[Chris_C2000]

Finally got round to getting to look at the spark plugs, just before the rain started I got the coil packs off, the first two plugs were full of oil (presumabily from poor filling) the last two are also full of manky black oil (I guess the gasket is gone?) I have a new one on order from alfaworkshop to do later this week anyway but..

Any suggest what's the best thing to use to get the oil out and clean it up for now?

 

[pkr]

Soak it up with paper towels? Or a syringe if you've got one and some plastic pipe.

 

[EauRouge]

Yeah! as pkr said, use kitchen roll folded into long spears and it usually does the trick, use both sides of the spear too.

 

[NineOneSix]

Yep, I use kitchen paper towel also

 

[Chris_C2000]

Typically we are out of kitchen rolls and (worryingly) toilet roll. In the end I sliced up an old rag and used a spark plug socket to (gently) push it down over the plug to get it out.

Of course then I realised that my nice long extension for my socket wrench was the wrong size for my spark plug spanners *sigh*

Well cleaned up and put back together and everything works still (bonus!), I'll have to sort out a new extension and check the spark plugs when I do the rocker cover gasket.

 

[Chris_C2000]

Well last time I took some great pictures of the spark plugs. Well they would have been great but I'd forgotten to put a card in the camera *sigh*, took it off today to check for oil leaks after doing the rocker cover gasket (all good!) and took a few more. Broke out the macro lens too. (Should have broken out the tripod too but that would be going too far!) Oh well you will have to put up with a shallow DOF (Blurry bits))

Can anyone tell me if the spark plugs are :

1) Old/Knackered
2) Bout average
3) Pretty good

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1655/alfasparkplugs.jpg

This one was from the well that was previously mostly full of oil. One in the next cylinder are kinda uniform grey on the electrodes.

 

[NineOneSix]

Not too bad, but might aswell change em

 

[Chris_C2000]

Should have said.. money is tight, only really want to replace em if they are in a bad way.. If they are (2) and not likely to be causing problems they should probabily wait for a month when I'm feeling richer

 

[EauRouge]

As 916 states if you don't know when they were last changed then change them otherwise at the mo i would grab a bit of wirewool or emery paper and shine the the metal tips on those plugs.

PS: Those deposits on your plugs would appear to demonstrate that there is nothing wrong with the firing on your engine.

 

[NineOneSix]

yep, if you don't fancy buying new ones now, just give em a quick clean

I think I have a spare set of plugs here though, I can have a dig to try n find them if you want?

 

[David C]

Did you get a straight on pic rather than a side view?

 

[Chris_C2000]

Did you get a straight on pic rather than a side view?

I didnt unfortunately.. I could maybe get one later...

NOS that could be good.. if the price is right

 

[NineOneSix]

can have them mate, I don't have a TS engine anymore so they're useless