| Author |
Message |
magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member
Username: Magoo
Post Number: 3652
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 5:12 pm: | |
Anthony, What was the outcome? Did you buy the car? |
Jim Glickenhaus (Napolis)
New member
Username: Napolis
Post Number: 41
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, November 07, 2002 - 11:10 am: | |
Very interesting. Looks like the fuel additive could have caused it. If so not a worry. |
Anthony Acunzo (Yank05)
Junior Member
Username: Yank05
Post Number: 110
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, November 07, 2002 - 10:57 am: | |
found something on spark plug deposits and additives...see page 7
http://www.bosch.com.au/productcatalogue/sat/products/files/sparkplugs_passenger.pdf |
Anthony Acunzo (Yank05)
Junior Member
Username: Yank05
Post Number: 109
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, November 07, 2002 - 9:15 am: | |
Thanks, everyone. Thanks, Magoo. I know. Although I planned on having a very thorough pre-purchase inspection, including analysis of engine oil, I am concerned that this problem will not show up during the pre-purchase. What do you think? Could there be a hairline crack internally, like a water jacket? |
magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member
Username: Magoo
Post Number: 3424
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 8:37 pm: | |
Anthony, Re=Lead as you mentioned is a additive for use in older cars to give the same lubricating effect on valve guides that lead did in leaded fuels. However, I have used it in a few of my collector cars and never experienced any green deposits on the plugs. I feel the same as Ed does and would be very cautious about this finding. Don't let emotion over come common sense. |
Edward Gault (Irfgt)
Intermediate Member
Username: Irfgt
Post Number: 2213
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 5:36 pm: | |
I have seen green deposits on plugs before and in every case, it was coolant in the combustion chambers. I don't doubt that something else could cause it but I have never seen it. BTW I have not seen the green deposits too often. Usually there is a skip associated with the deposits whereas it would be a small leak to just leave a trace. |
Anthony Acunzo (Yank05)
Junior Member
Username: Yank05
Post Number: 108
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 5:11 pm: | |
I spoke with the mechanic who noted the green deposits. He said they looked like a by product of combustion. He said, from what he remembered, it looked as though the owner was using some sort of additive. I contacted the owner and he said, in fact, he was using an octane additive and "re-lead"(?) He will give me the specific brand names that he used. |
Anthony Acunzo (Yank05)
Junior Member
Username: Yank05
Post Number: 105
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 7:58 am: | |
I am going to contact the mechanic sometime today.
I am not sure if it was all of the plugs or not. If anti-freeze was getting in the combustion chamber(s), won't a compression/leakdown test reveal some sort of problem? Also, this car was driven regularly by the current owner before he brought it to the mechanic. If it was antifreeze, would the stain still be green, even at high combustion chamber temps? I did not think so, but I would like to hear from Ed too. Also, I heard that 308s could be prone to getting water in the plug areas from above (rear deck) if driven in the rain?
Thanks,
Anthony |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 414
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 7:18 am: | |
Where's Ed? He needs to hear this. |
magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member
Username: Magoo
Post Number: 3412
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 12:00 am: | |
Anthony, I have been watching this thread and I gotta tell ya that even if a car sets the plug deposits should not be green. My car sat in storage for 18 yrs and the plugs did not have anything but the usual carbon deposits. I really would be a bit, maybe a lot, cautious of this finding. I would also want to know what the Tech. thought. Not that he just noted it. Other than anti-freeze what could it be? The only thing is if he put some sort of stabilzer in the fuel before he stored it????? If he says yes, I would want to know what it was. Maybe. I still don't like it. JMO |
Stanley DiGuiseppi (Standig)
Junior Member
Username: Standig
Post Number: 80
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 7:00 pm: | |
Is it a deposit like a spot? or does it look like a green stain.
If its a stain it is more likley antifreeze getting into combustion chamber. Was it one or two plugs or all of them? |
David Jones (Dave)
Member
Username: Dave
Post Number: 413
Registered: 4-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 10:30 am: | |
I'm with Jim on this one...
Sounds like the car has sat a bunch since the plugs have been in the car around three years. |
Jim Glickenhaus (Napolis)
New member
Username: Napolis
Post Number: 29
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 9:13 am: | |
Short tripping. Starting the car and not driving it far enough to fully warm it up and burn off condinsation. Green is copper. It can also mean water in the combustion chamber, anti freeze staining after water is burned off. A corroding copper washer at the base of the plug? |
Anthony Acunzo (Yank05)
Junior Member
Username: Yank05
Post Number: 100
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 8:41 am: | |
I am considering a pre-purchase inspection on a carb 308. On one of the car's recent service records, a mechanic states he observed "strange green deposits" on the spark plugs. The plugs probably had only 4K on them and were less than three years old. What could be the cause of these deposits? What does this sound like?
Thank You,
Anthony |