled the plugs out , repkaced with new ones and then I went through your video two more times to see the your good plug and my old one. Thanks a gain !!

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings 9011combo....Congratulations on getting Your Engine to Run "Great", my Friend!!!....I hope that you "Set" your Spark Plugs "Gaps", to the "Gap-Size" that your Vehicles Engine Manufacturer "Specifies???"....The Proper and "Specified" Spark Plug "Gap" Size, that your Vehicle Manufacturer Recommends, will give Your Engine "The Best Chance", at Running and Idling Very Good, well, at least as far as Spark Plug "Gaps" are concerned, that is....If You haven't seen My KZbin Video on, How To Set Spark Plug "Gaps" yet, You can find it on my KZbin Channel...RockysRoadshow...enjoy. Did you actually get that 1/16" "Gouge" Removed from that "One" Bad Cylinder? If, there is still a "Gouge" (aka, broken ring caused Groove) in that One Cylinder, then, keep a..."Close Watch on your Engines Motor Oil Level!!!" also... Check your Spark Plugs once in a while, Especially, if you still have that One "Gouged" Cylinder Wall in your Engine, as, that particular Spark Plug, may become "Oil-Fouled", and cause a "Miss-Fire" in that "Cylinder!" Oh yeah, You are Welcome, for any Help that I have rendered, and, Thanks kindly, for your Nice comment as well. Best of Luck, to You, and your Engine... Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@theeroom]

Awesome! thanks for the detail response,!

[@WesselLemmer]

Hey man, Really nice video. thanks

[@9011combo]

Hello...and yes your video very helpful cus one of my Honda's plugs have lots of oil at the end of it and I think and believe that the piston ring is bad...so now I'm in the process of pulling my engine apart and rebuild it...

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings once again 9011combo....Thanks for your comment and question, my Friend....I'm just assuming that your Honda, is a Car, and not one of the "Many" other Vehicles/Products/Engines that, Honda "Manufactures", and has a very Good Reputation for, as well....Now then, "Before" you start "Dismantling" (taking apart) your Honda's Engine, I would recommend (suggest) that you do a few more "Checks/Tests", before Blaming the Piston Ring/s for the "Oil-Deposit/s", on Only "1" of your Honda's Engine Spark Plugs....I don't work on Honda's, (well, at least not yet, that is), but, there may be some Items/Things, that Honda Engines "Share" with Many Other "Types" of Internal Combustion Gasoline Engines....The first thing that comes to mind is, Your Honda Engine should/might have "Valve Stem Oil Seals", and if they Don't "Seal" properly, Motor Oil can Trickle down the Valve Stem/s, and make its way into your Engine's Combustion Chamber (the Area between the Top of your Piston/s and your Cylinder Head, where your Valves and spark plugs are located). Another thing (I have seen this on "Domestic/North American" V-8's), is, when an "Oil Drain Hole", in One or Both (1 or 2) Cylinder Heads, at the Rear of the Engine, and because of the Angle/Slope that the Engine sits at, in the Engine Bay, gets "Plugged-Up, and "Prevents" the Oil from Draining Back down the Passageways, then, into the Oil Pan, at the bottom of the engine, will cause a "High" Oil Level (where there "Should-Not" be One!) in the rear of that/those cylinder heads, "Causing" that (shouldn't be there) High Oil Level, to "Flood" the Rear-Most Valve Stem Seals, then the Oil Flows Down the "Valve Guides", and, into the "Combustion Chamber!" Also, check out your P.C.V. (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) System. There should be a P.C.V. "Valve" somewhere (usually in, or near your Valve/Rocker Cover), that has to be Working Properly, in order to Vent/Re-Burn the Blow-By Gasses that gets past your Pistons Rings, and down into your Oil Pan. These "Blow-By" Gasses (unburned Gasoline/Hydrocarbons), eventually make their way to the Top of your engine, due to the Airflow created by your P.C.V. System. If your Engines P.C.V. System is Plugged, or, the P.C.V. Valve is stuck open, or plugged as well, this can cause some Unwanted Problems too. If the P.C.V. System gets Plugged-Up, I've heard that, it can cause enough "Unwanted-Pressure", and can even Make an Oil Seal start to "Leak!" You might also want to have your Engines "Compression Checked". The Compression Check, has the ability to tell you things about your Engine. It can tell you, how Worn the Pistons Compression Rings are. It can tell you if the Intake and Exhaust Valves are Leaking. It can also tell you if you happen to have a "Bad" Head Gasket as well. There are so many Tests/Observations that can be done, with almost any Engine, that will save you a "Ton-of Money", if those Tests/Observations tell you, that you might not have to "Dismantle" your Engine, to get the "Problem-Fixed!" So then, "Before" you start "Dis-Assembling" Your Honda's Engine, may I suggest that you have someone, that has lots of Experience with Honda Engines, run a few "Tests", Before you spend Extra Time and Money on your Honda, that may Not be needed after all. I wish you the best of luck, in getting your Honda's Engine "Healthy" once again. Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Ruffyatutube....You are welcome my Friend, and thanks for taking the time to post your great comment, that I really appreciate....I'm not sure why, but when I look at some of the used parts that I tend to keep around here, all I have to do, is look at just about any of those used parts, and for the most part, my mind goes into, shall we say, "Total Recall!" (and no, I'm not Arnold S. as in the movie with that same title! lol)....Take care, and have a good one...

[@exwhyz33]

Great analysis - Thanks !

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...exwhyz33............You're welcome, and Thanks for watching.............Well, I guess that One could say, that, my method of reading spark plugs, is, shall we say, Old School, as compared to, what some Other Folks might be do-in, some of which, might be involved in, a certain type of Motor-Sport, such as...Drag Racing...Banked Oval...Road Course...etc...and no...Demolition Derby...probably, need not apply...and is a whole different animal all-together...!!!...lol...where was I...???...oh yeah, that's it....some of those Other, shall we say, Advanced Folks, that really, want to, get, shall we say..."Up Close and Personal"...and in..."Very Close Detail"...with Reading a Spark Plug, will probably be using, what kinda, looks-like, a Medical Doctor's, Ear Checking Flashlight, that has, something along the lines, of a Magnifying Glass built into it, and, will probably also have, a 90 Degree Bend, near the top of it, as well.................Some, might even Cut, and Remove, the Metal, Screw-Threaded portion, of the spark plug, so as to, be able to, see better, the Porcelain-like insulator, that is usually, deep-down-inside, that Metal, Screw-Threaded portion, of the spark plug, before it got removed, that is................If You care to, maybe do an internet search, for this, shall we say, Advanced Way, to Read a Spark Plug, and.........till next time........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings once again Chris Norwick....I for got to mention the reason that I usually look for that "Tan" Color on the spark plugs that I use, and have used in the past....Most books that I have read, have pictures and explanations of what "Normal" spark plugs should look like when you take a look at them, with some time/mileage on them....The books say to look for Tan, or Gray-ish Tan (pictures show this as well), although, some of the Newer-Engines may show the "Scary-White" color...(con't)

[@RockysRoadshow]

...the Old-School method that I use, has served me very well, as I haven't Destroyed any engine thus far, due to having said engine jetted too lean, and running at Wide-Open-Throttle....If any of the engines that I have, or have had in the past, had any running issues at all, I most certainly would-not apply full-throttle, until I saw that "Safe" Tan color on my spark plugs....Also, with the older "Conventional" style of spark plugs, I keep a close watch on the Gap-Growth...(con't)

[@scumdog88]

you as well. thanks to your video i know i got a good runner.

[@Sameer2762]

awesome vdo mate! thanks for reminding. :)

[@strikemaster1]

Thanks for this very educational video. It certainly has helped me in understanding my own problems a bit more. I fly an ultra-light aircraft using a Rotax 582 inverted engine. That is... the engine is upside down with the plugs at the bottom. The manual says to change them every 50 hours, but mine never show hardly any wear, so I am tempted to leave them in for a while longer. They always are a wet dark grey colour without any build up at all. Its a 2 stroke engine, which accounts for wetness.

[@gerlandkent6377]

thank, you for you're video. theirs a cold plug and a hot plug I, buy Rapid fire plugs for all of my trucks and high test gas.

[@TheFirstgoldking]

That was a lil long winded Rocky but a lot of info..back in the day. When my brother and I went on jetting cruises his 68nova had a 375hp 396 with 4.56 gears..my 67 firebird had a BBC 427+125 12.5compression 8200rpm with 5.38s and 30" tires..we pretty much had all 4 bbls open a bit.;-)..the attention to detail pretty much made us undefeated in our hobby...few yrs ago I bought a 68 olds CS 350 that had been left at a shop for 17+yrs flawless body+ bad powerqlide trans..$400 all the plugs were beautiful lite brown..;-) must have spent its last days drinkin leaded go juice...thks for info..I still have my 67 firebird. +496 bbc.+4.88s

[@RockysRoadshow]

