need help analyzing spark plug condition

[BarryK]

Hi all.Just pulled the spark plugs out of my '65 L76 motor to replace them with non-resistor plugs.

These are the ACDelco R45's I just put in the motor back in Jan and they have very little milage on them. I'd say less than 1,000 miles since being put in.
Sorry, I know the flash on the different pictures makes them seem a little varied, but all 8 plugs are EXACTLY identical in terms of condition, coloring, etc.
Do they look ok for proper engine operation, fuel mixture, etc?
The one thing that concerns me is that on all of them the threads from approx 11/2 - 2 threads down from the top are slightly wet with oil but the top portion of the threads are nice and dry as is the tip and electrode area.
The pictures of the plugs on each cylinder are here and each picture is marked for which cylinder the plug was in.
http://69.253.166.197/page1/page126/page96/page176/page176.html

 

[Bwmurph]

Barry,

My $ 0.02: All the plugs look pretty good to me in regard to how they're burning; maybe just a touch lean. I'm not so sure about some of that "crust" that I see around the rim of some of the plugs, but that may actually look worse than what it really is.

As for the oil: No leaking valve cover gaskets ?? (I thought we got them sealed up pretty good) Better double check.

Bernie O.

 

[BarryK]

Bernie


thanks for responding, I guess no one else was interested

Your comment on the "a touch lean" makes me wonder. A friend who is VERY knowledgabe on these cars said the same exact thing. He said they looked fine but MAYBE a bit lean.
I set my carb mixture with a vacuum gauge for highest steady vacuum as per recommendations by many people so I wonder why it might possibly be a bit lean. Hmmmm.

I also wondered about the oil on the outside of the threads but he said that was normal and not an issue. He gave a good explanation but I'd have to go back to his email to see what it was. For me as long as he said it was normal I wasn't concerned anymore.

Nope, the valve covers aren't leaking a drop and your buddy who welded up that one area after our little mishap did a good job as that's holding up well and no leaking around there either.

You in town this week or still away?

 

[Bwmurph]

Barry,

I wouldn't worry about it being a LITTLE bit lean, as yours appears; I'd rather it a little lean than a little rich, but that's just me.

Well, thought I was going to be in town until next Monday, but found out about an hour ago I've got to go to Vancouver on Thurs and back Sat or Sun.

BTW - How did the meet at Cecil County go ?? Obviously you didn't break anything or there'd be a nice long thread about it !.

Bernie O.

 

[BarryK]

Bernie,
Man, they are really keeping you running ALL THE TIME aren't they?!!

The drags were good. Linda and I drove the '65 there but I did run the car as I was looking forward to since this missing problem started. I wasn't going to rish running it and maybe cause damage until I find out what's causing it, besides it gets so bad at upper rpm's I would have LOUSY times anyway.

Nice time there watching the car and seeing a bunch of people I knew.

Qwiktripp from on here was there and won his class!

 

[Marlar]

Hi all.Just pulled the spark plugs out of my '65 L76 motor to replace them with non-resistor plugs.

These are the ACDelco R45's I just put in the motor back in Jan and they have very little milage on them. I'd say less than 1,000 miles since being put in.
Sorry, I know the flash on the different pictures makes them seem a little varied, but all 8 plugs are EXACTLY identical in terms of condition, coloring, etc.
Do they look ok for proper engine operation, fuel mixture, etc?
The one thing that concerns me is that on all of them the threads from approx 11/2 - 2 threads down from the top are slightly wet with oil but the top portion of the threads are nice and dry as is the tip and electrode area.
The pictures of the plugs on each cylinder are here and each picture is marked for which cylinder the plug was in.
http://69.253.166.197/page1/page126/page96/page176/page176.html

Barry, if any of my plugs looked like all of yours, I would be a happy camper. The high speed miss is not likely plugs. Do you worry too much?

 

[BarryK]

Marlar

see my other thread called " Update on high RPM miss".
The issue was the plugs as I suspected. NOT because of the condition of the plugs I removed - they were fine and basically new. They had only been in since Jan. but rather the issue was that they were resistor plugs.
As soon as I switched to a non-resistor plug my missing went away.