My Spark Plugs are white!!!

[Drew99GT]

Just pulled my plugs with about 5,000 miles on them just to check things out.

They all came out white. This is a 94 Corolla, 1.8L. Since I recently bought the car, I've done EVERYTHING possible as far as tune up, except the fuel filter. I've noticed since I've replaced everything that's serviceable, short of the fuel filter, that my mileage is unbelievable; like 35 in town and darn near 40 highway, which is 5 mpg more than EPA registered. Could I be running lean somehow? I haven't a clue what would be causing too much heat in the combustion chambers. Plugs are stock part number NGKs.

I wasn't expecting burned up plugs in 5,000 miles!

 

[moribundman]

White deposits sound like ash-fouling. Did you use any fuel additives, especially octane boosters?

 

[sciroccoGTX16V]

you are running lean. put a strong magnifying glass on the plugs and see if you can spot any silver , shiny specks on them. that would be the pistons sacrificing themselves. Measure the Ox sensor signal output, if it's low under .20V , there is something wrong with the fuel system making the engine run lean. Verify that the Ox sensor is working correctly, if it gives a false rich signal the ECU will cut back on fuel

 

[Drew99GT]

I did run a can of BG44K. I suppose thats what did it

When I pulled the original plugs out when I first bought the car, they were perfect looking; just a light brown color.

 

[arkainzeye]

my plugs on my motorcycle are white too and that is AFTER i re-jetted the carb too. So i called Dyno-jet and they told me they Never go off of spark plugs color. They told me that with all the cleaners in todays fuel and all the stuff the E.P.A. has in our fuel it is hard for the plugs not to burn clean. I am only telling you what was told to me. Your car is fuel injected right?

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/techinfo/spark_plugs/overviewp3.asp?nav=31000&country=US

[ August 24, 2003, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: arkainzeye ]

 

[moribundman]

Especially platinum plugs have a tendency to foul in certain motors when fuel additives are used. But then again, maybe that car is running lean, if it gets such great mileage. How do the deposits in the tailpipe look? Are they grey or black?

 

[Ray H]

Have you considered going to the next lower heat range plug? The recommended plug is just that - a "recommendation" based on "average" driving conditions. Actual driving conditions may warrant a change from that recommendation.