i dunno about being normal. explain the yellow rings around the base of the spark plugs and the fact there only 6,000 miles on them. thats a sign that something is wrong. like moisture buildup and rust forming or something like that. these plugs do look different in person. pictures don't do them justice. and these arn't what they call fouled. fouled is when oil gets built up on the plug. i believe these are burnt plugs.

but i still don't know. this might be a sing that i'm running too rich or i burnt out my O2 sensors. ugh..back to some hardcore tuning.

 

z, here's a word of advice from a fellow turbo owner. your plugs should be gapped at .035, the ones i have came pregapped, they are ngk iridium heat range 6, i bought them from performancesparkplugs.com, great site, anyway, didnt your plugs have a center electrode on the base? i didnt see it, i was just wondering. that is a huge problem if you dont, after all thats what gives the spark.

 

That "bogging" feeling is definately related to the ignition..... But usually not one plug, all.

If one plug was causing a problem and the other three were firing you wouldn't notice it as easy. Usually if one is misfiring you can tell better at idle, not really while driving....

My roomate just had the same issue on a non turbo, 93 Integra. Under hard driving the car would loose ALL power (at times, very random) and sometimes under normal driving.

We changed his plugs, and wires. Same problem.

Once we looked at his cap and rotor, there was the problem......

The "burnt" issue may be that you are running rich. Getting some burnt/discoloration on the base of the plug is normal. Unless it is on the electrode, but your plugs look free of that so.....

Good luck tuning... Hope it helps

 

If only someone would create an ignition system that will actually work on the lancer....

 

those plugs are toast heat was definitely way too much for their range.

 

just get denso iridum's and your prob is solved they work great on turbo'd engines!!!!!!

 

We know this how? It's a proven fact among boosters that copper is arguably better. It's not his plug that's the problem, it's the way the plug was functioning based on its heat range. [SARCASM]I know that Nike makes the best shoe if I look at their ads[/SARCASM] (even though their shoes are garbage!). Regardless, I think Z found his answer.

 

well...another thing popped into my head. i think my blow off valve was getting stuck open a little bit. i converted it back to a by-pass valve and it seems o-k. but i think my car is playin games with me. only time will tell though.

 

Well as to how those plugs are normal I'll explain. It would seem that the lancer runs lean; how lean I don't know. Everyone I know who has changed their plugs has had them come out the same as your plugs appear to be singed at the tips, and with the top browned. Now how bad your plugs are I don't know, but if your electrodes are in decent shape then I don't think your plugs were so much of the problem as again your ignition; possibly you should break out the poor man's osciliscope(timing light), and test for misfire as was stated.

EDIT: Also the browning on the porcelain I do not believe that its severe enough to be considered un-natural. I would wager(no expert yet) that it would need to be either futher up the plug or if the ring was blackened I believe then you might have a temperature problem.

 

Actually Z. LoL shame I didn't notice before but look at your electrodes they're completely clean. Those particles might be from running rich, in that case I believe thats unburned fuel depositing onto the plug do to incomplete combustion or possibly an ignition failure.