VN Dustoff Greetings VN Dustoff....Gee, my Lungs must be in Really Good Shape, see-in, as how, My "Wind", no, not the Breakin' kind, but rather, the Wind that makes my Vocal Chords "Vibrate", oh, shall I say, what seems, to be able to, give, that, good ole "Per-Pet-U-Al-Motion", a "Run" for "its" Money...lol...........................Even I was Surprised, at how Much Time was Gobbled-Up, when I made that First, Oil Filled Ignition Coil, KZbin, Video of mine, and I guess, that, in itself, is a Really Good example, of, just how, "Time Can Really Fly", and, be able to do, just that, Without any "Wings", what-so-ever...!!!...lol.......................................From what You were sayin' about those "Go Fast & be-in able to Accelerate", almost to the point of, be-in "Shot-Out-of-a-Cannon"..."Muscle Cars"...with all of that Neck-Snappin', and be-in Pinned to the Back of the Driver Seat..."Acceleration"...from a Stand-Still Start, is Very Impressive, but, it comes with a Hefty Price Tag, in the form of High Test/Premium Gasoline, Purchases, as, most of Us, Muscle Car, Guys & Gals, pretty much know, that High Compression/High Performance Engines, like and need, that..."Champagne"..."High Test/High-est Available Octane Rated"..."Gasoline"...that, that there...."Gas Pump Bandit"...was able to..."Dispense"...!!!...lol.........Those, pretty darn "High", Rear Diff/Axle Ratios, as I see it, aren't the greatest thing to have, while Cruzin', at Highway Speeds, especially, if Your Transmission, in Top Gear, only has a 1 to 1 Ratio, and some Torque Converter Slippage, if it's an Auto-Trans, without a Lock-Up Torque Converter, but, with that 5.38 Rear Diff Ratio (got "Reduced to"...4.88...???), having, like You were sayin', those 30 Inch Diameter Rear Tires, should, as I see it, Knock-off, a Few Engine RPM's, as opposed to having, something like 14 Inch Wheels, with 26 Inch, Outside Diameter Tires Mounted on them, making Your 30 Inch/Diameter Tires, some-what of a Blessing, if You will...lol.....................Hmmmm...the Tires, are we talkin'...Mickey Thompson...B F Goodrich/Radial TA's...Goodyears...or Firestone...etc...???...........................Low Profile, Fat Tires, out-back, and Skin-nee's on the Front...???..............Thrush (muffler) "Woody-Wood-Pecker"..."Sticker"...Stuck-on-any-of-those-Muscle Cars"...at all...???...lol...........Chrome Reverse Wheels.............. Baby Moon Hubcaps...???...................Crager SS, 5 Spoke Wheels...???......................Hurst Shifter...............oh and, mustn't forget the "Shag Rug/Carpeting" as well...lol.................................The "Scariest Ride", that I've ever been in, was my Friend's "Retired", 1/4 Mile..."Early 1970's...Chevy VEGA...that he bought, from a Guy, who use to Race "it" (1/4 Mile), and it had a Full Tube & Sheet Metal Interior, 2 Front Seats, became Street Legal, and "it" was bought, without an Engine or Transmission............................He got a hold of a Chevy 454 (not sure about the Build), and something along the lines of really Beef-ee, B&M Auto-Trans, and, I'm guessin', You'll probably have a really good Idea, and, be able to "Relate" to, "Just What"...???...that "Little Chevy Vega" was..."Capable Of"...do You not...???...as in..."YIKES"..."Hole-ee-Gwalk-ah-Mole-ee"...get out the "FEBREZE" (air freshener), and, get the Diaper, that who-ever?... was Wearin'..."Changed"...cuz...who-ever-it-was-Ridin'...in that..."Lil-Chevy-Vega"....just..."Shat"...lol..................................Even when I did a "Ride-Along", in that Vega, while my Buddy, was just "Gently", Drivin' the "Thing", every time, that, that Auto-Trans "Up-Shifted" (Normally), my "Neck Snapped Back", cuz of how "Crisp", that Vega's "Auto Trans"..."Shifted"...Gears...and I'm pretty sure, that, there "Never Was", an "Auto Trans"..."Shift Kit"...ever Made, that could make an Auto-Trans..."Shift"...like that Vega's...Auto-Trans..."DID"..."Wowsers"...!!!..............................I do recall, how He was sayin', about how His Vega's Cooling System, had the (bad) Habit of "Over-Heating", and how he was contemplating, Installing , a 4-Core Rad (Radiator), to Cool the damn Thing Down..............................Oh, and, from what He was sayin', way back then, was, just, How Much "Attention", that He was gettin', from the "Po-Leese", as I can just imagine...lol...................................Nice "Lottery Win", on gettin' a hold of that 68 CS (Cutlass Supreme...???), for such a Price, my Friend...!!!...........................I always "Liked", that Year & Body Style", of that "Olds", that You were tellin' me about........................Perhaps, consider Turning it into a 442, maybe...???................................I think, that, 442 designation, might be along the lines, of..."4" Barrel Carburetor..."4" Speed Transmission....and..."2", as in Dual Exhaust, well, as far as I remember, that is (hopefully)................................Have Fun...in, and with Your..."67 Firebird"..."In-the-City"...while..."Accelerating"...from..."Stop Light"...to..."Stop Light"...oh and, when You happen to see, Not just a Red Light..."Flashin',...but, also havin' a "Blue Light"...Mixed-In-With-that-Red-Flashin'-Light...along with Hearin'..that there..."SIREN"...just remain..."Calm"..."Pull-over-to-the-Side-of-the-Road"...and..."Sign"...that there..."Speedin' Ticket"...that, that..."Police Officer/State Trooper"..."Hands You"...cuz..."They Have a Gun"...and...the..."Police Cars"...will also be..."Equipped With Highway Gears'...that will enable them to go to Speeds, that are kinda like..."Infinity and Beyond"...as compared to...Your Firebird's..."Top Speed"...oh and..."Radio Waves"..."Travel, almost at the Speed of Light"...and, the..."Other Law Enforcement Officers"...will..."Be in Place"...maybe with a..."Road Block"...or two...oh and, maybe, just maybe...some of those...."Go Flat Tires on Your Car"..."Spike Belts"...that will probably..."Slow You Down"...quite a bit, might be..."Deployed"...as well...so..."Make Your Choice"..."WISELY"...!!!...lol....................................Well......Till next time..........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

...also, before I forget, it also had the Factory "Transistorized" ignition (module mounted on firewall), and a separate oil filled ignition coil mounted at the rear of the intake manifold....Also, spark plugs gaps were set at .035"....this/these spark plugs only had a few hundred miles on them, and, as you can see, they sure look good (to me that is, lol)....The way that they would look at the manufacturers replacement interval (12,000 miles), would have more deposits on them....(con't)

[@Sameer2762]

Thank you thank you for all the details u just provided frnd, love ya, and yes i will do what ye just told me. :) take care mate :D

[@RockysRoadshow]

...the method that I have been using for a very long time, to read my spark plugs, is what works for me....However, since most of the Gasoline that had Lead (pronounced Led), and is no longer available for street use, makes it more difficult for some to actually see, or read spark plugs, due to the "Un-Leaded" Gasoline, and some of the newer Formulations out there, leaving next to No-Deposits on your spark plugs to "Read!"....I hope that you find some (crossing fingers...lol)....Take care

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings David Smith....Thanks kindly for your nice comment, my Friend...What you saw in this particular Spark Plug video of mine, was just my way of showing, and informing People of what my thoughts were, and from what experience I have gained over the years, as a "Shade-Tree-Mechanic"...Yes-Sir, that's right, I'm not a Certified Mechanic by any stretch of ones imagination...lol...I guess all of those old spark plugs wanted me to tell "Their" Story, that's all...Take care, and have a good one

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Wessel Lemmer....Thanks kindly for your great comment, my Friend...Those old Spark Plugs that I kept (luckily), allowed me to show others (World-Wide), what the older Conventional spark plugs looked like, that came out of some of the Engines that I had/have, and, please note, that, for the most part, that these spark plug Samples, and the way that they look in my video, are being Fed with "Carburetors", as opposed to "Fuel Injection/Injectors" with Computers...Take care, and Bye 4 now

[@Albinus81]

They have MMT over here, it's primarily used as an octane enhancer rather than an AVSR. I'm advanced 15 degrees BTDC running 100 octane w/ 10% ethanol. No detonation at all! Gap growth isn't usually an issue as I replace the plugs every 20,000KM out of habit LOL. Yeah, oils here seem to have more zinc in them than the US and the white deposits are similar to leaking coolant but synthetic oils stop this. Take care as well!

[@chemicalspore]

The Spark Plug Doctor will see you now. Great Video

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...NoneSponsored/BunkAssMechanic………….Thanks for the nice comment, and thanks, for watching too...…….Well, automotives, is just one, of my many hobbies, and, my way of, shall we say, reading a spark plug, is just a basic, quick, visual check, to see how much electrode wear/gap growth has taken place, as well as, what, if any, deposits, are stuck onto the business end of the spark plug, that just came out of, that particular engine's cylinder head...……..Then, there's the, shall we call them, racing crowd perhaps, where-by, they will look, really, really close, down into the spark plug, where the porcelain, meets up with, the inside of, that screw-threaded metal shell...……..They will sometimes remove a spark plug, after, just doing, a 1/4 mile drag-race (might only be 1,000 feet at some race tracks, perhaps), and then, they will probably get out their, what kinda resembles, a doctor's, ear checking, magnifying, flashlight, kinda thing, and then, look deep down, into the spark plug, to see what kind of, light, deposit/coating shows up, and if need be, they can also change fuel jets, in a carburetor, if so equipped, and/or, what-ever else is needed, in order to adjust/correct, the air/fuel ratio, that will give the best 1/4 mile time, while also, keeping the engine safe, from being damaged, by going too lean, of an air/fuel ratio, while going full out/pedal to the metal...……...Now-ah-days, Ya can just install a wide-band (oxygen sensor), that comes in a kit, along with, an air/fuel ratio gauge, that will be a able to show, just what, the air/fuel ratio is, in real time, as you are driving along, at any speed, and throttle (gas pedal) position, that you so choose, and...…..till next time...….Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@chemicalspore]

@@RockysRoadshow you really know what you are doing. This has the longest reply I've ever recieved. Thank you.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Thanks for your nice comment!....I got to thinking about the best way that I could show people the things that I was talking about...and...a decent "Close-Up" of the part that was being presented in this video was what I came up with...But, the closer that you "Zoom" in with the video camera, the more movements, and not so still hands (mine) get magnified, as if an Earthquake was happening at the time!...lol...and, therefore....Drill Press Vise to the Rescue!...Take care, and have a good one!

