De-fouling spark plugs

[wheeliE-maxx]

What are some ways or chemicals to use to de-foul mildly carboned up (oil) spark plugs? My dad had a spark plug cleaner tool but we can't find it. Carb cleaner, brake cleaner, atf, mmo, and tcw3 just soften the stuff, but it stays.
inb4 "get a rebuild"

[cammed goat]

I think I may have heard folks talk about using a nail file or sandpaper to sand down the electrode on the plugs. I have never tried it though.

[tep98ws6]

New plugs

[tatertot91]

New plugs

not expensive enough to fuss about

If you really want to, i've used a wire brush

[wheeliE-maxx]

yeah, was thinking of that the other day, musta brain farted. Just hate when I crank it up and here one cylinder spitting, puhpuhpuh. My redneck pcv fix (two inline clear plastic fuel filters on the line) has greatly reduced oil burning smell. The first filter has visibly caught a ton already. Still need valve seals i'm sure

[Modulistic]

blow torch

[wheeliE-maxx]

New plugs

delcos and ngks are both like 2.70 a pop and barely last 2k or so... Before my pcv fix I was up to about a quart of oil every 800 miles. We'll see now. Also my intake bolts are wicking up oil and puddling on top, that might be hurting too. Intake gaskets are shot and leaking water too... Replacing those and getting a 2101 manifold. But hey, my compression and oil pressure numbers are good I'm just keeping this engine running for now guys...

[tep98ws6]

yeah, was thinking of that the other day, musta brain farted. Just hate when I crank it up and here one cylinder spitting, puhpuhpuh. My redneck pcv fix (two inline clear plastic fuel filters on the line) has greatly reduced oil burning smell. The first filter has visibly caught a ton already. Still need valve seals i'm sure

Valve seals aren't too bad, I got ls6 valve seals for $40

[tep98ws6]

delcos and ngks are both like 2.70 a pop and barely last 2k or so... Before my pcv fix I was up to about a quart of oil every 800 miles. We'll see now. Also my intake bolts are wicking up oil and puddling on top, that might be hurting too. Intake gaskets are shot and leaking water too... Replacing those and getting a 2101 manifold. But hey, my compression and oil pressure numbers are good I'm just keeping this engine running for now guys...

Yikes dump some $$ in that bitch.

[wheeliE-maxx]

Valve seals aren't too bad, I got ls6 valve seals for $40

Yikes dump some $$ in that bitch.

It's not the price, they're just a bitch. Gotta hook up the compressor to keep the valves up, all that shit. manifold and gaskets are being ordered in a few days.

[TransAm11973]

get new ones

[0rion]

grandpa used to use gasoline and a little piece of sand paper so that's what I've always done but only on lawn mowers and such. I just replace them in a vehicle.

[LSCyaL8R]

Dang. I wish I had some of the engine knowledge you guys have. I think I need to go buy some books. I spend about 1 hour 20 mins on the train each day so I have a good amount of time to learn this stuff. I have the ability to handle all my own grunt work but it would be oh so nice to have these kinds of diagnostic skills in my mental bank. Well I could use some nicer torque wrenches too lolol.

Sadly this thread reminds me that I need to change my plugs.... not looking forward to it. just about to hit 51k on the car and have no clue if the plugs are originals or not. Still need to do the 50k diff service. It's getting too cold though. If I have a very nice weekend I might go grab a gasket some fluid and some limited slip additive and have at it. The plugs will have to wait till spring though.

[pajeff02]

Have only had to do this for my older cars -- a propane torch works nice if they are fuel fouled. I use a small brass brush for carbon along with compressed air to blow out around the ceramic base in the well.

[wheeliE-maxx]

Dang. I wish I had some of the engine knowledge you guys have. I think I need to go buy some books. I spend about 1 hour 20 mins on the train each day so I have a good amount of time to learn this stuff. I have the ability to handle all my own grunt work but it would be oh so nice to have these kinds of diagnostic skills in my mental bank. Well I could use some nicer torque wrenches too lolol.

Sadly this thread reminds me that I need to change my plugs.... not looking forward to it. just about to hit 51k on the car and have no clue if the plugs are originals or not. Still need to do the 50k diff service. It's getting too cold though. If I have a very nice weekend I might go grab a gasket some fluid and some limited slip additive and have at it. The plugs will have to wait till spring though.

Plugs aren't that bad. I just did my dad's and he has headers. Sometimes you havento use an open end wrench insteadof a ratchet to turn the spark plug socket. And you needs lots of different length socket extensions. #8 was actually easy, maybe because the headers made the other ones worse than stock. He thing I hate is the hardware on the left side coil packs (took the right side set off). The fasteners are shaped like spikes

[wheeliE-maxx]

Oh, and it took about four slooooow beers. Or forty minutes, however you like to measure time

[Z28_Driver]

grandpa used to use gasoline and a little piece of sand paper so that's what I've always done but only on lawn mowers and such. I just replace them in a vehicle.

Second that. Spark plugs are inexpensive. On your car you should just replace.
A catch can might help with the oil problem.

[wheeliE-maxx]

Second that. Spark plugs are inexpensive. On your car you should just replace.
A catch can might help with the oil problem.

Have catch can, in a way. It's seriously helping with oil and exhaust smell (before the intake gasket completely failed). Antifreeze deposits and smell are what I found on the #8 plug, the one closest to the external drip. Eddy 2101 manifold, hardware, all sealants and gaskets are in the mail as we speak. All cylinders noticibly burned oil (especially #8) before a couple rounds of fresh synthtic and marvel mystery oil. Cutting filters open after only 800 or so miles each reveals massive amounts of hard carbon (happens in the rings). I mention this because normally the plug would be oil fouled, but it's mineral-ish antifreeze deposits. Sanding didn't do shit for the plug.