Spark Plugs After 35k Miles - Wtf?

[mnmsmith]

I was changing the oil and the front and read differential fluids today, for the hell of it I decided to pull a plug and see how it looked after 35k miles, what I saw made my jaw drop. So I've got a Volant Intake, custom tune done by Wheatley locally (drive tune) right after the intake was installed, both were done around 14k miles. I put a fuel cleaner through about every 4k miles, use Exxon Premium gas, had been using Mobil 1 oil until this change, in the process of switching everything over to Royal Purple. My thought is the intake combined with the so-so Exxon gas, but that is not the most educated guess, I'm no mechanic. I did ask a tech at the GMC place today when I was picking up gaskets, but he said he didn't know what would be causing the plugs to look like that, he said he's seen plugs with 100k miles that don't look that bad. Any ideas guys?

[Silverado4x4]

From the looks of the plugs it looks like is running rich, those plugs at that mileage should a very lite gray in color. I would say its your tune dumping more fuel in the cylinders and not burning completely giving you carbon build-up on the plugs. Putting fuel cleaner in at every 4k miles is way overboard.

[Zembonez]

From the looks of the plugs it looks like is running rich, those plugs at that mileage should a very lite gray in color. I would say its your tune dumping more fuel in the cylinders and not burning completely giving you carbon build-up on the plugs. Putting fuel cleaner in at every 4k miles is way overboard.

^^^ What he said.

 

I think Mark nailed it.

[MacA]

^^^ What he said.

 

I think Mark nailed it.

 

^^^^ What they said...

 

You got some tuning issues for sure!!

[mnmsmith]

I figured it had something to do with the tune, but wanted input. I e-mailed Wheatley and will be going to see him this week, hopefully we'll get the tune straightened out. Is there any way, other than checking the plugs after who knows how many miles to know if the tune is not setup optimally? I didn't notice any issues early on, though recently it didn't feel like it had the normal get up and go it used to.

 

Also, why shouldn't I used a fuel system cleaner every 4k miles or so? The label says every 3k miles, I know, they are the ones selling it, more profit for them the more you use it, but I had never heard that it could be harmful. Can someone explain?

[Zembonez]

I figured it had something to do with the tune, but wanted input. I e-mailed Wheatley and will be going to see him this week, hopefully we'll get the tune straightened out. Is there any way, other than checking the plugs after who knows how many miles to know if the tune is not setup optimally? I didn't notice any issues early on, though recently it didn't feel like it had the normal get up and go it used to.

Also, why shouldn't I used a fuel system cleaner every 4k miles or so? The label says every 3k miles, I know, they are the ones selling it, more profit for them the more you use it, but I had never heard that it could be harmful. Can someone explain?

 

Modern fuels have plenty of detergent and additives in them to maintain a clean fuel system. Plus, gasoline itself is a solvent. Additive makers get rich selling basically what you are already getting. That's all we are saying.

[Nytemare]

I figured it had something to do with the tune, but wanted input. I e-mailed Wheatley and will be going to see him this week, hopefully we'll get the tune straightened out. Is there any way, other than checking the plugs after who knows how many miles to know if the tune is not setup optimally? I didn't notice any issues early on, though recently it didn't feel like it had the normal get up and go it used to.

 

Also, why shouldn't I used a fuel system cleaner every 4k miles or so? The label says every 3k miles, I know, they are the ones selling it, more profit for them the more you use it, but I had never heard that it could be harmful. Can someone explain?

If its a mail order tune you have, your pretty much stuck with what you have. The only true way to check/zero-in your mixture is through the use of a wide-band and a day on the dyno. You could also get a data-logger and a wide-band and ship the log box back to the tuner and he/she can adjust your tune for optimal mixture.

[mnmsmith]

Wheatley is local, so he is going to pull the logs off when I go see him and we'll start there.

[Nytemare]

Wheatley is local, so he is going to pull the logs off when I go see him and we'll start there.

well.....that's convenient....you bastard

[mnmsmith]

Wheatley is local, so he is going to pull the logs off when I go see him and we'll start there.

well.....that's convenient....you bastard

 

[mnmsmith]

Just got home from a visit with Charlie Wheatley. No codes were present, no detonation issues, everything looked good. Did a couple 'laps' while he watched all the readings, everything looked perfect. So I don't know, I'm going to keep a close eye on these plugs, but it doesn't appear to be the tune. As usual, Charlie was very helpful, great guy to deal with.

[redvett]

Might want to ditch the premum gas its slower burning and will cause that problem.

[ColoradoSkiCountry]

I agree. Try lower octane.

[Black02Silverado]

Might want to ditch the premum gas its slower burning and will cause that problem.

 

It depends on his tune. If it is tuned for the high octane then the timing will be advanced as far as it can to help with performance taking advantage of the fuel.

 

I agree that the tune is the issue, something isn't quite right by the look at the plugs. It is as if the engine is running in a closed loop like when you first start it up, it runs rich until it gets up to temp. What temp is the engine at when it is fully warmed up?

[mnmsmith]

The tune is for performance and calls for premium fuel.

 

I'll check the temp next time I'm in the truck.