[@lisagooch3740]

Hey, there, Mr. Rocky! I just made a great discovery after experimenting with my vehicle's ignition switch! Since it appeared to me that my starting issues may be simply related to sensor, fuse, or timing, I conducted 2 different experiments. 1) I quickly turned the key only to the point where the dashboard lights up, then I turned they back off. I did this quickly, back-to-back 3 times. The 3rd time, I left it in the position where the dashboard lights came on. Then, I discovered that the mileage box revealed DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES, one at a time. Then, a horizontal line of dashes appeared. Then, it said DONE. This meant that my experiment caused my 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan to self check for trouble codes. My codes were P0700 & P1684. When I googled these codes, I realized that the diagnoses coincides with your guess about my starting issues. 2) When the engine didn't start on the first try, I turned the key as far as it would go and held it there. After a little less than a minute, it automatically started, smoothly, on its own. This time, the engine wasn't dying down, causing me to gun the accelerator to clear the path.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Lisa Gooch...…….Wowsers…!!!...you sure have a fast learning curve, when it comes to learning about automotives………..Be careful, as to how long, that you have the ignition key turned to the (engine) "cranking" position, as in, when the ignition key is turned, as far as it will go...……...The reason being, is that, that (electric) starter motor, gets quite "Hot", when it is cranking the engine over for a long time, and, if too long (of a time), then, the starter motor can actually "cook" itself, and look Ma, now I have to go and get a new one (or, a re-man/remanufactured unit)…………My rule of thumb (or call it what you will), is to, only "crank" the (stubborn/hard to start) engine over, for only, about, 30 seconds max (maximum), then, let it rest (cool-off), for about a minute or two, then, if need be, repeat the 30 seconds "on" time routine, then, let it rest between starting attempts (more rest time, between starting attempts, is even better, especially on a hot day)...……..Years ago, I cranked over an older Dodge (parent company, being Chrysler) V-8 engine, for too long of a time, and then, the starter motor got so hot, that, the bronze bushings (aka, bearings), inside of, that poor ole starter motor, actually, started "squeeling"...!!! (nope, wasn't, that there, well known piggy sound...lol)…good thing was, is that, the starter motor worked good again, "without" the squeeling, once it cooled down...…….Most of the fuel injected, computer controlled (gasoline) engines, will probably have a way, to deal with, a (gasoline) "flooded" engine, and here's how, that (gimmick...???...lol) works...…….The fancy name for it, happens to be..."Clear Flood Mode", and, it's simple to do...…….If Ya feel that, the engine is flooded with too much gasoline, then, all Ya have tah do, is to, push the gas pedal all the way down (to the floor-board), then, crank the engine over, then, "very...Very Important"...!!!...if the engine actually tries to start, then, get Ur foot, "Off of the Gas Pedal", or, you'll over-rev the engine (engine will scream...!!!), and then, it will get damaged, to..."Infinity and Beyond"...!!!...……...As far as I recall, is that, during this "Clear Flood Mode" procedure, is that, it basically "shuts off" the fuel injectors, so that, no "additional" gasoline, is gonna be added into, an engine, that already has too much gasoline inside of it, to begin with...…….Most fuel injected (gasoline) engines, will have, what is called, an "idle air control valve", and, it controls the amount of air, that the engine inhales, during idle speed, and, if this valve becomes faulty, or gets all covered in black dry carbon (powder), then, the engine might not idle so well, or maybe stall...…….This is why, I might have mentioned, a while ago, about, holding down the gas pedal, just a wee bit, to help the engine start, and to keep it running, at idle speed/low RPM's (that be, Revolutions Per Minute, of the engine's crankshaft)…………Fuel injectors, can also get plugged up as well (when gasoline evaporates, it's, not as clean as you think, cuz...it's nasty stuff...!!!...lol)………..Sometimes, only a few, of the fuel injectors, will get plugged-up, which will usually result in, having some of the engine's cylinders, running a bit "leaner" (air/fuel ratio/mixture-wise), than, some of the other cylinders, that were properly fueled (or fed, as in, feed, or feeding), and, might show up as, a shaking engine at idle speed, as an example...…….Quite interesting, that, your OBD-2 (On Board Diagnostics-version 2) equipped mini-van, has that, shall we say, "feature", that you discovered...congrats...…….If your mini-van, is starting and running, to your satisfaction, then, enjoy, otherwise, keep your shovel in close proximity, just in case, Ya might have to do some more..."digging"...to cure your ride...!!!...lol.....and...….till next time...….Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@swaggerboy740]

Very good vid thanks :)

[@MrEataloggertoday]

What about how the timing affects the plugs? I have read that the ground strap is used to verify heat range and timing, and that the base ring is used for jetting, and lastly the porcelain is used for signs of detonation/preignition, and that you should never use the insulator as a reference for jetting, also putting to use a 10x power scope to really dial things in. Comments/thoughts?

[@RockysRoadshow]

...Golly-Gosh-Darn, Yes-Siree-Bob, I should also mention that some of the later Holley Carburetors even have a little Screw-In-Clear-Sight-Plug, that goes into that threaded hole that you used to watch the Gasoline/Fuel trickle out of....Much Safer, and time saving too!....In closing, you might need some "Jet-Extensions" for your Secondary Float Bowl, to avoid starving the secondary's of that much needed Rich air/fuel mixture during that "Neck-Snapping-Launch!"....Take care, and have a good one

[@JOSEBATISTINE777]

Great vid.. Thank you!

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Jose Batistine..........You're welcome, and, thanks for the nice comment..........Some of the newer, gasoline, fuel injected engine's spark plug deposits, might be showing, towards an almost white-ish color, in some cases, quite possibly...........These spark plugs, that I was showing, in this video of mine, were out of older, carburetor equipped engines mostly, just so Ya know, and.......till next time.......Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings higgout....Thanks for your comment....You might have Spark Plug Deposits that show a much Leaner (maybe almost white perhaps) when you Read your Camry's Spark Plugs, due to your Computer Controlled Engine Management System, as compared to the Deposits that you see on my videos Spark Plugs, because my spark plugs were Fed with Carburetors, and No Computer!...If your Engine is running too "Lean", you should be getting some Trouble Codes showing on your Dashboard to warn you of...(con't)

[@copocamaro2701]

Great video

[@9011combo]

Hello rocky...I took my motor apart and completed the rebuild process. I found out that one of the exhaust valves burned and the ring in that cylinder has dug into the wall of the cylinder bout 1/16" deep. This is my first rebuild job that I learned from KZbin. I do have mechanical skill but never done something this size before with no help from no other.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings 9011combo....Thanks for your comment, and, Congratulations, for "D.I.Y.!!!" (Doing It Yourself)....In your comment, you had mentioned that you observed that One of the Exhaust Valves was "Burned", and that you also had One Cylinder that was "Gouged", about 1/16" (one sixteenth of an inch) deep!....Both of those Problems that you have there, can cause, Low Compression and Oil Burning (in that One Bad Cylinder), because of that "Gouge" in that Cylinder "Bore!"....That Bad cylinder needs to be restored to 100% (with No Gouges), in order to have Good (high or normal) Compression, and also, to keep the Motor Oil from getting "Past" the Piston Rings, then up, and into your engines Combustion Chamber....If that there Cylinder "Wall" (Bore) Is-Not Restored to 100%, the Engine will probably still Run, although, maybe a little Rough, with Less Power, and, also, Above Normal Motor Oil Consumption and Burning as well. If you have to have your Vehicle Emissions (smog) Tested, the Employees at the Smog-Testing-Establisment, might Not Test your Vehicle, due to any "Smoke", as in Oil Burning, that they "See" coming out of your "Tail-Pipe" (aka, exhaust system), as you are waiting in the "Line-Up", waiting to be Tested! If your Bad Cylinder Bore/Wall is still Not 100% Restored/Repaired, and, you Do-Not have to have Your Vehicle Smog Tested, then, you will probably be able to drive your Vehicle, with Less Power, and, make sure that you keep your Motor Oil "Topped-Up" to the Full Mark on your Engines Oil Level Checking "Dipstick", when the Engine/Vehicle is on Level Ground, and the Engine is "Cold", and, "Not-Running!", or, if the Oil Level gets Too "Low" (due to Oil Consumption/Burning), then there will probably be, even More Engine Damage Happening! Also, an Engine that "Burns-Oil", Is-Not Good for your "Oxygen Sensor/Sensors", and your Vehicles "Cat" (Catalytic Converter) as well. It's all about how much Money, that you want to Spend on Repairing your Engine. If indeed, that "One" Cylinder Bore is "Gouged", about that 1/16" that you had mentioned, then, I'm quite sure, that, that Cylinder Won't be able to be "Bored and Honed", to the Maximum Bore Size that Your Engines Manufacturer "Specifies"...(Please, Check the Specifications for your Engine). or... Perhaps that "One" Cylinder can be "Re-Sleeved", as in, Install a Metal "Sleeve" in that One Bad cylinder, in order to be able to have that bad Cylinder Bored and Honed to a Size (diameter) that is reasonably Close to the remaining Cylinder "Bore Sizes" in your Engine. If, your Engine needs to be "Over-Bored" and Honed to a Size that is Larger then, when the Engine was Brand New, then, your Engine would also need Larger Diameter Pistons and Rings that will Fit Properly in any of the Over-Sized Cylinder Bores in your Engine. Now, about that "One" Burned Valve. Looks like, that One Bad/Burned Exhaust Valve, needs to be Replaced alright. The Valve "Seat", in your engines Cylinder Head, that the Bad/Burned Exhaust Valve Seated on, will need to be Repaired/Reconditioned, if it is in questionable Shape, as in, Not Being in Very Good Condition, or, that Cylinder will more then likely be suffering from a case of..."Low Compression" (due to that nasty leaking exhaust valve "Seat"). Like I was sayin...It's all about, just how much Money, that You want to spend on your vehicles "Engine". I hope that your Engine gets "Healthy", once again. Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@billbrobst2361]

Thank you for these videos! They say if a picture is worth a thousand words a video has got to be worth a million.

[@RockysRoadshow]

+Bill Brobst ....Greetings Bill Brobst....(as I'm pointing my finger at Bill...I say)..."What He Said"...lol (in regard to, what Bill had to say, about the Scorecard, havin'...Pictures, bein' worth "A Thousand Words"..and...Videos, bein' worth "A Million Words")..................Hmmmmm...just thinkin', that, If I were to "Babble-on", in a very Long KZbin Video, I might just make it to "One Million" Spoken Words, but, then again, those "Million Words" (Jibberish?..lol), that I (hypothetically) Spoke, probably wouldn't amount to very much at all (other than, accomplishing, that, One Million Words Spoken "Milestone", that I was tryin' to conquer, that is...lol)...................Thanks for watching my KZbin Videos, and.........till next time..........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

Thank you Rocky. I really enjoyed reading your comments.I found a video or 2 of yours to be of value, and I couldn't seem to have time to come back to listen, but reading your analysis of spark plugs? Total gold for me. :)

