Oil on one plug, how bad is it?

[Roverranger]

Hello !

I just changed my plugs and wires, cap/rotor on my rover for the first time since I've owned it, it's a 92 SWB w/3.9. The rig has been running fine, I just wanted to keep it up to snuff.

All of my plugs showed good except for the #2, it came out attached to an anti-fouler and when the plug was revealed from that it was oily.

Can I run it like this for a while or should I look into fixing the problem soon? What are the possiblities for problems and is it a weekend warrior project or mechanic item?

I appreciate your help and advise!!

-Mike

[Disco Mike]

So ow long were the last plugs in there? Sound like whoever owned it before had the same problem if it already had a antfouler installed.
Check the plug again in 2 or 3000 miles to see how it is holding up.
Mostlikely a ring job, and I doubt you will want to do that. If it runs fine, just keep rotating the plugs around whenever it starts to foul, hell it may go for a long time.
Mike J.

[NiagaraRover]

What is an anti-fouler?

[Roverranger]

Originally Posted by NiagaraRover

What is an anti-fouler?

It's just a extender of sorts that the spark plug screws into, the anti fouler then screws into your engine, it keeps the plug a little further away from the combustion area (?) where in my case there is some oil that gets on the plug and it fouls/misfires on that cylinder.

That's my understanding anyways, someone else may chime in with more info...




Thanks for the info Mike, I'm hoping it will run for a while, I didn't reinstall the antifouler, just to see how it reacts. If it starts misfiring or running rough I'll reinstall it and maybe rotate as you suggested.

-Mike!

[choffa@comcast.net]

Didn't know they still made them, called whammies, the anti-foulers keep the plug slightly out of the combustion chamber, also make the plug run hotter which helps burn off any oil that reaches it.

Could be as simple as valve seals, can be replaced with out much disassembly (rocker shafts come off in one piece). A valve spring compressor and an air line welded to an old spark plug to apply pressure to cylinder to keep valves shut. Another way is to feed a section of nylon rope into the spark plug hole, turn crank to squeeze the rope against the valves when you compress the spring.

Rings should show up on a compression check, unless the oil control ring is broken.

CJH