Plug Reading Help Needed

I’m looking for some help at reading a couple plugs on a newly built strip street 460, DOVE heads, 10:1 CR. In the pic below, at left is No. 4 plug and on the right is No. 1. I’ve got about 200 miles driving the car breaking it in. I put some new AR 33 plugs in and after about an hour of run time mostly on highway and nailing the throttle a few times. The No. 4 plug porcelain is a lot darker than the other plugs. I did a quick compression check between No 4 cylinder and No1 and it was almost the same. What does this dark plug tell me? The metal part of the No. 4 plug shows clean because I wiped some residue off it. Any tips or advise would be appreciated.

looks like oil contamination to me on #4 .......

Judging from the compression check, I would assume oil is not getting past the rings. I don't think it would be the valve seals, but I can check. I'm thinking some oil is getting past the intake gasket then, does this sound likely? Thanks

Worth checking.

I pulled the pvc and taped the hole shut, started the engine and covered the other valve cover hole with my hand while it was running. I couldn't really feel a vacuum, but I did pull the intake anyways. It looks like the intake gasket wasn't compressed all the way at the bottom slightly. I did use the rubber end gaskets and I know I shouldn't have. Any tips on what I should do now? Should I use any gasket sealer? I'll use RTV and seal the ends. Anything else. Thanks

Mark460 wrote:I pulled the pvc and taped the hole shut, started the engine and covered the other valve cover hole with my hand while it was running. I couldn't really feel a vacuum, but I did pull the intake anyways. It looks like the intake gasket wasn't compressed all the way at the bottom slightly. I did use the rubber end gaskets and I know I shouldn't have. Any tips on what I should do now? Should I use any gasket sealer? I'll use RTV and seal the ends. Anything else. Thanks

i use RTV on the ends.what kinda gasket,felpro? be'n on #4 plug and you said your running a pvc it could be sucking oil through it from the v/c,then into the intake.if your pvc hose is like 99%,its on the back of the carb.did you look at #8 as well?

Mark460 wrote:Any tips on what I should do now? Should I use any gasket sealer? I'll use RTV and seal the ends. Anything else. Thanks

Best thing I have found so far is "The Right Stuff" by 3 M.
http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/automotive_gasketing/gasket_makers/auto_Permatex_the_Right_Stuff_Gasket_Maker.htm

O'Reilly (and others) carry it.

you said your running a pvc it could be sucking oil through it from the v/c,then into the intake.if your pvc hose is like 99%,its on the back of the carb.did you look at #8 as well?

Ah man, I didn't think about this. I've got a Weiand Stealth and I hate to admit where I looked the PCV line to, you guessed it, the port on the #4 intake runner. Maybe I'll just take the PCV system off for now and just run breathers, because valve cover doesn't even have an oil baffle under the PCV valve.

Thanks

If you are running this engine on the street if so you need the PVC valve hooked up.I would put a baffle in the valve cover it not that hard to put a baffle in if you have aluminum valve cover if you have steel tack weld one in.


Jim

Forgot Advance Auto parts carry the rubber grommet with the baffle built in it I think they come 2 to a pack over where they keep the chrome valve cover caps.

Jim

Mark460 wrote:

you said your running a pvc it could be sucking oil through it from the v/c,then into the intake.if your pvc hose is like 99%,its on the back of the carb.did you look at #8 as well?

Ah man, I didn't think about this. I've got a Weiand Stealth and I hate to admit where I looked the PCV line to, you guessed it, the port on the #4 intake runner. Maybe I'll just take the PCV system off for now and just run breathers, because valve cover doesn't even have an oil baffle under the PCV valve.

Thanks

dont ask how i guessed it.