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...DE "AutoBravado" Nichols...........You're welcome, and thanks for watching...............My (so called) Method of Reading Spark Plugs, is, shall we say, Old School, as compared to, the Method, that some of the other Folks, that are out there, in Cyber-Space (and probably living on Planet Earth at the very same time...lol), might be using.....................The other Method, will probably involve, using, what appears to be, something, that could very well be found in a Doctor's office, and kinda looks like, a Doctor's, Ear Checking Magnifier/Flashlight, that, might be bent, at a 90 Degree angle, up towards, the business end of the device................Probably, when the, shall we say, more advanced, Spark Plug Readin' Folks, are using this Magnifier/Flashlight to Read a Spark Plug, they will probably be looking, down into the Depths, of the Electrode end of, of the Spark Plug, looking for some of the following.....................The Fuel Ring, and probably, any small Dots, stuck to the Porcelain lookin' stuff, that surrounds the Inner (center) Electrode, and might be, silver or black colored (small) Dots, that will usually be an indication, that some internal engine damage, is taking place...!!!...Ouch...!!!..........Also, where the Color Change takes place, on the Outer Electrode (that be, that J shaped thing, that's usually found, on the more common, type of spark plugs....................Maybe, do an internet search, for Reading Spark Plugs, and You'll probably find, some Mind Boggling information, by doing so...................Some Folks are sayin,' that, not many Deposits, will be found on the Spark Plugs, that were removed from an Engine, that was burning Gasoline, that had Ethanol (aka, alcohol), in its Blend...???...................Well now, this KZbin Video's Thumbnail Picture, that's showing that Tan Color on it, was a result, of having, 87 Octane Gasoline (R+M divided by 2, rating method), that supposedly had, oh, about 10% Ethanol (alcohol) in its Blend, in the vehicle's gas tank, and also, it was, just after, I re-jetted my Thermoquad Carburetor's primary (fuel) jets, Richer (air/fuel ratio/mixture wise), that I did, in order to get rid of, that very annoying Lean Surge (car was bucking back and forth at city speed), that I had at the time.....................Some of the Older Carbureted Engines, don't care so much, for the Ethanol laced Gasoline, that are at the gas pumps today, as, most of em, were Calibrated/Set-up for 100% "Real Gasoline"...lol (No Ethanol/alcohol, in that good ole stuff), and, may very well, have been Leaded (pronounced Led-ed) Gasoline as well (as in, the additive, being, Tetra Ethel Lead, added into the gasoline, which is rather Toxic)...................Oh, I guess, that, a Spark Plug, has the "Last Say", when it comes to, gettin' the "Fire Lit", inside of, an internal combustion, gasoline burnin' Engine alright, but there are so many "Other" parts and pieces, that make up the entire Vehicle's "Ignition System", be-in, everything from the Battery, the Charging system, Ignition Coil/s, all Wiring, etc. ..................So, my best advice, as it applies, to a Vehicle's Ignition System, is to be thinkin', about that good ole saying, and that saying, happens to be..."The Chain, is only as Strong, as its Weakest Link"...(and, I like to apply, that good ole Sayin', to, All of the Parts & Pieces, that make up the whole/complete ignition system), and, to me, that very same Sayin', goes a long way, in Life itself...well maybe, and..........till next time..........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

RockysRoadshow My recent project is my 1989 Yamaha XT 600. The plug is perfectly stock. It is slightly rounded at the edges. It's all black, but very smooth. Here's an unusual one for you. The stock plug is special order. Copper, but nickel plated. The underside of the over reaching blade is black yes, but barely gray where the spark reaches from under it to the electrode. The pointy electrode is clean metal. It turns out I was running this stock plug very hot based on it's core having 500k-900k resistance in ohms when it should be more like 4 with the ohm meter set at 20k. I'm working on a video now so you can see it. I checked, it's super close up.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...DE "AutoBravado" Nichols................If You don't mind my asking...what is the..."Part Number and Brand"...of the Spark Plug, that is Specified by Yamaha, for Your "Exact" XT-600...???...cuz, by doing so, I'll probably be able to have a better chance, at being able to, help You out.....................There are a number of things, to take into consideration alright....................The Gasoline, might have "Changed" somewhat, from the Gasoline that Your XT-600, Engine's "Carburetor", was originally Calibrated/Set up with, back in 1989...???.................If Ethanol (aka, alcohol), is added into the Gasoline's Blend, for a Carburetor, that was originally (when new), was Calibrated/Set up, using "No Ethanol" Gasoline, then, there are times, where, the Carburetor has to be (fuel) Jetted a bit Richer, of an Air/Fuel Ratio/Mixture, in some cases, to avoid, having the Engine Run too Lean (air/fuel ratio/mixture-wise)...........Elevation/Altitude, in reference to Sea Level, has an affect on a Carburetor as well, as in, needs to be Richer at Sea Level, and, should be progressively Leaner, the Higher in Altitude, that the Engine is to be running at, just so You know.................Spark Plug Electrodes, that have their "Sharp Edges"..."Worn"...to a "Rounded-Over"...Edge (especially the Center Electrode), will usually, make it so, the Ignition Coil (if the XT has one, that is), will be Working Much Harder (Higher Voltage needed), as in, High Voltage "Sparks", find it much Easier, to Jump From, and to, Sharp Edges, as compared to Rounded Edges..................Sometimes, Spark Plug Manufacturers, will have the "Resistance" Value, of the Spark Plug, expressed as a Number or Letter (or maybe, a combination, there-of), in the spark plug's actual Part Number/Designation, so, maybe Check that out as well....................If the Choke on the Carburetor (if it has one, that is), is left, turned-on, for, too long, or is stuck somewhat, then, that can also cause, extra Carbon, to be getting stuck to, the electrode end of the spark plug, cuz of, the way too Rich Air/Fuel Mixture................If Your XT-600 was in Storage, for quite a long time, then, Old Gasoline, when it Evaporates, or just plain Disappears...lol...isn't as Clean, as You think it is...!!!...as, the, shall we say Residual, that be, the Ugly Stuff that gets left behind, when all of that Gasoline's Liquid portion is gone, and, if left alone long enough, the Carburetor, its Fuel Jets, (and other fuel related things as well), get kinda Plugged-Up, and at times..."Stuck"...!!!..............Gasoline, quite often, will be leaving behind, a Vanish-like Substance/Coating, if You will, and it tends to show up, inside, of the older/high mileage Carburetors, that I've worked on, in the past....................Make Sure, that, You "Set" (if need be), the spark plug's "Gap", that's Between, the spark plug's Inner and Outer Electrodes, to Yamaha's "Specification", for Your "Exact" Engine, cuz, it's very Important...!!!..................Also, the LARGER the Gap gets, Above Specification, makes the Ignition Coil Work Harder, as in, having to Output, Higher Secondary (high) Voltage, to make the Spark, Jump that much LARGER Gap...................For the, shall we say, Older, common looking spark plugs, that have that rather, large-looking center electrode (non-exotic type...lol), there's usually, a fairly good Ball-Park figure, that I recall, from many Moons ago, and, is, as follows................The Spark Plug "Gap", should only "Wear" (increase), about .001"/One Thousandths of an Inch, for every 1,000/One Thousand Miles, that the Vehicle Travelled...how about that.............So then, I'll be around here somewhere (I hope....lol), and.........till next time..........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@LouPicardo]

Thank you for this interesting video. I was accelerating my car today to lets say 3,000 RPM (not too much I know) and strangely the outer tip of the spark plug blew off! This never happened to me before I guess this happened because the plugs were not the correct heat range and are very old. What do you think? .

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Drakulea....and, thanks for your nice comment....Now, about your Bike running Lean....Might even be something as simple as a partially plugged fuel filter, and/or a multitude of different things that may be causing the lean running condition....If you have an older Bike, then the Gasoline is about 3% Leaner then it used to be in the 1970s!....If You like, let me know what Your Bike happens to be, and I'll try to help You out....Take care, and have a good one, my Friend.

[@Bernhard_Schmidt]

Finally found a proper video that actually talks about what the title says

[@1977jelliott]

Those original Chevy plugs show the right heat range at least, around two thirds of the earth electrode was coloured correctly. Perhaps you could do a further video on how to read plugs on an engine with pre-ignition or "pinging"?

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Jake Elliott...…….Thanks for watching...…...Well, I don't happen to have, any spark plugs, that have any real damage on them, other than, a well worn/worn-out, high mileage on them, spark plugs, that have electrodes, that are, all, eaten-away by, high voltage "arcing" (sparking...lol), with rounded off corners, or, are all covered with, too many deposits, that might cause, a cylinder misfire...…...Come to think of it, I do have a few, spark plugs, that have, the Ceramic part of the spark plug..."Broken-in-two-Pieces"...and no, not caused when an engine was running, more like the Guy (Me...!!!...lol), that never kept the spark plug "socket-extension-and-ratchet", in line with the spark plug, as it was being installed, or sometimes, removed from an engine's cylinder head...!!!...lol...…….The newer vehicle's engines, that are fuel injected and computer controlled, will probably have "knock sensors" on them, so, once the knock "frequency" becomes present, then, the knock sensor will then be telling the vehicle's on-board computer, to..."Back-Off" the ignition timing advance amount, until that knock "frequency" is gone...!!!...so, if the gasoline Octane is too low, for an engine that requires a higher Octane rating, then, the engine, will usually be protected from any real damage, by what the knock sensor/s monitor...…….On the older carbureted engines, without an on-board computer, then yes, engine pinging and knocking, sure are possible alright...…….Too low of an Octane rating, for an engine, that requires a Higher Octane rating...too much ignition advance (in a distributor)...or...too lean of an air/fuel ratio (mixture), can sometimes be a problem, and, if really bad, engine damage can be quite severe, especially when, going "wide open throttle/pedal to the metal"...!!!...and......till next time...…..Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@golavish]

Thank you so much! I have a car that was saying system is too rich, but on observing checking out the spark plugs with this, is seems to be running lean! Now I know I may have problems with the O2 sensor giving wrong info.

[@RockysRoadshow]

+golavish Greetings golavish....Thanks for watching.....................Please note, that, some of the newer, (gasoline) Fuel Injected Engines, might not have very many Deposits showing on the Spark Plugs, and, at times, the Porcelain-looking material, that surrounds the Inner/Center Electrode, might be showing an almost White-ish Color, and perhaps more-so, if the %-age/Percentage of Ethanol (alcohol) gets higher, in the Gasoline (blend), that You put in Your Vehicle's gas tank............................There are 3 basic things, that should be done, on a Vehicle, that has a Gasoline, Fuel Injected Engine, before, You might start to change this part and that part, which at times, might not fix the problem, if indeed, there really happens to be one................................Has Your Vehicle been well Maintained, as well as, having the Parts, such-as, Air and Fuel Filters, new Spark Plugs, etc., that should be Replaced, at the Vehicle Manufacturer's Mileage/Kilometer-age or Time Interval...???...............................Then, the other 2 things are.......Have Your Vehicle's On-Board Computer (about ,1996 and newer), Scanned for "Trouble Codes", with a Scan Tool (kinda looks like, a slightly Larger, hand held Calculator), in order to see, whether or not, Your Vehicle's, Computer's Memory has Stored any Trouble Codes, that will really help You out, if there happens to be any, that is.........................Then, the Fuel System's, "Fuel Pressure", needs to be Checked/Verified, according to Your Vehicle Manufacturer's, Fuel Pressure "Specifications"..............Warning...!!!!...some of those Fuel Pressures, might be, as High as, "60 PSI/Pounds per Square Inch", which can be very Dangerous, and, always Wear Eye protection/Safety Glasses/Goggles, have a Fire Extinguisher near-by, and Do any Fuel related Testing or Maintenance, and also, when-ever the Engine is Running, "Outside", with plenty of Fresh Air and Ventilation, because, the Engine's Exhaust Gas is "Deadly"...!!!.........................Some of the Automotive Parts places, might "Scan" Your Vehicle's Computer for "Free", so, just make a few Phone calls, to see, if any, in Your area, actually do...........................If You care to, You can let me know, the...Year...Make...Model...Engine Size...and any Problems, that You might be having with Your Vehicle, and.............till next time............Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@9011combo]

Very interesting...thank u for good lesson...

