sparkplug diagnosis help

[PKRWUD]

Originally posted by Stang_ROTY
I'm at work now so I'm trying to visualize. I am about 80% sure that Procelain is black, but will confirm later when I get home. And yes, the pump loses pressure immediately after shutting down. But sometimes when I go to start her, it sounds like it wants to fire right up, but ahead of the fuel delivery. Or maybe the fuel is there but the spark isn't. It sounds like 1 cylinder actually wants to fire, but then dies. Usually it's the next key turn that will get her going. I also noticed that my distributor is cranked to the left so that the module is facing the drivers side headlight...wonder if the timing is off, or too far advanced. The MSD sticker isn't facing the radiator, in other words. What other info can I provide??

Your wife's bra size?



Okay, lets start with the plugs. If the porcelian is black, you are running way too rich, and so far that doesn't sound like the case. I would have expected your porcelain to be glowing white, with the ground electrode so shiny.

As far as your fuel system goes, you have a problem, and you should correct it. I don't care who tells you what, your regulator is supposed to maintain pressure after the car is shut off. If it doesn't, it's not working correctly, which means your real fuel pressure under load at high rpms is probably weak, and your fuel pump is working much harder than it should. It also means harder starts, which your bearings aren't terribly thrilled about.

A fuel injection system cannot work without sufficient pressure, and two seconds, which is all the ECM allows the pumps to prime, isn't enough time to build it up to the right point, so you have to cycle the key a couple times to start it. Not very good.

It's your call, but after all the time and money you put into that puppy, and for that matter, the time I put into it, lol, I'd be more concerned about the fuel system. After all, if your fuel system can't maintain pressure when it needs it, a lean condition will result, and could be the cause of your plugs looking so T2.

As far as your timing, it doesn't matter where any part of the distributor points because I didn't see it when you put it in.

Grab a timing light, pull the spout, and set it to 10 degrees advanced. That's usually where the chip makers set up the chips for.



Take care,
~Chris