Changed my spark plugs today

[Black]

First and foremost.....major thanks to Don for gapping the new plugs for me and sending them. Greatly appreciate all the correspondence back and forth.


This is what they looked like. I don't believe they were gapped correctly as i took a dial (i know it's technically not the correct tool to use) to check them. Not even close to the .042-.044 range.

Seems like a lot of carbon build up. What do you think? What's the cause if this is excessive and how to i remedy?

Anyways, going test out the newly installed plugs tomorrow. Please pray everything is the same and nothing breaks

[fishnfireman]

Don't know how old they are but they look ok to me from the picture..seen a lot worse... were you having any motor issues with the old plugs ?

[hstechfl]

They look perfect to me. Are you sure those came out of an Optimax?

[Black]

Great to know. I wasn't having any motor issues, just changing the plugs for 100hr maintenance. I took it out this morning and I do notice it idles better and just sounds better in general.

Again, I just have to thank Don for his help. There need to be more people like him in the world

[Gamblinman]

Nice, clean insulators. No carbon build-up. No erosion. Look for any tracer marks on porcelain.

[Ronman]

5 of the 6 look perfect to me. My best is like your worst from memory.

[kercha83]

those look better than mine and Don say's that mine looks fine.

[Fishysam]

Lol I'm in the "those look better than mine crowd" my best looks like your worst and I had 1 that was worse than the rest, I wonder if there is an emissions deal on the bottom port side

[cbp84]

When I changed mine last, they looked almost identical. I had one that was blacker than the rest (like the 2nd one from the left in your picture) cyl 6 I think. My question is why?

[Savage]

Could be a number of things......

Injector problem
Spark problem
Temperature problem

[EuropeanAM]

Plugs will look like this from a healthy engine that made a nice long run in the mid-RPM range shortly before shutdown.

Plugs from an engine that's been idling for 90+ seconds.... probably not so pretty.

As the OP found out, folks often overlook gapping the plugs. It IS important to proper operation and fuel burn.

[krindgen]

Two seasons with my XS and those plugs look way better than mine. My first season I chalked it up to break-in and me burning some 89 octane. Then this past season the plugs looked the same as year before so not sure what my excuse is, maybe I don't always measure my additives to be perfect. A little is good more is perfect.

[Black]

I will say that I use non-ethanol gas and use Don's cocktail just about every time I tank up. The only thing I haven't done is add the oil to my gas (yet).

[EuropeanAM]

Two seasons with my XS and those plugs look way better than mine. My first season I chalked it up to break-in and me burning some 89 octane. Then this past season the plugs looked the same as year before so not sure what my excuse is, maybe I don't always measure my additives to be perfect. A little is good more is perfect.

Correct amount is perfect.

If you're inspecting your plugs after a lengthy idle (in excess of 180 seconds), they're going to look considerably worse.