For the past week and a half, my truck has been studdering, some of you may remember my last 2 threads about it. Well, today I found the problem. The fuel filter was CLOGGED as I thought, but I also had a bad spark plug. Look at this:

(sorry for the blurry pics)




This was from the front drivers side. Looks like metal or something got in and melted on the plug. Thats not all, the samething is on the cylinder wall and between the piston and the wall. The truck is still at the shop being looked at and Im worried if he will find anything else.

Where could this metal come from and is it possible to fix this without pulling the engine or rebuilding it. Please help guys.

 

Sounds like you will need a tear down to determine WTF is up with that.

 

Are the metal particles magnetic? If not, that piston may have a damaged top . I hope not.

Dan

 

Looks like those are particles of the piston that is stuck on the plug. I've seen this a number of times in forced induction applications... too lean, or too much static compression no matter the amount of fuel thrown at it.

 

Sorry to hear bud. Hope everything works out in your favor.

 

Just got back from the shop. It looks like it was flakes from the rotors on the s/c. The machanic was able to clean the cylinder wall off and put in a new plug. Truck runs great now. Though I was scared there for a little bit. I'll have the rest of the plugs checked after the holiday.

 

it's hard to tell from the pics, but my only guess would be a melted/damaged piston. I see that the ceramic or porcelain is broken, are all of the pieces still there or is anything missing?

good luck, I hope it turns out to be nothing major.

later,
chris

 

how in the f did flakes make int through the intercooler fins and into the combustion chamber. I'm glad everything worked out but i'm not buying that one.

 

Glad to hear is wasn’t major!

 

I agree. I'm not there, and can't see the top of the piston in the cylinder in question, but it sure looks like melted aluminum which = piston, 99% of the time.

I guess if the flakes from the rotors got in there somehow then that could be it, but then I assume its in ALL the other cylinders as well.

Trust me... I hope I'm wrong. Just been around engines awhile and have seen this first-hand before.

 

Im guessing rotor flakes because the machanic said most of what he removed was flakish. He said he did see a few round, balled pieces in there. If it was from the piston then he would of said something because he has got this thing(I have no idea what its called) that he puts down in the spark plug hole and sees the chamber. As much as he had that in there looking around, he would, should of noticed it. I'll ask him though.

 

The hole is using some oil too. I would say it went lean from the clogged fuel filter, had detonation, melted the plug, and probably damamged the cylinder wall/piston/rings.

Was it one of the last two on the drivers side? It seems to the the worst hole on our motors. Out of all the cylinder on my truck that one is the only one hurt, and I believe I hurt it running the tank low of gas, and uncovering the pickup for the fuel pump.

 

Flakes from the intercooler might burn as deposits _on_ the electrode, but they would not actually burn the electrode, and you have a chunk of the electrode missing from what I can see.

Also, the "scope" he is using is decent, but it will be hard to see the entire top of the piston. If there are tiny aluminum/metal-looking "*****" anywhere that _is_ the top of the piston.

 

When did you hurt your motor>??? I didn't see anything. I was really hoping to see some fast azz times out of your truck. Please fill us in. Good luck with it. -Mat-

 

The "chunk" is not missing, it just broke in 2 and just hangs down.