96 Grand Am 3.1 Spark Plugs

[Propflux01]

I have a newly aquired 96 Grand Am with 124K on the odometer. It runs good it seems, but since I have no idea when the last time it was serviced, I am going about with a full tune and flush. Just for grins, I pulled the front 3 plugs out and tehy looked basically OK with exception of a white flaky substance all over them, sort of like ash deposits. they didnt look worn, and gapped to .060, which is within spec for this. What could this white stuff be on them? It was noted mostly on the ground electrode, with alittle on the insulator. Any ideas?

 

[Merkava_4]

You mean like these? These are out of my '00 Lesabre with 90,000 miles on the car and these are the original factory plugs. The white ash-like deposits came off easy with a small wire brush. I then re-gapped them because they were way wider than the required .060 inch gap.

I don't know what the white ash-like substance is exactly, but I do know that dry black deposits are a sign of an over rich condition. This Buick had been running real clean at the time I pulled the plugs out, but the plugs did need re-gapping because of wear to the electrodes.

 

[Propflux01]

Thats exactly what they look like. I got scared at first that they were the dreaded signs of the infamous coolant leak that I have read about here and other places. But the oil is OK, has about 4400 miles on since last jiffy lube change (according to the just-found sticker) and looks normal, I.E. no milkshake or anything. I can't help but wonder what it is.

 

[Merkava_4]

On that little Buick V6, I check the fluid level line every day, so I know for a fact that it's not ingesting any coolant, but there's always the chance that it will; which is the reason why I check it every day.

I also check the dip stick every day too for signs of coolant.

This obsessive behaviour will hopefully save my little V6 from self destruction.

 

[i_r_teh_noobz]

I think ashes are from overuse of cleaning additives in your gas. I'm not sure though. Google it.

 

[Lonnie]

Could that substance be oxide of combustion chamber walls?

 

[Propflux01]

I would think if it were that, then it would be smoking out the tailpipe like a freight train!

 

[mechtech2]

Modern gas sure doesn't color the plugs like it used to.
Plugs that look like the ones in the ^pics ^ are well within normal, esp. with big miles on them.