• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Spark plugs

Share this page

1

1977MGMidget

Member
Offline
I took my plugs out today on my 1500, I expected to find them black but they were white. They are older plugs and this was after my first trip of the year, only 50 kilometers. Any suggestions?
 
White or off-white? If they are truly white you're probably running too lean. Perhaps you should make a run at night and quickly pull over, open the bonnet, and check the exhaust manifold/down-pipe color. If cherry red, this would confirm that you're running a little lean.
 
I would say that you are running really lean too. The best way to read them is to make a good run under load and then shut the car down and coast into a place where you can pull them and look at them. They should be a deep off-white to mostly brown color. I'm more comfortable with brown than I am with white. Let's hope that you aren't getting hot enough to make the pipes glow. When the exhaust gets that hot, valves start to get weak and you can end up with a head rattling around on top of your piston. You have to be the first person that I've come in contact with that has a ZS that runs lean. Let us know what you find!
JC
 
Most LBCs get REALLY cranky if you try to run them lean. What is the part number of the plugs you are running? Are they hotter or colder than the recommended plugs (or are they the recomended plugs)?

I agree with the guys above, white plugs are a bad thing. Make every effort to solve the problem before driving too much further.
 
The plugs I took out were n9y champions and I put n12y champions in. The n12y plugs are the recommened plugs.I haven't taken it for a ride yet but today is going to be in the 70s so I will go today and let you guys know what happens.

Thanks for the help.

Ron Garant
 
If your fuel/carbs are dialed in right, there is an alternate plug you may want to try, Bosch W7DTC. You'll have to get these from a shop or store that sells VW parts. This is a plug with one center electrode and three "tips". I've been very pleased with them in my 1275 a-series. The only problem I have had with these plugs was prior to my engine rebuild when they would oil foul. Anyway, they are excellent for low maintenance, long life, and easy starting.
 
Well yesterday it was 76 so I went for a nice top down ride, but first I gave the vaccum lines the once over (twice) and I found one that had a crack at the nipple, its the one at the back of the carb that goes to the cannister at the back right of the engine compartment. When I got back I checked the plugs and they weren't brown but they weren't white like they were, so I'm heading in the right direction. The thing I can't understand is the car starts, idles and runs perfect no hesitation etc. If I won't have pulled a plug I won't have even known. I also picked up a new set of n9y plugs to see if that makes a difference.

Thanks for all the help.

Ron Garant
 
Back
Top