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings 9011combo....I'm glad that this Spark Plug Video of mine was able to help you out, my Friend, and, Thanks very much, for your nice comment as well....Just to let you know, I'm "Not" a Certified (car or truck) Mechanic!....As for, the Car and Truck KZbin Videos that I make, they are just a "Hobby" of mine, and also, when I "DIY" (not really "Do It Yourself", but rather, "DIM", "Do it Myself!"...lol), I also Benefit from my so called "Hobby", by Not having to Pay (Money) to a "Fix-Em-Up-Establishment", in an amount, that now-a-days, can sometimes be "Over-100-Dollars-per Hour!!!" ($100.00-Canadian Dollars, that is)....To get as good as I am, (however good that is?...lol), I was always interested in how things work....So, I became quite the "Book-Worm" (read lots and lots of Books, Manuals, etc.), and, spent a very large amount of time, Working on, and "Tinkering", with almost anything that I could get my hands on, when it came to, especially "Mechanical Things!"....So, all of what you See and Hear in my KZbin Videos, are just some things that I needed to Fix, Replace Parts on, or Adjust, in order to make, the Mechanical (and sometimes Electrical too) "Unit or Device" perform/work at an acceptable level of Operation. I also just happen to be, an "Average Joe", not some kind of "Rocket Scientist", that tries to use "Overly-Big-Words", to make himself appear to be "Someone Special", as, that's just "Not Me". I just try to keep things "Simple", and, "Down to Earth", or call it, "Bread and Butter", or even, "Meat and Potatoes", if you like, as it applies to my "Style" of making these here Videos, that will be (I hope), able to help People, from "All-Walks-of-Life", in that, I may be able to, "Help-Them-Learn-and-Understand", even if "Just-a-Little-Bit", in as far as what, I have Learned, or Experienced, so far, in my Life here, on "Planet Earth". Thanks for your Time. Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@skii_two]

Hey there! I’ve got a 2 stroke snowmobile that’s not running right. The throttle is very delayed , and it’s not running right. I assumed it’s to rich, and the spark is inconsistent, but there are some people who says it’s fine. It’s a little oily-ish on the rings, but relatively dry on the inside of the plug. The electrode is coated with a thin layer of black all around. I’ve only run these plugs for a week total.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Skii.........Thanks for watching........Is your spark plug's "heat range" correct for your exact engine, as in, the same spark plug that was in your engine when brand new...???.........Sometimes, when using a different brand of spark plug, the cross referencing isn't right, or maybe, the parts guy made a boo boo maybe........If you have a manual choke, try to shut it off as soon as possible, while still having the engine, keep running without stalling........Try not to idle your engine too long, and keep the RPM's up, as, lugging the engine down, at low RPM's, tends to foul spark plugs somewhat.........Don't use a dirty, carbon, or oil fouled spark plug, or it's probably gonna be, an engine "misfire", that you'll end up with, which causes even more carbon buildup........Try a new spark plug, that is the same brand and part number as the factory installed one, and also, make sure that, the spark plug's "Gap" (distance between the two electrodes), is set at the factory "Specified" measurement...........Are you using the correct gasoline to two stroke oil ratio...??? (or maybe you have an auto-lube system)..........Correct gasoline "Octane", as per your owners manual...???..........Good luck, and.....till next time......Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Bashir Ahmed....Indeed, over here in North America, daily life in general terms, seem to be something that we take for granted, probably because we are not subjected to all of the pain and suffering that others around the world are experiencing, mainly due to disagreements and power struggles....It is one thing that adults harm one another, but, it is just not morally right to cause harm to children, in any way, shape, or form....Take care, and, best wishes, my Friend...

[@WesselLemmer]

I have a 318 with a old stromberg carb so its perfect thanks. I have a question if i may, How long should i run new plugs before i start seeing these deposits and analyse conditions in the combustion chamber.

[@TheSamplebridge]

on my plugs in my EFI 302 it has a little white around the base of the electrode and then transitions into a dark brown on the tip, there is no deterioration on the tip of either side. nothing filling the gap and the rest is pretty clean. I always thought it was running rich cause of the constant backfire (I have no cats). based on what you said white means lean, but I see some other guys with a little bit of white and they say it's good.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...TheSamplebridge.............Nice Car there, and, Thanks for watching.............Yes, indeed, it seems that, most Fuel Injected Engines, that are controlled by Computers, will probably have less, in the way of spark plug Deposits, most times, but only "if", all of the Components are behaving themselves, and are working, as they should be do-in.................Most of the spark plugs, that I used as, shall we say "Props" (aka, stationary Movie Stars...!!!...lol), were, for the most part (with an exception or two), were out of Low Compression Engines (no more than, about 8.5 to 1 compression ratio), that also had, Oil Filled, cylindrically shaped Ignition Coils, in the Ignition System/circuit................The Heat Range, of a Spark Plug, is very important, as it applies to, its Self Cleaning Temperature...Too Cold...then, probably Too Many Deposits, will be getting stuck on, and showing up, on the business end of the Spark Plug/s........Too Hot (of a heat range), then...Bad Things...might happen, such as Pre-Ignition (that's where, the Air/Fuel Mixture Ignites, "Before", the spark plug goes "Spark"...!!!), and, if that starts happening, get ready, for some possible, Expensive, & Un-Wanted Engine "Damage"...!!!...Yikes...!!! (so, if You happen to Hear any...Pinging...Rattling...or...Knocking Sounds, coming from Your Engine, get it Fixed without Delay...!!!)...............Speaking of the Heat Range, of a Spark Plug, I just recalled something, that may be of interest.................I had a Stock, 8.5 to 1 C/R...V-8 Engine, that would get started, oh, about once-ah-month, there-abouts, in a vehicle, that wasn't being driven on the street, at the time, and it had, as I recall, Factory/Originally installed...Champion...N-12-Y Spark Plugs...in it (and those spark plugs, got discontinued, according to the Parts Guy, and, was replaced with, as I recall...Champion...RN-12-YC...that should have the changes-of, going to a Resistor type of spark plug, @ 5,000, or 10,000 Ohms...???...as well as, adding-in, a Copper/center electrode, well, if I get it right that is), and that, in itself, is not the whole story at all...say what...???...............If memory serves me right, I believe that, I probably Cracked, one of the spark plug's, Ceramic insulators, when I removed, that, stubborn, what-sha-ma-call-it, from the engine's cylinder head, so now what...???...so, I goes over to my, not so secret...lol...spark plug Collection, some of which, were Used, and a few, of the others, were "New"...!!!......"Wowsers"...!!!...What I saw, and had, was, a Brand New, either...Champion...N-14-Y...or was it a...RN-14-YC...I forget, but, with either one of them, I would have a Spark Plug, that was...2-Heat Ranges HOTTER...then the...N-12-Y...or the...RN-12-YC...so, I installed the "New"..."14" Heat Range spark plug, into one cylinder (head) only.................A few months, and Start-ups later, I pulled the "14" Heat Range spark plug, to have a look-see, at the Deposits, on "it", and to my (surprise...???)...Wowsers...!!!...by just going..."Up"...by..."2-Heat Range"...Numbers...that..."14-Heat-Range" spark plug, sure looks..."Ah-Lot-CLEANER"...than, those..."12-Heat-Range" spark plugs, ever did...!!! (please note...that, this Engine, was mostly running at Idle Speed, with a Blip of the Throttle, every now and again)...............Gee, I wonder...??? (with a stupid look on my face...lol), just How Clean, and maybe Too Hot (looking), that, that..."14-Heat-Range"...Spark Plug, just might be, if I were to actually Drive, at Sustained Highway Speeds, for Lot-sa Miles...???...maybe too Clean, as well as too Hot...???...and maybe, some possible Engine Damage...??? (I'm thinkin')...............Might be Ok, at Low, City Speeds, without harming the Engine perhaps...???................Just goes to show, how important it is, to be installing, the Correct "Heat Range" of Spark Plug, in just about any, Gasoline Burnin' Engine alright................The good ole rule of thumb, use to be, that, let's say, a car gets driven in the City, at mostly slower speeds, almost all of the time, then, a Person, might consider, having spark plugs, having a slightly Higher Heat Range, then Stock...where-as...let's say, a car, gets driven mostly at higher, highway speeds, most of the time, then, a Person, might install, spark plugs, that are, of a slightly, Lower Heat Range, then Stock...Why You ask...???...well, it's now time, to revert back to, that good ole..."Self Cleaning Temperature"...alright..............Lem-me try to x-splain........Lots of Cold Starts, followed up, with lots of slow speed, city-like driving, will more than likely, be leaving More Deposits, on the spark plugs...as opposed to...something like, a Vehicle, that spends most of its life, Cruising, for hours at a time, at sustained, Highway Speeds...........If it were me (do-in the head-scratchin'), then, I'd probably select, a Spark Plug's Heat Range, based-on, a Heat Range, that was "just" Hot Enough to, shall we say..."Burn-Off"...most of the Deposits, for the Type of Driving/Use, that, that particular Vehicle, would ever be seeing, just, "Never Too Hot", to avoid any Engine Damage (Pre-Ignition, etc.)................For the older, regular Spark Plugs (kinda, like the Champion...N-12-Y...as an example), another Rule of Thumb, for those older ones, use to be, to have no more than, about .001"/one thousandths of an Inch..."Gap Growth"...per Thousand Miles, that the vehicle travelled (wear/increase, cuz of, the...electrical, Arc/spark Erosion, between the spark plug's Electrodes)...........Any more than that, to me, is somewhat suspicious, don't-cha-think...???...might even be...too Hot of a Heat Range perhaps...???..........Also, things like...Too Lean of an Air/Fuel Ratio/Mixture, for the needs, of the engine, at about, any given time, can affect, the way a spark plug looks.......Too Much, or, Too Little...Ignition Timing Advance, at about any RPM and Load condition, will probably have, its share of things, to say as well.........The (coolant) Temperature of the Engine (thermostat rating), will probably also, have an affect as well, seeing as how, some of the Old School Thermostats, probably went as Low as, about "160" Degrees Fahrenheit, and some, that I've probably come across, were as High as, about..."205" Degrees Fahrenheit......interesting that..............Then, among other things (as well), there's..."Spark Intensity" (between the spark plug's Electrodes), oh, and, there be lots, did I say LOTS, of things, go-in on, as in, just about anything, and everything, as it relates to, the Vehicle's Ignition System itself (and then some...lol), so much so, that I can't do it, here and now...lol...but rather, I'm almost at the point, of (somewhat), be-in able to write a little book about "it"...maybe...???................Maybe, install a "Wideband Oxygen Sensor", in Your Exhaust System, along with the matching, Dash-Mounted, "Air/Fuel Ratio Gauge" (can be purchased as a Kit), so You'll be able to see, the "Air/Fuel Ratio", that Ur Engine is Running at, under all RPM's and Load conditions, in Real Time..............So then, just about every, Gasoline Burnin' Engine, out there (to me, that is), seems to have, a, shall we say, "Personality", all of its Own, kinda like People somewhat (just sayin' now), and.........till next time.........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@rolandbrooks386]

