Spark plug electrode broke
06-20-2005, 12:37 AM
#1
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Spark plug electrode broke
Has this happened to anyone? It broke off in the middle of the bend and the remaining electrode stem has a nice clean edge. Definitely not burned away.
It broke off during the last session of the track weekend. I noticed that anytime that I went over 3/4 throttle there was a machine gun type sound and reduced performance (I think). I thought that the sound was explosions in the exhaust but with ear plugs and a helmet, I'm not sure. I've been having trouble with the MAF so I thought that this was another manifestation of that.
The car idled fine when coming into the pits so the spark must have jumped the gap well enough at low RPM. Perhaps at high RPM, it didn't fire and the explosions were the fuel exploding in the exhaust pipe.
Anyway, I did a compression test and compression is the same as a few weeks ago.
A magnet in the cylinder did not produce the offending piece of steel. I ordered a borescope yesterday so that I can inspect the cylinder walls and turbocharger exhaust vanes without removing the turbo. (I consider removing the turbocharger worse than replacing the clutch) If the turbo is OK, then the electrode must be in the crossover pipe -- I HOPE.
Does anyone have related advise / a story / condolences?
It broke off during the last session of the track weekend. I noticed that anytime that I went over 3/4 throttle there was a machine gun type sound and reduced performance (I think). I thought that the sound was explosions in the exhaust but with ear plugs and a helmet, I'm not sure. I've been having trouble with the MAF so I thought that this was another manifestation of that.
The car idled fine when coming into the pits so the spark must have jumped the gap well enough at low RPM. Perhaps at high RPM, it didn't fire and the explosions were the fuel exploding in the exhaust pipe.
Anyway, I did a compression test and compression is the same as a few weeks ago.
A magnet in the cylinder did not produce the offending piece of steel. I ordered a borescope yesterday so that I can inspect the cylinder walls and turbocharger exhaust vanes without removing the turbo. (I consider removing the turbocharger worse than replacing the clutch) If the turbo is OK, then the electrode must be in the crossover pipe -- I HOPE.
Does anyone have related advise / a story / condolences?
06-20-2005, 12:41 PM
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Yep...happened to me too. Let me guess, you were running Bosch platinum plugs? There were two or three folks on this board that had this happen a year or so ago. All had Bosch platinums. Coincidence...maybe? I'm running NGK's now.
06-20-2005, 07:22 PM
#4
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Yep,
happened to me. There's a thread on it awhile back.
It was bad news.
Blue smoke coming out the tailpipe. I pulled the head after discovering the broken tip in #4. (Bosch copper #7)
The cylinder was scored to rat****. The piece was never found and/but did not hurt the turbo.
Had to get a new engine, however!
Sorry, man; hopefully you'll be luckier.
happened to me. There's a thread on it awhile back.
It was bad news.
Blue smoke coming out the tailpipe. I pulled the head after discovering the broken tip in #4. (Bosch copper #7)
The cylinder was scored to rat****. The piece was never found and/but did not hurt the turbo.
Had to get a new engine, however!
Sorry, man; hopefully you'll be luckier.
06-20-2005, 11:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike S
Yep...happened to me too. Let me guess, you were running Bosch platinum plugs? There were two or three folks on this board that had this happen a year or so ago. All had Bosch platinums. Coincidence...maybe? I'm running NGK's now.