Just changed my plugs and discovered real bad plugs on the passengers side. Lots of build up that is gritty and wet. It is amazing that the car ran at all. Can anyone help by looking at photos. I put a new set of plugs, wires, cap,Norton, coil, get, iac etc...

 

 

This one was the worst.

 

Looks like severe oil fouling to me. Hard to tell..pics are a bit fuzzy. Can you take a cpl pics from further away and I can zoom in to see more detail. These are TOO close and just not coming across very clear and sharp.

But, my 1st guess is oil. Is the engine using any? how much how often?
The other side does NOT look like that? What color are those? wet? dry?

 

The other side is dry with white coating. This car was not treated very well. First thing I did was change the oil. I will take photos now

 

 

WOW !
I've seen some fugly plugs in 2-stroke engines, but these take the cake !!

I'd go to the PCV lines and make sure the passenger side is connected right and actually pulling from the passenger side valve cover. I cannot think of ANY other reason why one side would be clean and white, as should be, and the other fouled like they were dipped in gear grease.

Are they ALL the same plugs? one side (wet side) being a too cold heat range mebbe?

 

Your a new poster to the Forum. Rule #1....tell us what year car you have. I am guessing it has the L98 with TIP and is not a LT1 version.

Educated guess since it is on one side only and it is oil fouling.....intake gasket on this side has failed and your sucking oil from the valley into the intake. Quite common on older SBC engines. Don't think it is valve guides or rings. Had this happen on my 85 and replaced several gaskets on 74 Blazer over the years.

 

Sorry. It is a 1986 with the 5.7 TPI.

 

Yes, thought it was the older version. I am sure it is blown intake gasket. They are not too difficult to replace. IF you replace it, be sure to label each bolt, wire and hose you remove....you will not be sorry that you did. There are bolts holding the runners to the intake under the plenum. Note that some of these bolts are different sizes.

You will have to pull the distributor. You will also have to disconnect the fuel lines to the rail. You will need to get a couple of rubber caps to slip over the end of the fuel lines to keep the fuel from leaking all over the place.

I am guessing that these plugs are perhaps the last two next to the firewall....correct?

 

Sorry....WELCOME TO THE FORUM and the Corvette Madness. Sorry your starting off with this issue. But this is why we are here...to help you out.

 

The last two were the worst. Cput anew EGR valve on car this morning and discovered the vacuum line was disconnected " maybe that's why it is runnin by rough. I need to make this my daily driver soon.

 

Right now I am driving our 2001 beetle - I think the guys at the auto parts store are laughing at me I appreciate any help possible.

 

John has a good point...

the intake gasket CAN do this, but IMO it would have to be almost gone to allow oil in all 4 cylinders...but it CAN happen. Do the stuff on the outside first, cheapest, and check everything visually.

Are you using that much oil?

 

Those plugs are "Oil" fouled, Haven't seen one this bad in years! Now you need to figure out why.. How many miles are on this car, does it blow blue smoke when you accelerate, and or decelerate, idle only? etc. have you run an compression check?

 

It is usually the rear part of the intake seal that goes. Don't know why, just everyone that has gone South on me it was always the rear that got to the last two plugs the most. Really think this is the issue because it is the rear plugs that are fouled the most and the other side of the engine is good. Not likely to be valve seals that progress from the rear forward gong bad. And not likely to be rings bad from the rear cylinders forward..progressively.

Like I indicated, you should be able to do this yourself. The worst issue will be the EGR cross over tube that comes from the exhaust manifold. It has some kind of a squeeze clap/fitting that is a PITA.

You will have to remove the plenum, runners, distributor, fuel lines and I think the valve covers. Gaskets will be a plenum/runner set, intake and valve covers if you have to remove them. Check out ROCKAUTO.COM for these gaskets and save some money. Leave the TB on the plenum, no need to remove. You will have to drain coolant. Use the Right Stuff from Permatex for the front and rear china walls. Do a search on the china wall and dimpling to help seal this area. Coat any bolt that goes thru the intake into the heads with thread sealer. Any bolt that goes into aluminum (like runner to intake and plenum to runners) with anti seize.

I usually pull plug #1 and put a 5/8" six point socket on the balancer bolt and with a thumb or finger over the plug hole slowly turn the crank until I feel compression in #1 then line up the timing marks. This makes it easier to drop the distributor back in place. Draw a picture or take a picture of the position of the rotor on the distributor so you can get it back in place when you install the distributor. Label your plug wires to get them back on the cap in the correct position.

Someone with a 86 will have to step in and advise you about the EGR cross over tube.

You might consider the throttle body bypass while you have things down this far.

 

I am going to try this Thursday. I have the whole day to get project done. It blows some smoke when idling and when excel. You can smell the car burning rich.

 

Before removing the intake manifold suggest removing the valve cover & checking the oil returns @ each end of the head they may be plugged with sludge etc.

 

The EGR tube is flexible. Just unbolt it from the intake manifold and bend it out of the way.

 

What he said ^^^^. And while your in there replace the valve guide seals. With a motor that old they are probably toast and hard as a rock.