Found oil on a cross-threatened plug. Replaced with a new plug with the washer that came with it. Car starting up smooth now. Will re-thread eventually. The original plug did not get wet until about 3-400 miles. When the car started up missing, that's when I found the oil. A good video for all to know

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Steven Brooks...……..Thanks for watching...…….It's good to hear, that, you fixed the problem, even if it happens to be, somewhat temporary...…...The older, common type of spark plugs, usually don't cost very much, so, not a big deal at all...…….If the cylinder head's, screw-threads, are damaged really bad, then, it's usually, just a matter of, removing the damaged cylinder head, and, probably installing a "heli-coil" (aka, a screw-threaded insert), which will usually restore, those damaged screw-threads, back to being, in, like-new condition...…….The way that I see it, then, the "cleaner" the spark plug, the better, that way, it won't usually be, the spark plug, that causes an engine misfire, as long as, the spark plug isn't faulty, that is...…….Good luck, with the "permanent" repair, and......till next time...….Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Sameer2762....Congratulations on getting your engine running good again....You were saying that your engine is air cooled, and, is your engine a 2-Stroke cycle or a 4-Stoke cycle engine?...I have worked on both types....Also, that close-up of that spark plug (thumbnail view), that shows at the top of this page was what you see after I re-jetted my Thermoquad carburetor on a 360 cubic inch car engine....Take care, and have a good one.

[@TracksideTyson]

great video thank you

[@RockysRoadshow]

+DieselSmoke92 Greetings DieselSmoke92....Thanks for Your nice comment, and, Thanks for watching...........You'll probably find, in a lot of cases, that, the some-what newer, (gasoline), Fuel Injected/Computer Controlled Engine's, Spark Plug "Deposits", might not be so much, well, as compared to the "Deposits" that You saw, on the spark plug samples, that I used in this particular KZbin Video of mine, and, might be looking, kinda white-ish in color at times.................From what I've heard/read about, the Higher the Ethanol (alcohol) %-age/percent-age, that is actually in the Gasoline Blend, that the Engine burns, then, the (probably/maybe?) Less Deposits, might be found, showing-up, on the spark plugs, in that particular engine, perhaps..................Some Folks, are using, what appears to be, kinda looking-like, that special flash-light, that a Doctor might use, to examine Your Ears, in order to have a much Closer look, at the Deposits, that happen to be, on the spark plugs................Perhaps, have a look around, on, some of the Web-Sites, for that, what I like to call, the..."Rocket-Science-Method"...(as in, using that special flashlight/magnifier, thing-ah-ma-bob)...in order to have..."Close-Encounters-of-the-Spark-Plug-kind"...!!!...lol...and...........till next time............Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings David Smith....I hear Ya....A couple of things come to mind....I wonder if a newly certified Mechanic would be able to figure out a Carburetor?....I'm speaking of the younger Lads that probably were not exposed to Carburetors, and only Fuel Injection....The reason being, that since the 80's, the transition to fuel injection became quite obvious on Newer Factory Vehicles....Also, some years ago, I asked a Manager at a Transmission Fix-Em-Up Establishment,...(con't)

[@user-hp5hu6zl5t]

Good Evening Can you give me advise about this spark plugs showing in attached pictures.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings TylerART....Thanks for your comment....One has to be very aware, that, Gasoline "Formulations" keep on changing, and, depending on where one lives on Planet Earth, the Gasoline in that specific Region, as compared with Gasoline, oh lets say, Half-Way-Around-The-Globe, and, in a different Country for example....One Country, lets say, sells Gasoline that produces the deposits like you see on this videos Thumbnail Picture, and you could actually "Read" the Deposits, where-as...(cont)

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Sameer2762....Thanks very much for your great comment....So, one of my spark plug videos reminded you to (I'm guessing), check and possibly replace your spark plug/plugs?....It's just one of those maintenance things that should be done at the recommended intervals, unless, your vehicle starts acting up, in which case, it has to be attended to right away!....May I suggest that everyone keep a notebook with what was done to your vehicle and the date as well....Take care, my Friend...

[@Kaesk3]

Thanks for the informative video. I just checked my spark plugs today in my 89 toyota corolla with a 1.6 4af carb engine and all of the spark plugs had white coat of carbon on them. My car seems to have a vaccum leak because it hesitates when I put my foot down and it bucks aswell. Does that mean the white carbon on the plugs is from having a lean engine? I am very determined to get my engine running the way it should and I'll be getting some new plugs tomorrow. I think I have to clean the carb aswell or it might need rebuilding, I hope not though lol I really have to fix this vaccum leak

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Kaes seaK...........You're welcome, and, thanks for watching..........Try this...while your engine is fully warmed up to operating temperature, try putting your foot down "slowly", as in, apply the gas pedal "gradually/at a very slow rate", and see how the engine responds..........If your vehicle's engine runs ok this way, and runs bad, while you push the gas pedal down really fast, then, there's a good chance, that your carburetor's accelerator pump, or accelerating fuel circuit, "is not", shall we say, "squirting" enough gasoline, while doing a fast acceleration...........Carbon is usually "black" (not white)..........Is the "white" color, on your spark plugs, as white as, the white color, of the spark plug's porcelain...???...because if it is, then, that's probably a "lean" condition, considering that, your engine has a carburetor on it..........If the color looks kinda "gray", then, that might be a bit lean as well.........If the gasoline has lots of ethanol (alcohol), in its blend, then, that can also, make an engine run on the lean side as well..........Yes-Sir-ee-Bob...get that "vacuum leak fixed", as soon as possible, or (and hopefully not), your engine might start getting "damaged" (same as saying, expensive...don't-cha-think...maybe...???...lol).........."Never" go hard, on the gas pedal, with a vacuum leak, or, too lean of an air/fuel ratio (mixture), because, that's usually, the engine's operating condition, where the "Most" engine "Damage" will probably happen, as opposed to, just going very easy, on the gas pedal (still not good).........Try to keep up with maintenance, that Toyota recommends for your Corolla, as in...all filters...PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) Valve...check/adjust ignition timing...replacing old spark plug Wires...new coolant (antifreeze & water)...etc...oh and, of course...spark plugs too..........Good luck, and......till next time.......Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

...From my experience/experiences, sometimes electrical, and mechanical problems, turn out to be something different from what I first thought it was....There is also a thing called "Ignition Reserve"....That's when you have more available electricity at the ignition coil to fire your spark plug/plugs....When something like a fouled spark plug, or bad wiring tries to use more electricity then is available (ignition reserve), then it usually results in an ignition miss-fire....(con't)...

[@Sameer2762]

u r right bro, the thing is, i stopped reading the plugs for so long, my bike was working gr8 but suddenly recently she gave me some issues so i tried setting up the carb, it worked but i know how my plug looks whenever i open it up, i was running lean, also the plug is cold, it isn't reaching the self cleaning temperatures, and no company is providing hotter one for the engine my bike has :| thinking to increase the CR now :D more power on same settings. :D

[@AnonYmous-lg6wi]

I've got a utility vehicle (JD Gator) that has some pretty edgy looking spark plugs. Runs real rough on idle, but it's fine once it gets going, purchased a borescope because I suspected excess carbon buildup. Can't remember if the plugs were the color of ash, or dark as midnight, I was working on 2 different things at the time. I'll post pictures tomorrow, any insight from you would be appreciated.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Anon Ymous............Thanks for watching............To avoid, any not wanted problems, with Your John Deere...Gator's "Ignition System" (aka, electrical circuit), a very good thing, to be doing, is to, try to purchase, the "Exact" Ignition System Parts, as in, "Exact, Brand and Part Number", that were "Originally Installed", by Your Gator's Manufacturer, that being, John Deere........................Whenever a Spark Plug's "Gap" (that's between the inner and outer electrodes), starts to get Too "LARGE", that, my Friend, will usually cause the Ignition Coil, to Work, all that much Harder, and, maybe to the point, of having the Ignition Coil, to become "Over-Heated", and maybe going Kaput...!!! (aka, non-functional anymore)...............Make sure, that You "Set the Gap", between, the Spark Plug's "Electrodes", to the "Specification", that the John Deere Company "Recommends", for Your Gator's "Exact" Engine/Model/Size, providing that, the Spark Plug, is able to be "Gap-ed", that is, as there are some Spark Plug Designs, that Are-Not Gap-able, just so, You are aware...................A good ole Saying, that I like to use, happens to be..."The Chain, is only as Strong, as its Weakest Link"...and I really like to apply that saying, to, Ignition System/Circuits...Why, You ask...???....cuz, if a Component/Part, that has the "Wrong Specification", gets Installed, in something like an older, points and condenser, type of Ignition System, the Result, might end-up being, a Weak Spark, between the Spark Plug's Electrodes, or, as bad as, having the Ignition Coil "Fry" itself, due to "Over-Heating", and then, the Engine, just goes Silent...!!!...Yikes...!!!..............................The "Cleaner", the Spark Plug, the "Better"...!!!....cuz sometimes, the Deposits, on the Electrode-End of the Spark Plug, can become Conductive, and the Ignition Coil's High Voltage, that is coming through the spark plug Wire/Lead, will probably, just Short to (electrical) Ground, and look Ma, "No Spark", what-so-ever, Between the Spark Plug's "Electrodes"...!!!...................Also, something like "Carbon Deposits", on the Electrode-End of a Spark Plug, can cause, a very bad condition, known as "Pre-Ignition", where-by, the, maybe...???...Glowing Carbon, causes the Compressed, Air/Fuel Mixture, to "Ignite", far too Soon, as the Piston is rising Up, in the engine's Cylinder, and "Engine Damage", it just might be...!!!..............Sometimes, "Ignition System" Problems, turn out to be, "Fuel System" related Problems, and visa-versa, oh, and, sometimes "Both", at the very same time...!!!....and, I hope not ...............If You care to, You can let me know, what Your John Deere...Gator's..."Model and Engine Type/Size"...happens to be, otherwise, I'll just be going on, a..."Wild-Goose-Chase"...!!!...lol....and...till next time..........Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@DavidSmith-mk7qo]

Usually coolant will build up a white ashy look and over time will actually cake up closing up the gap and filling the bore of the plug with the same look.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Thanks for your nice comment SuperFork....Which "Spring" are are you talking about?....For the time being, I'll probably stick to doing videos that will fit on my workbench....I might be adding a few more spark plug videos in the future sometime....I have more car/truck related videos on my Channel....If you would like to see them, ,just type...RockysRoadshow...in the KZbin search bar to see the list of videos that I have currently....Take care, and have a good one, my Friend!

