Please analyze my spark plug picture

[dvcrogers]

I am trying to tune this beast and I have run into a few problems.

Take a look at this.
What do you guys think?

[kiwi]

?

.......coolant maybe? what is temp doing? Exhaust "spitting"?

[dvcrogers]

I drive the car 55 miles to work everyday and it hardly gets on the "N" on the gauge. I have to run the heater to keep the temp from droping back down to the extreme left "white stripe".

[Will]

To me it looks like some kind of fuel or oil additive's ash.

[dvcrogers]

It has never had oil additives that I know of. But, it could be a fuel problem.
A few months ago I installed a walbro 255 and Aeromotive adj. reg. because of some fuel issues that I had then.
Fuel psi is 40 at idle with line on and 49 with line off.
I noticed just a couple of hours ago that the exhaust leak I had is coming from the "missing" gasket between the turbo and manifold. Yikes!!!!!!!! I wonder if that is messing with the O2 sensor. Being that it is so close to the "missing" gasket.

[Pat_in_L.A.]

How old are those plugs? What mods besides the K&N? Do all 4 look the same? Maybe fix the obvious and try again with a fresh set of plugs..

[SVOeric]

white crusty stuff is typically a sign of coolant making it's way into the combustion chamber..

that reads as a head gasket, or cracked head normally

you may want to think about doing a compression test, and a coolant system pressure test.

[dvcrogers]

All the plugs look the same. Plugs are new as of a month ago. So I think my best bet would be to do a comp test.

[SVOeric]

it is odd that all plugs looked that way -- usually if there is a headgasket or cracked head problem, it will only be in one or 2 cylnders.

when you put the new adjustable FPR in, what did you set the base fuel pressure at (with the vacume port un-plugged)

[dvcrogers]

right at 40 PSI but, the car will not idle lower than 1300 rpm so its hard to get it right.

[Ken Potter]

Cold start up...

Let the engine get cold and crank it up and sniff your tailpipe(s) or put your hand over the tailpipe and hold back on the pressure for a little bit and then smell your hand. If it smells sweet then it's anti- freeze if it smeels like gas then it may be an additive if it smells like oil... I personally think it looks like anti-freeze / coolant. Is your turbo water ( antifreeze ) cooled? If its leaking internally it could be injesting it through the airstream. Pull your intercooler and check the compressor side and the throttle body. If it's damp then it could be the seal inside the turbo. This would also account for all 4 plugs looking the same.

[dvcrogers]

Thanks Ken, I'll do that this afternoon.

[kiwi]

I thought so..........

...........it looked like coolant/ or "water deposits" on the electrode.......if its on all four plugs/ it will have to be 'ingesting' it somewhere centrally.........

[GAboySVO]

Go to the experts

Here's a link to Autolight diagnosis page. From what I see in both your's and their picture, it is ash build up. Have you added any fuel additives or octane boosters lately?

http://www.autolite.com/tech/PlugTips.pdf

[Greg]

It looks to me like a fuel additive is in your fuel, I say that because I have run Octane additive before and seen the same build up. You may change your fuel or buy it some where else and check it again?

Greg