fouled plugs
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: little rock arkansas
fouled plugs
I'm new to the post and have a 77 with a stock 350 rebuilt about 15 years ago. The car has about 50K on it since the rebuild, don't drive it much. The spark plugs don't last long in this car. First it was just one cylinder now it is two or three. It doesn't seem to use much oil but if I sit in a traffic jam the engine starts running funny and I will need to remove the plugs and clean them to run right again. I did a compression check a year or two ago and all seemed well. The problem does not seem to occur if I can drive a highway speeds. I'm thinking that the valve seals are toast but wanted to ask if others have seen problems like this that occurs at low speeds.
keith in little rock
keith in little rock
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,123
Likes: 13
From: Hollywood, Florida
Re: fouled plugs (keith zarin)
WELCOME!!!
Could very well be seals. So you see the puff of blue smoke after she is started when sitting for a while?
You might want to do another compression or leakdown test too.
Could very well be seals. So you see the puff of blue smoke after she is started when sitting for a while?
You might want to do another compression or leakdown test too.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 17,102
Likes: 7
From: Fair Oaks, OK
Re: fouled plugs (keith zarin)
did your car sit for a long time; and you have recently began driving it again, or have you been putting miles on evenly spread out over time since the rebuild?
If it sat for a long time, it may get better. My corvette sat for 18 years. It fouled plugs often when I started driving it again. Now it is real good on plugs.
If it sat for a long time, it may get better. My corvette sat for 18 years. It fouled plugs often when I started driving it again. Now it is real good on plugs.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: little rock arkansas
Re: fouled plugs (LT1driver)
Thanks for the replys guys. I do not notice a blue cloud at startup. The car was not sitting for a long time. I have a friend that has a compressor. I think I'll try the blow air into the cylinder trick and replace the seals.
thanks again........don't see bill here much!
thanks again........don't see bill here much!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 5
From: Nashville TN
Re: fouled plugs (keith zarin)
What brand and heat range of spark plug are you running ? Are the plugs getting oil fouled or carbon fouled ? Its possible that you have an intake gasket leaking, you can check for it by measuring the barometric level in the crankcase. You should have about 4 psi of presssure. If your are building a vacuum than you have an intake leak.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: little rock arkansas
Re: fouled plugs (LT1driver)
Thanks for the replys guys. I do not notice a blue cloud at startup. The car was not sitting for a long time. I have a friend that has a compressor. I think I'll try the blow air into the cylinder trick and replace the seals.
thanks again........don't see bill here much!
thanks again........don't see bill here much!
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Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: little rock arkansas
Re: fouled plugs (dman535)
Sorry to be so slow in responding. I'm using the delco R45TS plug. I'm not sure how to tell if they are carbon fouled or oil fouled. This might seem really strange but when I removed one of them it had oil on the spark plug threads. Don't really understand how that could happen. Can you provide more details as to how to measure the crankcase pressure? I've never done that before.
thanks!
keith
thanks!
keith
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 0
From: Cut n Shoot TX
Re: fouled plugs (keith zarin)
Really no need to explain. You definately need seals if you have wet oil on your plugs. A rich situation would be if you had black covered plugs, but not oily. :nonod:
