I want your car to blow up

 

I'm pretty sure it’s the plugs. I had the exact problem with some aftermarket iridium NGK's. The plugs had the screw on tip with the hollow top. What I found was that the plug wires did not make a secure connection to the top of the plug. This caused arcing from the wire connector to the sides of the plug. This is what you see as the carbon build up on the sides. This built up the resistance of the plug, preventing either a full powerful spark, or a complete misfire all together.

I think this is evident by how black the plugs look, which is the un burnt fuel from the weak spark or misfire, further causing the plugs to become fouled.

I would try either the stock plugs with the solid tips, or either an aftermarket plus with a solid tip. Also, make sure that the gap is set to factory specs. If not the gap will cause the resistance in the plus to be too high and cause a weak spark and more carbon build up on the tip of the plug.

 

I also agreee with trying new plugs. I suggest trying the stock plugs. They work good for everyone around her. The HKS DLI will help make a stonger spark, and might help your problem out, but that is a bandaid for the problem. Anytime you have arcing outside the combustion chamber, that mean less spark energy is available for lighting off the mixture. I think if you fix the problem causing the black rings on the spark plug connector, then your knocking should subside. It is hard to believe that every gas station in your area has poor quality gas. They should get fuel from different suppliers on different trucks on differenet days.

My $.02. Hope you fix it.

Brian

 

Thanks for your input, Brian. I out the old OE plugs back in earlier this morning. We'll see how it plays out when I get all the race gas out of the system over the next week or two.

 

There is another thread active about a misfire and these plugs. The consensus seems to be that these plugs do not work in the Evo.

Fuel filter is a very good point. I've seen only slightly restricted fuel pumps cause serious problems at high RPMS and the car runs great otherwise.

 

Boy oh boy do I have a story about the NGK BR8es. I do not recommend these plugs anymore since one broke apart in my number 3 cylinder. There was no signs of detonation on the plug and it was still gapped perfectly when I took it out, just half of the ceramic was magically missing.

 

Speaking of spark plugs, for everyones benefit.
Never use a spark plug that has been dropped or mishandled. I've seen so many plugs dropped by a parts guy that cracked the porcelein. OF course you'll see the tell tale black lines as soon as they are run in a car. I won't even accept plugs that have been dropped even on the parts counter. They are a lot more delicate then people think.

 

A blown up spark plug IS a sign of detonation.

 

Well, is there an irridium plug like the OEM plug that is one range colder? Think you could get those at the parts store?

Also, I've looked at the connector inside the plug wire, and it isn't burnt like plug connector is. For whatever that's worth.

 

Looks like LancerShop.com has them...

PLUGS

Oh, and by the way I just remembered what I had done with my stock plugs (which had come out by 3K miles). I had used them to see if that was the problem I was having with knock, and they knocked too.


I think that next I'll try these plugs above if Shivly and ThePunchard think that might be a reasonable route to go? Guys?

But I also agree that Al's assement is incorrect, as we CRIPPLED the maps on my car and it still didn't go away. I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem that can be tuned away. It is definately RPM and load related, and is quickly cured via octane.

I've also tried running SeaFoam through my engine via the intake manifold and injector cleaner via the gas tank to see if there were carbon deposits that needed to be cleaned out, or if I had a dirty injector.

One of my next steps is to find someone on here who has their stock injectors still that will sell them to me cheap to try that. My car only has 22K on the clock, but gas that is a good 93 octane rating but is DIRTY would explain why both of us have this problem since we've gotten gas at the same places before.

A possibility I think.

 

did you try new plugs yet?

 

OE plugs are in the car now, but there is a trace of race gas still in the tank form the last tank, so I won't know for a bit. I'll update the thread as I try things and report what the final cure is.

 

Update. Cured with 71 degree celsius Ralliart thermostat.
Although its a workaround, I've been knock free for nearly a month.

 

Seth, Thanks for the update. I'm running the same plugs, so I guess it's time to make a change.

 

I agree with most others... try some stock plugs which are NGK-IGR7A-G. They are like $30, but its worth a shot to fix your problem!