i traded my car for a del sol with high c:r sohc. When i first traded it ran fine. Now im back in my state which is 2000 feet higher above sea level than where there this car was tuned. Now it runs funny, light throttle cuts and is choppy like the timing is off or its missing. So i went to check my spark plugs and there is like red dust type stuff on the ends of all the plugs. kind of like rust color. i sprayed with starting fluid and it ran off. I havnt driven my car yet to see if it changed but where would this red **** come from?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 92eg6lsvtec &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i traded my car for a del sol with high c:r sohc. When i first traded it ran fine. Now im back in my state which is 2000 feet higher above sea level than where there this car was tuned. Now it runs funny, light throttle cuts and is choppy like the timing is off or its missing. So i went to check my spark plugs and there is like red dust type stuff on the ends of all the plugs. kind of like rust color. i sprayed with starting fluid and it ran off. I havnt driven my car yet to see if it changed but where would this red **** come from?</TD></TR></TABLE>

It sounds like octane booster deposits. And if we are talking about a high compression motor, there is a good chance that either you or the previous owner has used some octane booster. Octane boosters often contain organometallic compounds like MMT and Ferrocene. And when these compounds burn, they leave behind a metal oxide residue. In your case, this red stuff is simply iron oxide (ie RUST) from the combustion of ferrocene. I don't know if this is bad for an engine from a wear perspective. But chances are this stuff has killed your cat (if you are running one) and possibly the oxygen sensor. I myself don't like organometallic octane boosters for this reason.

Here's one thing to keep in mind: if you live at a high altitude, your engine's octane requirements are less than at sea level. So unless your compression is CRAZY high, you don't need the octane boost. Especially if you can get decent pump gas (93 octane) where you live. But if you DO need a higher octane rating than available pump gas, try to find some 100 octane to mix with premium pump gas. Even toluene from a paint or hardware store is preferable to organometallics.


Modified by StorminMatt at 8:17 PM 3/28/2006

 

hmm. well im gonna try some new spark plugs. but im not throwing any cel for o2 sensor either. thanks for the info tho.

 

Good explanation Matt.

I've noticed a similiar discoloration when using Sunoco GT 104 (unleaded). Makes me wonder...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 92eg6lsvtec &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hmm. well im gonna try some new spark plugs. but im not throwing any cel for o2 sensor either. thanks for the info tho.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Keep in mind that an oxygen sensor can be bad, but not bad enough to light the check engine light.

 

hmmm. well my car drives like **** fo rsome reason

 

You are at a higher elevation. If the car was tuned where the old owner was, it is a very good idea to retune where you live. I found that out when I went to reno from southern california. My car is tune for cali but reno is way up there and the air is thinner. You are probably running rich now. (didn't stop me from owning subarus up there.)

 

lol nice. yea im gonna try and get a retune today or within the week and hopefully thats better. and eliminate the o2 sensor in crome

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 92eg6lsvtec &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">lol nice. yea im gonna try and get a retune today or within the week and hopefully thats better. and eliminate the o2 sensor in crome</TD></TR></TABLE>
It's fine to let your tuner eliminate the O2 sensor during the tuning process, but beware of the "tuner" that chooses to eliminate it [or any other sensor] for daily driving...