scottyMIz Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 hey guys i was driving my car and it felt sloooooooow so i figured well maybe the humidity but then i reved it up and it reved slow too so i took the plugs out and three had the ceramic around the electrode broken It just broke and slid over the gap of the plug this happened one time before but it only effected one plug and now i have three.Has anyone ever seen this happen?If so why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted July 22, 2002 Share Posted July 22, 2002 One word... DETONATION That's the only thing I know of that breaks plugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo2001 Posted July 23, 2002 Share Posted July 23, 2002 Yuk I hope you got all the ceramic pieces out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted July 23, 2002 Share Posted July 23, 2002 That has to be detonation. What do the unbroken one's look like? If they have chips out of the insulator, you have a detonation problem. If you don't get that fixed, you are going to have a nice boat achor for an engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyMIz Posted July 23, 2002 Author Share Posted July 23, 2002 see i thought of that too but the car didn't detonate at all.They didn't chip at all they just broke and slid down like they got hot and cooled too quick.I would have known if it had detonated i know what it sounds like and feels like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted July 23, 2002 Share Posted July 23, 2002 I've heard tell sometimes you don't hear detonation until it's too late. What color were the insulators? If they were close to white, maybe you should try a colder heat range, but I'd not push your boost any more, or back it off some, until you figure out what it is. Ceramic chips can't be good in a (relatively) soft steel engine cylinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo2001 Posted July 23, 2002 Share Posted July 23, 2002 May be the heat range is way off with wrong gaps. What plugs are you running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted July 23, 2002 Share Posted July 23, 2002 Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in here, but you can't always HEAR detonation when you are right on the ragged edge of it. Turbo had a good article on this a little over a year ago... If I can dig it up, I'll quote from it tonight. However, If it were one, you might be able to just say "Well I got a bad plug" but three??? Scottie, you've got a serious problems there and as someone else mentioned, if you don't fix it, you should start shopping for a boat because you will have the anchor... I'd also recommend you get an air/fuel meter, and make sure it is a good one, and then I'd off the boost. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted July 23, 2002 Share Posted July 23, 2002 Well I did some more thinking, and it could be you are way lean too. My plugs have a nice tanish brown color on them. Leaness would make ton's of excess heat, which could be causing the insulators to crack. Scottie, I run 98 BWM M3 dual electrode plugs in mine, since they are easy to index. They are of course a bosch plug, and their systen works alot like NGK's, the higher the number the cooler the plug. If you have NGK's, they should be heat range 7. Whatever your problem, you need to get a handle on it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted July 23, 2002 Share Posted July 23, 2002 You don't suppose it could be detonating while the BOV is making it's racket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyMIz Posted July 23, 2002 Author Share Posted July 23, 2002 thanks for the help guys i really appreciate the comments.Now to the tech part ok i'm running ac delco plugs(i know not the best)they are for the zxt motor.I was also thinking maybe they could be too hot and when the turbo blows cooler air on them they might be breaking.Or it could be that it is detonating and i am not hearing it.I am gonna check the timing tonight to make sure it's right i could have timed it wrong too.The plugs are all black from running rich but the first time this happened they where all brownish except for the broken one it was black from all the gas not getting burned right.After it started running bad i drove alot on them that's why they are black.I think i'm gonna go with bosch plugs now and get rid of the ac delco ones.I just put them in cuz i needed somthing and they where there.Like i said as far as the plugs actually breaking into pieces they aren't you can't even see where they broke it's up so far into the plug.I wish i could show them to you guys it would be a little easier.Everyone i show them to is baffled too unless i got a bad batch of plugs.I dunno but i have the boost turned back and i am taking it easy until i figure out what it is.I do have a a/f gauge and it's an autometer one works great and it never goes lean it actually runs rich ad i just replaced the o2 sensor so i know it's good.I'll keep you guys posted my g-friend's dad who i get my parts from is gonna call ac delco and ask them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R0N Posted July 23, 2002 Share Posted July 23, 2002 Originally posted by Jim Powers:You don't suppose it could be detonating while the BOV is making it's racket? Actually the car runs a little richer after the BOV releases the air (if it's not rerouted back to the intake pipes). Scotty I would get NGK's instead ACD. I'm sure you get a discount from your g-friend's dad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted July 24, 2002 Share Posted July 24, 2002 Delco plugs suck. Get some NGK's, ND's, or Bosch's. I really like the Bosch one's. They work well for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Purple240zt Posted July 24, 2002 Share Posted July 24, 2002 Have to disagree about delco plugs sucking, I wont put anything but in my turbocharged GN. Granted it is a GM vehicle. If you want really nice plugs, buy NGKs from your nissan dealer. The build quality is better on those plugs than parts store plugs. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyMIz Posted July 24, 2002 Author Share Posted July 24, 2002 ok guys the timng was only off like 3to 4 degrees so now it's 20 degrees btdc and it runs better and i can get more boost out of it.But it still doesn't explain the plugs.I'll just buy bosch plugs and call it good if it breaks those then it's definately an engine prob.Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyMIz Posted July 26, 2002 Author Share Posted July 26, 2002 ok guys got some reg ngk's and it seems to be just fine now runs great no hesitation and in about 500 miles or so i'll check the plugs for breakage.Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted July 26, 2002 Share Posted July 26, 2002 Which part number NGK did you get? I am running the BPR7ES, one heat range cold. I checked them last night, and they were a nice tan color with some carbon buildup - have some tuning work I think, before it will pass emissions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyMIz Posted July 27, 2002 Author Share Posted July 27, 2002 i have the bpr6es plugs and they are fine so far.I plan to make the bypass pipe tomorrow i just didn't feel like it today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimZ Posted July 28, 2002 Share Posted July 28, 2002 Scotty... For the amount of boost you have been running, you really should heed everybody's advice and go to at least the BPR-7ES NGK. I'm running -8ES's on mine. The -6ES plugs are too hot for your application - this can make you more detonation-prone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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