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Chris....I have read about the things that you have mentioned about "Reading" the different parts of spark plugs a few years ago, and, if you look at my videos "Thumbnail" picture, you know, the one with the nice light tan colored coating on the porcelain surrounding the center electrode, and on the outer electrode (ground strap), and also the black carbon coating on the threaded metal shells surface, perpendicular to the threads, that, that's what I like to see, simply put....(con't)

[@enochpowelghost]

professional informative film well done!.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings enoch powellsghost....Thanks kindly, for Your very nice comment, my Friend....I'm not so sure, that, any of my KZbin videos are all that Professional, as, I'm just an "Average Joe", so to speak....As for this Spark Plug video of mine, I just rounded-up (aka, gathered) a bunch of old/used spark plugs, that I had in storage for quite some time, and I chose the ones, that I thought, would be the best "Candidates", that would be able to, actually show Folks, what it is, for the most part, to be looking out for, as it pertains to, just how well, or, how bad, the spark plugs "Look", as in the Deposits found on them, as well as, the Electrode's Wear Rate. Depending on the "Formulation" of Gasoline, that You purchase, where You Live, will sometimes "Alter", the actual "Deposits" that may, or, may not be showing on Your Engines Spark Plugs, due to the amount of "Ethanol" (Ethanol = Alcohol, usually derived from something like Corn), and also, something like "Oxygenates" and Fuel System "Cleaners", that the Gasoline Producers, "Added" into their so called, Gasoline "Blend". Thanks again, for Your "Super Nice Comment!" Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Sorry, I missed your other posts....I see that you have added some new parts...First thing that I'm thinking, is, when you replaced your spark plug wires, did you also install the "Spark Plug Wire Separator Plastic Clips" that clip onto the spark plug wires to keep them apart from one another?...Because if you have them too close to each other you may be getting "Induction Crossfire!"...That's when high voltage jumps from one wire to another one, causing a "Miss-Like" situation.

[@LUNARIAproject]

I bought a bike that has been sitting for 10 years and when I got it the oil was all black as well as the spark plug all black and full of soot. What would you say this is an indication of? What do I need to do before replacing the spark plug with a new one? Should I clean the inside where it sits or spray it with something first? I've changed the oil and gas and cleaned the carb. The bike ran very bad before and died when reaching 4:th gear after some time and when riding it for a while. So I have it taken apart now since I will be replacing the petcock since it was leaking.

[@nirmalsamuel5156]

Thank you - never seen such bad plugs on my cars. I wonder how many miles they have run these plugs to get these bad (the first few bad ones).

[@RockysRoadshow]

Nirmal Samuel Greetings Nirmal Samuel....You're welcome, and, Thanks for watching, and for Your comment as well.........................................The reason, that You, (and probably Others as well), were seeing, the, shall we say..."More then Expected"..."Deposits"...on most the Spark Plugs, that I used as "Movie Props", in this KZbin Video of mine, was more then likely, due to most of them, coming out of Engines that had "Carburetors" on them, and, some of them, had "Lower Output Voltage Ignition Systems" on them as well.............................................Also, most of these Engines, for the most part, had quite "Low, Compression Ratios", in about the 8.5 to 1 Compression Ratio area................................................Also, some of the Engines didn't have much in the way of "Ignition Advance", due to the Engineers/Designers, having to meet, the Government's "Emission Standards", back in that time period..................................As far as I recall, most of the Mileage/Kilometer-age, that Accumulated on most of these Spark Plugs, in this Video, were acquired, traveling at "City Speeds", that made for, quite a bit of "Idling at Stop Lights & Stop Signs", as opposed to, Traveling at much Higher Speeds, and, shall we say..."To Blow-Out the Cob-Webs" (lol, that's what I heard an older Gentleman saying, a while back, when He would take his Car, out on the Highway/Freeway, to Clean-Out His Engine!)........................................You see my Friend, on the Older, "Non-Computerized" Engines, that had Carburetors on them, would usually have Spark Plugs, that would usually stay much "Cleaner" (aka, less deposits on them), if the Vehicle's Engine was Running at Higher RPM's (Revolutions Per Minute), consistently, non-stop (well at least, until the Need for some more Gasoline, Food, and a Washroom break, demanded, that is!...lol), traveling down a Highway at 50 Miles Per Hour/80 Kilometers per Hour, there-abouts, and by just Cruzin' along, the Air/Fuel Mixture (Ratio), would usually be quite Lean, in around that Magic 14.7 to 1 Air/Fuel Ratio, give or take a bit, and the Ignition System's, "Spark Advance" would Increase as well, making for a fairly "Clean Running Engine", that also got, much "Better" Mileage/Kilometer-age, then the lousy Mileage/Kilometer-age, that the same vehicle was getting, sitting for quite a bit of time, in the "City", at "Red Lights & Stop Signs", Not Moving at all, and getting..."Zero" Miles per Gallon, or, "Zero" Kilometers per Liter...!!!...lol.............................................The more Modern Day, "Computerized Engine Management Systems", as compared to the Older, "Non-Computerized" Ones, do, for the most part, make for Engines, that Run quite a bit Cleaner, mostly due the the..."Amount of Computations"...that the Vehicle's "On-Board-Computer" is capable of doing, as well as, doing all of those Computations, at "Blazing Fast Speeds", so much so, that It'll make Yur Head Spin...!!!...lol...................................................I should probably end, here and now, or, I just might be tempted, to go..."On & On"...and If I did, It might end up..."Be-in a Book"...!!!...lol.....................................................My above comments, are, shall we say..."The Tip of the Ice-Berg"...when it comes to, the Incredible amount of..."Engineering and Design"...along with, the..."Very Long List of Parts & Pieces"....that made-up, and, make-up, the..."Automobiles"...of the..."Past"..."Present"...and probably, the..."Future"...as well..........................Till next time..................Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@lisagooch3740]

Thanks for your thoroughness.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Lisa Gooch...…….You're welcome, and, thanks for watching...…….I'm, not so sure, that, it was all that thorough, more like...long-winded...lol...……This video of mine, about, reading a spark plug, is just a quick way, to see, if there happens to be any...dry, black carbon (too rich/too much gasoline, in the air/fuel mixture, and/or, a weak ignition system)...too fast of a wear rate (for the older/common spark plugs), would probably be, about, .001" (one thousandths of an inch), of, electrode gap increase, for every 1,000 miles, that, the vehicle travelled (more than that amount, might be a problem, perhaps)...melted electrodes...???...or maybe...the ceramic (porcelain), that surrounds the center electrode, is cracked, or, has been chipped (broken), which, kinda, has the alarm bells, going off in my head...!!!...lol...……There were (are?), quite a few racing guys & gals, that, might still be using, what might look like, a Doctor's, ear checking flashlight/magnifier, and, will probably, be looking, way down, inside of, the spark plug's business end, you know, where the center electrode's ceramic/porcelain, meets up with, the "inside", of the spark plug's, screw-threaded metal shell, in order to see, what kind of deposits, that are showing up, in that area as well, talk about being serious, or what...…….Maybe do, a KZbin, or internet search, for, the "spark plugs", that were removed from, a "top fuel" (nitro methane) dragster, or funny car's engine, and, if Ur lucky, you'll probably be seein', a spark plug or two, with a missing outer electrode...!!!...and...….till next time...…..Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@lisagooch3740]

