rhecht

I have been experiencing some abnormal spark plug wear lately at least for the past 2 sets of plugs that I have used.
I have and LSVTEC engine with 12.1:1 static compression runing on 92 octane pump gas and with 14 deg of ignition timing, cam overlap is set to 3 deg of advance on the intake side and 2 deg retarded on the exhaust.
I am using a jacobs icepak ignition kit and some NGK powercore wires other than that the ignition system is stock. I have rollerwave pistons and minimal head work.
Not exactly sure what this could be caused from, does anyone on here have any ideas.
Well they say a picture says 1000 words so take a look below. Notice the "crater" in the ground electrode.



http://www.imagestation.com/al...idx=1/

rhecht

Forgot to mention that the spark plugs were only used for about 8000km and upon further inspection of the plugs it seems that there is now an empty gap in the ceramic insulator where the platinum center electrode used to be, I don't know how far down it goes. I only noticed this because the car was hesitating in the low rpm and wasn't starting up very well in the morning.
My guess is that the Jacobs ICEPAK is putting out too strong of a spark and eroding the electrodes by having too hot of a spark.
Also the original gap was set at 0.040"




Modified by rhecht at 4:05 AM 12/13/2005

minimesleeper94

sounds like they're running too hot. i had the same problem but it was due to the head gasket being blown between cylnders leaking spent exhaust into each cylinder never giving time to cool down however that's not the point. i could look closer at your afr's, ignition timing and deffinately change to a step or two cooler plug. also with that try using iridium plugs instead.

rhecht

Thanks Minimesleeper94.

I am running Hondata S200, but I don't have datalogging on it yet. I have had it tuned by a local shop.
The ignition timing is set to 14 deg BTDC.
You now have me worried about the Head Gasket, but my last compression test resulted in a dynamic compression on each cylinder as follows;
238, 238, 230, 238 that was about 1 month ago. I have just changed everything back to the stock ignition setup and threw in some new plugs the car seem much happier now, I'll have to check things out in a little while with regards to the plugs new plugs. I have also used the Iridium plugs and it create the same "Crater" effect on the ground electrode, however the center electrode doesn't seem to have any ill effects.

rhecht

A little more to report, I have used several types of plugs and have experienced the same "crater" effect on the ground electrode. I've used NGK Iridium Heat range 7 plugs (model: BKR7EIX-11) this is 2 steps colder.
and the Bosch platinum (# 4227) not sure of the heat range and also NGK V-Power Copper plugs (Model: BCPR6E-11) this 1 step colder.
Do I need to use even colder plugs?
Anyway, on the Bosch plugs that got screwed, all of them exhibit the same wear on the ground electrode and the center electrode, normally on the bosch plugs when they are new the platinum center electrode is flush with the ceramic insulator, in all 4 of the ones I pulled the center electrode is worn down at least 0.040" I can't really measure it properly. I used a needle and pushed as far as I could and marked the needle with a pen and then measured the needle amount it was 0.040" not to mention the gap was set to 0.040" no wonder I was having some hesitation. Weird sh**.