sparkplug markings

Ghia Nut · Post by **Ghia Nut** » Mon Aug 26, 2002 5:44 pm

I removed the spark plugs today off of my project engine, and I took a look at the tips. They were jet black, so I figured they were carbon coated, is the carbon supposed to rub off, or stay on. This confusses me because it looks oily, yet not drippy/moist oil. The guy I bought it from said it had hard starts and smoked a little when started. Whats the problem, and how can I fix it.

Pete65 · Post by **Pete65** » Mon Aug 26, 2002 6:00 pm

If it was blue smoke right after start up that is a sign you're burning oil. Excess blow by of oil past the piston rings (worn rings). This point is further amplified by the oily spark plug tips. Seems to be the problem to me, could be others I guess. What does everyone else think? Good luck.

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Project Farfrumwerekn
http://www.geocities.com/farfrumwerken

Ghia Nut · Post by **Ghia Nut** » Mon Aug 26, 2002 6:12 pm

he said it was smoke, which I presume was black smoke, my fater said it was an ignition thing and the tips arent drippy like the oilcoated spark plug in the haynes manual is. He sugested a new coil, but I wanted to ask you guys first.

rich2481 · Post by **rich2481** » Tue Aug 27, 2002 6:14 am

how old are the plugs?? most VW engines that have some mileage on them will burn oil at start up, the oil pools at the bottom of the cylinders after sitting.

If they are gumming up fairly fast then you will have to figure it out whether it is fuel ( which if running rich will blacken plugs pretty quick) or oil burning

Pillow · Post by **Pillow** » Tue Aug 27, 2002 6:34 am

Do a compression test to see if the rings are good.

For spark tests just pull a wire from the coil and arc the wire to the coil. If there is a strong blue spark the ignition portion is fine. Be careful not to shock yourself, but do not worry it will not kill you anyway.

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Adrian Pillow
'66 VW Westfalia - "Biscuit"
'67 VW Deluxe Westfakia - "Dino" - FS
'79 Porsche 911 SC - "Cochese" - FS

Post by **Marc** » Tue Aug 27, 2002 7:34 am

The "blue puff on startup" usually indicates intake valveguide wear that's allowing a drop or two to make it into the port when standing. VWs don't have any valvestem seals (the factory put on little O-rings so they wouldn't puff on the showroom floor, but those turn brittle and break apart very early in the engine's life - most rebuilders don't bother with them) so a slight puff is forgiveable. Is it just the tips that show the black, or is the insulator sooty down deep in the plug too? If this is a stock/near-stock engine it should be using W8AC plugs; W7ACs are slightly cold for normal service and won't run as clean.

Ghia Nut · Post by **Ghia Nut** » Tue Aug 27, 2002 6:59 pm

Ok heres the story. My firend and I went out to take a look at a bug he might buy. Turned out the bug had bad bondo work and at sometime been in salt water, you could tell from the very nasty rusty pits in the inner bumper. Anyway he didnt buy it, but just as we were leaving I asked if it was the original motor, and he said no, but he had it in the garage. We took a look, and its the grimmeyest, grungiest, nastiest motor you've ever will see. Blacker than pitch black, yet better than rusty red. So I called the next day and asked how much would he let it go, (whole motor, with exaust and pressureplate, complet everything), and he said A hundred bucks. Next thing I know my father and me are rolling it into my garage on a floor jack. I began to clean the engine, and wanted to take a look at the sparkplugs. Took em out and looked em over labled em with the wires. They are Bosch platinum (one)and are W8AP. It turns out every one was a very sooty jet black. It maybe a little oily, like dried mist or just soot, to discribe the electrades and the tip, I would say it looks and feels like powder coat, like painted aluminum or like what your grill would be painted with. As for the engine, he said it worked when he took it out. I kinda got a MYSTERY engine when I bought it, but what the heck, for 100 bucks!!! I havent taken a look inside yet but Im hoping its just the coil. The crankshaft turns (unlike my Ghia's original engine)and feels smoth. As for oil, the oil is clean so I think he may have changed it thorugh the magnetic plug thus prohibiting me from checking to see if there was any iron fileings on it. Any thing eles I should check for???