@@RockysRoadshow Thank you so much for this. What is the name of the tool needed to remove the spark plugs? Does it take a man's strength to remove them? How many spark plugs are in a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan? Where are they located? Based on this video, I'm convinced that difficulty with starting in the mornings is related to the spark plugs (if not fuel pump). I hear 1 click when turning the key. As I keep trying, it will try to start for about half of a second. I keep pausing between tries, then it finally starts. Sounds like you suggest replacing rather than cleaning where there is build-up. Otherwise, how would you clean a spark plug?. Thanks so much for your time.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Lisa Gooch...…….You're welcome, and...here we go...lol...…….First things first, as in..."Safety"...!!!...…….Whenever you are working on a motor vehicle, tie up (really short), any long hair, remove all jewelry, as in, rings...necklaces...etc.,...so they don't get tangled up, especially so, if a procedure requires, that, the sometimes, hot engine, is to be running at the time (don't want to lose a finger, or, get tossed about, like a raggedy-ann doll, if any long hair, got grabbed, by a moving engine part)……….Also, watch out for any hot engine, and exhaust system parts, so you don't get burned, and, always try to work on an engine, when it is..."cold"...for safety's sake...…….I'll get to the tools needed, to do a spark plug's removal & installation, after this...…….Spark plugs will eventually wear out, because of, all of that high voltage arcing (sparking), that takes place, between the spark plug's two electrodes...........If your Caravan's engine runs ok (after it finally starts), while it is running at idle speed, as well as, at all other speeds, then, from what you were sayin', about, the "delay" time, it took, for the engine to start, has me thinkin', that, the fuel (gasoline) pressure, in the fuel system, is taking longer than usual, to build up-to, the required/specified fuel pressure, that the fuel injectors require, in order to spray the gasoline, into your engine's intake system...…….During a "quiet" (no noise) time, turn the ignition key to the..."Run" (Not Start...!!!) position, and, listen carefully.....you will probably hear the electric fuel pump, that's hiding inside your Caravan's gas tank, making a whirring/wine-ing noise, for about 2 seconds (time-wise) hopefully...…….This will be the 2-second "Prime" routine, as in, the fuel pump will run, for "only" 2 seconds there-abouts (for most fuel injected vehicles, that is), and, brings the fuel pressure, up to, what it was, to be regulated at (for example...some vehicles can be about 35 PSI/Pounds per Square Inch fuel pressure, and some others, might be as high as, oh, about 60 PSI there-abouts)……….So then, try this......Before, trying to start your engine.....Turn the ignition Key, to the "Run" (Not Start...!!!) position, and count 2 full seconds (of time), as in, just say aloud...(lol)..."one-one-thousand...two-one-thousand"...and then....try starting your engine now, and see if this helps...???...………If it happens to be, a "low", fuel pressure related problem, then, it can be a few things, that might be causing it, as in...plugged-up/dirty, "fuel filter"...a faulty, "fuel pressure regulator"...faulty "fuel pump"...or...electrical wiring...etc.,...……I just usually do, a..."fuel pressure test"...with a fuel pressure gauge (costs about 50 dollars, there-abouts), and, I check that fuel pressure, while the engine, is both, not running, and, running as well, to see if, the fuel pressure is "with-in", that particular vehicle's, fuel pressure "specification/s"...…….Always have a "Fire Extinguisher" near-by, and also, don't park the vehicle, that's being tested, near any buildings, or flammable objects, what-so-ever, just in case, it becomes a re-creation, of, the Fourth of July...!!! (USA only...lol)………..Try to get/buy, a..."Haynes"...repair manual (book), for your "exact", year and model of Dodge Grand Caravan, because, they are awesome, for anybody, just starting out, as well as, for the advanced DIY'er (Do It Youself-er) also, and only costs, about, 30 Dollars or less...!!!...…..The spark plug, Re-&-Re (Re-move...and...Re-place) "tools", that are needed, are usually, a Ratchet...and...a spark plug "Specific" Socket, or, if need be, then, the right size, of, hexagonal, or, 12 point, deep..."Socket"...(usually, it's a 5/8", as in, five eighths of an inch, and, that's measured across, two opposing flats, if it's the hexagonal/6 sided type), but, please check first...and also, an...Extension or two...that, that particular engine requires, to git-er-done...…….Sometimes, a spark plug or two, can be stuck, really good, and even, I, have broken, the odd one's ceramic part, during removal, and, it's not really an issue at all, as long as, no broken bits or pieces..."Fall-into"...that screw-threaded hole, that leads to, the inside of the combustion chamber, or otherwise, some serious engine "Damage", will be the result, once the engine starts running again...!!!...……(The following, is for, right handed folks, otherwise, it's gonna be, visa-versa), well then, It's a kinda, experienced feel, type of thing, as in, Ya have to counteract the force, that is being applied with the right hand, on the ratchet's handle end, where-by, your left hand, has to provide an opposing force, in order to keep the socket and extension bar...in-line with...the spark plug's center line, because, if Ya don't, and it angles off too far (from being centered), then, the white-ish ceramic part of the spark plug, might break, into two (or more?) pieces...!!!...…….Some spark plug designs, can last a lot longer mileage-wise, but, that's only if the engine is running, almost perfectly/cleanly, all of the time, and if too many, not wanted deposits (coatings), start getting stuck onto the spark plug's business end, then, the engine could start misfiring, and/or, not run so well...……..There were two engine options apparently, a...4 cylinder engine...and a...6 cylinder engine (just count the number of spark plug "Wires", and then, follow each of them, to where, they push/snap onto, the spark plug's ceramic part, and do this, while having the engine..."Cold and Not Running"...!!!..........Try to install, the "Exact, Factory Original" spark plugs, that the engine had in it, when it was brand new, to avoid any, potential problems at all...……..Also, the (air) "Gap", that's between the spark plug's two electrodes, should measure, the same as, what the vehicle manufacturer "Specifies", for that exact engine, so, it will run good, and, I usually put, a little bit of motor oil (just a few drops), on the new spark plug's screw-threads, to protect the screw-threads, that are in the engine's cylinder head/s, especially so, if those cylinder heads, are made out of aluminum (material), that, as I see it, need all the help, that they can get....…….So, there Ya have it...and...if and when, Ya get a hold of a Haynes repair manual (book), and then, (might?) become, quite the "book-worm", then, you'll probably be quite surprised, at, how much, and, how fast you'll learn, about maintaining and fixin' Ur vehicle, and, all-the-while, saving-a-ton-of-money, at the very same time, kinda like I have, over the years...…….There should be, the Tightening "Torque" (twisting motion) "Specification", for, how tight/how much torque/force, that is to be used, when installing the new spark plugs (especially important, when it comes to aluminum/material cylinder heads...!!!...which your engine, might have), as in, don't tighten those spark plugs too tight, because, the aluminum cylinder's screw-threads, might get damaged, and then, things, tend to get, rather expensive to fix, and then some............Read the "Safety" stuff first, and then, move onto, the "maintenance" items, as suggested, in your Caravan's "Owners Manual" (if Ya have one, that is), or, what is in, the Haynes book...……….Good luck, and...…till next time...….Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings...Lisa Gooch...…….Here are a few more things, for Ya...……..When "installing" spark plugs..."Always"...start screwing them into the engine's cylinder head/s..."By Hand Only"...!!!...to avoid any, not wanted..."cross-threading"...as in, having the screw-threads on the spark plugs..."Not Tracking/Matching up with"...the screw-threads, that are in the cylinder head...!!!...and..."Only"...do..."One"...spark plug, and..."Only"..."One"...spark plug "Wire" at a time (that's on that particular spark plug), so, the spark plug "Wires", don't get "mixed" up with, one another...!!!....…….The way, that I usually do this, is by, using a piece of rubber hose, or, clear neoprene tubing (that be, the fish tank/aquarium stuff), that's about 5 inches long, or, what-ever happens to work (that fits snugly/not too tight, onto the ceramic part of the spark plug, or, onto, the spark plug's, round metal tip, where the spark plug wire connects to, and which way Ya do it, will depend upon, what the inside diameter, of that hose or tubing, happens to be...…...You'll be able to actually feel, how good, or bad (too much interference, of some kind, maybe), when installing a spark plug, using this method...……….Also, get/buy, and, smear some..."Die-Electric"...grease/compound (kinda looks like vasoline/petroleum jelly, some-what), "inside" of, the spark plug wire's (usually made of silicone) "Boot", that plugs onto the spark plug, if Ya ever want to remove that spark plug wire, from the spark plug in the future (because of, how well, that Boot, will usually "Bond/Stick to", the spark plug's ceramic part, if not using that Die-Electric grease/compound...!!!) .........….Once the spark plug is installed properly, by "hand", and is, as far in, as possible, then, start using the ratchet, extension, and spark plug socket, while keeping the socket and extension, "in line with", the spark plug, to complete the final tightening of the spark plug (not too tight now...!!!)………...Here's another way, that I started, a fuel injected/computer controlled V-6 engine, that didn't want to start, all that fast...…….I just held the gas pedal, about 1/3 (one third of its travel) down, and held it there, and started the engine (hot or cold), and, when the engine started to run, I would..."Release" (get my foot, off of) the gas pedal, so the engine would not..."scream/run too fast"...and, it sure started much quicker, than, not using, the 1/3 gas pedal down, shall we say, "starting trick", perhaps, but, this procedure, was just a band-aid solution, until the engine's problem, was finally fixed, and...….till next time...….Be Safe, take care, and have a good one.

[@lisagooch3740]

@@RockysRoadshow Happy New Year, Mr. Rocky?? Wow! You have been extremely helpful to me. I don't know if my Owner's Manual provides repair/replacement instructions. If not, I'll seek the Haynes Manual. I truly appreciate your unselfish sacrifice to lend a helping hand. Your generosity mirrors the way that I give. This world would be a better place, if we all were generous. Since we last chatted, I changed the way I tried starting my engine in the mornings. When it doesn't start after first try, I rapidly and repeatedly turn the key about 1/4 of the way until it starts. During this time, it progresses from a series of one click, to a series of one short cough/false start, to starting. Then I gun the gas pedal a little to make sure it doesn't turn off. Am I doing damage, this way? Of course, now, I'll try your suggestion with pressing gas pedal 1/3 of the way, until I hear back from you. Also, how do I figure out if it's a 4 or 6 cylinder? www.childrenofgarychoir.webs.com

[@RockysRoadshow]

Greetings Albinus81....Wow, 100 Octane you say!....Over here in Canada, I pretty much use only "87"-Octane (cheapest stuff)...(I wonder if the same rating method is used there?)....The engines that I run only have about an 8.5 to 1 Compression Ratio, and I set Base timing at factory specs (about 5 degrees BTDC) and no knock or ping, and good power too!....Also make sure that you keep your Spark Plug Wires apart from each other, or you might get "Induction Crossfire!"....(con't)...

[@RockysRoadshow]

...there is something that it might also be, considering that you had mentioned that you are running the "hottest" spark plug available....If you have a liquid cooled engine, then, it could very well be that your engine isn't even getting hot enough to burn the air/fuel mixture properly....If your engine has a radiator, and perhaps a thermostat, then it might be that the engine is being over-cooled because of a bad thermostat or whatever controls the actual volume of coolant flow....(con't)...

[@RockysRoadshow]

...I haven't ruled out a misfire on that particular spark plug, and its associated electrical path, right from the HEI (High Energy Ignition) Distributor Cap and spark plug wire....Still, the most obvious Symptom still happens to be the excessive engine Oil Consumption....I'm under the impression (illusion?), that it was a Ring-Seating problem, as in Oil-Control, or perhaps excessive valve stem to valve guide clearance (more then .003" or 3 thousandths of an inch), or...(con't)

[@RockysRoadshow]

Hello once again, Ruffyatutube....Upon reading your request for a new video addressing the different designs of spark plugs, I will seriously consider, and perhaps, make a video with my thoughts, as to the importance of selecting the correct spark plug for a given application...For starters, see who makes the exact same spark plug for your vehicle by different brand names, and compare prices to see what the difference might be...It is extremely important to use the correct spark plugs...(con't)