finally changed my plugs

simon84 · Post by **simon84** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:48 pm

So I finally changed my plugs in my 84 tercel.
I know I put new ones in when I got it at 170,000km and probably changed them again sometime after 200,000km. It has definitely been a while and now I'm at 300,000km.
Here's some pics of the plugs. I think they were possibly v groove plugs, but they aren't any more. They look like the gap has increased quite a bit. There are also more deposits on 2 and 3. I'm thinking that they run a bit hotter.
I'd be interested if anyone has any thoughts on how they look.
It seems to run better but I have not driven very much yet.

takza · Post by **takza** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:21 am

Considering that they aren't that hard to do...maybe you waited a just a tad too long?

simon84 · Post by **simon84** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 9:23 am

Yeah, I was being kinda lazy for sure. But the car was running pretty good so I just forgot about it.

takza · Post by **takza** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:10 pm

I've seen that with some cars I've bought. Strange that they do still run OK. You might see better mileage.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:10 am

2&3 look a little oil-fowled, try running a hotter plug.

keith · Post by **keith** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:05 pm

Funny, it looks like 2 & 3 are coolant fouled to me. Beginning stages of head gasket failure, but it could still have several 10's of thousands of miles left though.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:28 pm

coolant or oil? hows the exhaust smell? sweet? lots of moist smoke out the tail pipe?

takza · Post by **takza** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:53 am

I was thinking some kind of additive in the gas? Any amount of coolant cleans the plugs?

They say if you see those kinds of deposits, you should rotate the gas you use...they use various additives...some of which leave deposits.

vengabeast · Post by **vengabeast** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:51 pm

One time I ran out of gas while four wheeling (in my non-road worthy Tercel), so I used some mixed gas that was meant for a 2-stroke engine. It worked fine and got me home, didn't start the next day though so I pulled the plugs, sanded them off, and it fired right up and worked fine from then on. I do believe that the humble Tercel Wagon 4wd was and is the perfect mode of transportation!