Causes of a carbon-fouled spark plug include a dirty air filter, excessive driving at low speeds, too rich of a fuel/air mixture, dirty fuel injectors or idling your vehicle for too long.
The torque should ideally be monitored at about every 5,000 miles or so. This amounts to roughly every other oil change, so many people check the torque on their car spark plugs on this pattern. Be sure to adjust the spark plugs so the torque reading is accurate, in order to prevent blow outs from happening.
Carbon Fouled
Soft, black, sooty deposits easily identify this plug condition. This is most often caused by an over-rich, air/fuel mixture. Check for a sticking choke, clogged air filter, or a carburettor problem - float level high, defective needle or seat, etc.
A black, feathery carbon deposit on your spark plugs can be an indication of a weak spark or an overly rich fuel mixture. Causes may include a stuck choke, misadjusted or heavy carburetor float, a leaky injector or carburetor needle valve, low coil output or high resistance in your spark plug wires.
Many factors can cause a spark plug to fail; from incorrect heat ranges to improper gapping, to chemical contamination. Yet 90% of spark plug damage claims are due to improper torque. Proper installation torque is critical in the plug's ability to dissipate heat out of the combustion chamber and into the cylinder head.
WD-40 Multi-use Product is ideal for cleaning spark plugs. Spray WD-40 Multi-use Product on a microfiber cloth and rub over the spark plug. You can even spray WD-40 directly on the spark plug & then wipe it down using a soft, clean cloth.
Is it safe to spray WD-40 in a spark plug hole? Yes. WD40 is a water displacer, not a very good lubricant, and a bit of a solvent. If you need to spray anything int he cyclinder, it should be a penetrant like PB Blaster or even some oil.
Clean the spark plug thoroughly to avoid problems later. Remember, if a plug is fouling, its usually a result of engine side factors or incorrect heat range selection. If, after cleaning, a plug shows unusual signs of wear or doesn't come clean, its time to replace it.
Your better bet the next time you go to change out spark plugs is to use compressed air and a shop vac before you remove the plug. Use the compressed air to dislodge any foreign matter, and the shop vac with a tight nosed attachment to suck it up as it flies out. This way you won't have to deal with it another time.
Engine has a rough idle
If your Spark Plugs are failing your engine will sound rough and jittery when running at idle. This can cause vibrations to resonate through the vehicle which could cause further costly damage.
Another advantage of platinum spark plugs is that they run a little hotter, which burns deposits off the spark plug better and helps prevent fouling.
Found in many passenger vehicles, hot spark plugs have more insulation to transfer the heat slowly, which keeps the temperature high enough to burn off carbon deposits and avoid premature fouling. This helps allow for more time between spark plug changes.
While it's typically better to buy new spark plugs, you may be able to clean fouled spark plugs with a wire brush and a plug cleaner. Worn-out parts don't perform as well as new parts, unfortunately. But lucky for you, new spark plugs are pretty affordable!
Yes, you can spray carb cleaner (or carburetor cleaner) inside the spark plug hole. This'll help dissolve the hardened debris and loose materials in the spark plug well. After that, you can remove the filth with a compressed air can.
1 Answer. You can use carb cleaner, brake cleaner, acetone, or possibly IPA (isopropyl alcohol). All of the should work peachy for cleaning your oil residue without causing issues for your engine.
Abrasive Cleaning Method
Carbon, oil residue, and even fuel can foul a spark plug, preventing the spark from connecting between the electrodes. An abrasive such as sandpaper, a brillo pad, or wire brush can help remove any buildup on the center and side electrodes.
Leaky O-rings (spark plug tube seals) are probably the number one cause of oil on spark plugs. Spark plug tube seals keep engine oil, coolant, and everything else on one side of your spark plugs, so they remain dry. If these rings fail, engine oil can leak into your spark plug well and onto your spark plugs.
Tighten the spark plug finger-tight until the gasket reaches the cylinder head, then tighten about ½ – ⅔ turn more with a spark plug wrench. (Taper seat: About 1/16 turn more.)
Ordinary copper and nickel spark plugs should be changed every 30,000 to 50,000 miles, unless otherwise suggested by the spark plug manufacturer. Platinum and iridium spark plugs tend to last longer than standard copper and nickel spark plugs. Expect to change them every 60,000 to 150,000 miles unless otherwise noted.
The cheapest and easiest thing it could be is a bad spark plug. If a spark plug isn't firing hot enough or is badly misgapped, it won't combust all the fuel and you'll be left with a coating of black soot. So now that you've replaced the plugs, check them in 30 days and see if No. 1 is getting black again.