LT1 Based Engine Tech 1993-1997 LT1/LT4 Engine Related

what makes spark plugs turn green??

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Old 07-23-2003, 04:09 PM
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what makes spark plugs turn green??

my friend is having a problem with his spark plugs. part of the plug looks like a nice tan color while right next to the tan there is a light green. all eight of the plugs are this color so we know we are not dealing with one cylinder. the plugs are ngk's non platinum's. they have been in the car for about 5000 miles. any suggestions???
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Old 07-23-2003, 04:19 PM
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I have never seen or heard of the plugs turnning green for any reason. Is the car running fine?Do you have any way of taking pics of the plugs?...
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Old 07-23-2003, 04:39 PM
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well i have a digital camera but i don't know how to use it or put stuff on the net. i will ask my brother how to use it. we don't have a scanner though. i don't even know if you need one or not. the car is kind of running like crap. we don't know why. we are wondering if the distributor is going or something. there is a slight hesitation at low rpms but when the car is floored, its fine. it just is not moving quite as quick as it was before. he lost a couple tenths in the 1/4 and we don't know why. his car actually has a 350 TPI in it so we don't confuse ourselves here. that means, no opti but a distributor. i wouldn't think the msd ignition has anything to do with it?
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Old 07-23-2003, 04:51 PM
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Have you taken the cap off the dist.? are the terminals corroded? are the wires in good shape? You might have better luck in the 3rd gen tech. If you email me the pics I will look at them and can even put them on the net.
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Old 07-23-2003, 05:04 PM
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the wires are have less than 1K on them. i believe that the cap was replaced about 5K ago. thanks, i will try to get some pics, other opinions are welcome.
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Old 07-23-2003, 05:20 PM
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I don't mean to be mean, but that's kinda funny. I've never heard plugs turning green. Maybe coolant?
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Old 07-23-2003, 05:28 PM
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coolant turns everything white at least from what i have seen.
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Old 07-23-2003, 05:48 PM
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I remember reading posts about odd colors coming from additives in gasoline. I don't know if green was one of them, but it's certainly possible.
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Old 07-23-2003, 06:36 PM
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I have a friend that runs chevron techtron gas an it turns his green along with the runners.

Joe
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Old 07-23-2003, 08:40 PM
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fuel is a good point. i know he only uses premium, but i also know its generic. we don't have any good gas stations in town. i don't think it would be antifreeze after i thought about it because each plug is partially green. i think it would be pretty odd that each cylinder is getting antifreeze to it. what i don't understand though: why is it partially a nice tan while the other half is a green color? the reading is really funny looking. i am looking at the white porcelian under the electrode on the plug. i think that is porcelian??? anyways, part of it is white as it came when the plugs were new, part is the tan, and then there is a little green. it is not a uniform plug color???
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Old 07-23-2003, 11:13 PM
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For the entire life of my car up until I moved to crappy Pennsylvania which has no Chevrons(so for about 65,000 miles) it has run exclusively on Chevron Premium w/Techron(except for one emergency Exxon fillup and 1 Texaco!). I just pulled my plugs and there isnt a bit of green on them! I'm not calling you a liar, FireAm94, just providing another example!
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Old 07-23-2003, 11:53 PM
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It wouln't matter if u were....no biggy. I know it turned his green...and was surprised as hell. I don't blame the non-believers.

JOe
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Old 07-24-2003, 09:26 AM
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My buddy's plugs were green after running on VP C-16 race gas.
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Old 07-24-2003, 09:57 AM
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theres some sort of additive being introduced there, either in the gas or in something he's putting in it (octane booster? Fuel injector cleaner? HEET?)

Chances are its not a big deal, but I would see if I could find out what it was, then try to eliminate it from the car's diet
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Old 07-25-2003, 01:20 AM
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no octane booster is going in the car. only premium pump gas. so the additive may be in the fuel itself. its weird though, i use that same gas in my 2000 grand am gt and my plugs don't turn green. however, i only use the unleaded, not premium. we think his car is burning a little antifreeze. he did put some barsleak in the radiator a while back but that did not seem to do anything.
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