[zeppenwolf]

I pulled my spark plugs (Bosch Platinum) and they're predominately red.

The inside color cover of the Haynes book doesn't have twaddle to say about red-- what's it mean?

I don't have a digital camera, but I don't think it matters-- just take a look at the nearest brick. Two of them are unquestionably best described as "brick-red", (together with the grayishness of it), one is half-red with bits of gray, and the other is mostly grayish brown but you can tell that maybe that red color is sorta "hiding" inside the brown.

For most of their life, these plugs were living with timing of 19 degrees BTDC; that's been pulled back to 14 or 14 1/2.

I've just recently put in the mopar SMEC, and for plugs this time I put in NGK V-Power, and will pull them in 1k (?) miles to see what's up. Until then, is that red telling me something I should know?

 

[tryingbe]

Stock timing is 12 degree...

 

[moparfwdsleeper]

Champion or NGK plugs only for now and ever:nodding:

 

[glhman]

Any chance you have used race gas or octane additive recently? That's what made my plugs look like this:

 

[Jay]

Octane Improver Additive, Or Lead Substitute??

 

[Sittn86]

19° BTDC?!?! WOW!
Bosch Platinums & the tips didn't break down?
Use Champion RN9YC.
Sounds like octane booster.

 

[Oclk Dlux]

Octane boost!

Seen it myself on mine.

 

[zeppenwolf]

Any chance you have used race gas or octane additive recently?

"Race gas"?!? LOL, no there is no chance of that. In fact, this car has a long ways to go before I can challenge Yugos.

But I did use some of that additive stuff-- it's impressive how unanimous you guys are. Although, that was a long time ago... strange.

But anyway, more reason to defer judgement until I pull these plugs in awhile and see what's going on then.

19° BTDC?!?! WOW!

Hee. It was a previous owner who put it there. I drove the car for years without knowing about it. Unfortunately, I think I still have other surprises in store.

Use Champion RN9YC

Eh, I don't see them available. I see the RN12YC, but those are the wrong temperature..? Second choice..?

 

[ol"blue]

RN9YC's are 3 step's colder than the stock, (for 2.2turbo's), RN12YC's.

 

[ol"blue]

Check your wires, cap, & rotor. Bet they're burnt. Pull some of that timing out and put the right plugs in it. Hope you're not saving money by using 89 octane?

 

[turbo minivan]

i use nothing but champ RN9YCs and mine get red like that after using pump premo and alcohol. ive never had any problems wile theyve been red and ive run in the 32psi range on premo and alcohol

 

[puppet]

I pulled my spark plugs (Bosch Platinum) and they're predominately red.

The inside color cover of the Haynes book doesn't have twaddle to say about red-- what's it mean?

I don't have a digital camera, but I don't think it matters-- just take a look at the nearest brick. Two of them are unquestionably best described as "brick-red", (together with the grayishness of it), one is half-red with bits of gray, and the other is mostly grayish brown but you can tell that maybe that red color is sorta "hiding" inside the brown.

For most of their life, these plugs were living with timing of 19 degrees BTDC; that's been pulled back to 14 or 14 1/2.

I've just recently put in the mopar SMEC, and for plugs this time I put in NGK V-Power, and will pull them in 1k (?) miles to see what's up. Until then, is that red telling me something I should know?

Where have you been buying fuel? Like the other fellas have posted, this is generally a fuel additive related thing.

 

[zeppenwolf]

Check your wires, cap, & rotor. Bet they're burnt.

Ok, I did that; I saw some light pitting on the wire ends and some on the rotor, but nothing extraordinary, I don't think. I mean, they're not supposed to stay pristine, are they? These are maybe five years old... Whatever-- I'll get new ones if it'll help. FWIW, I cleaned up the prongs with a wire brush and just barely, barely cleaned up the rotor edge with a file.

Pull some of that timing out and put the right plugs in it. Hope you're not saving money by using 89 octane?

"Pull some timing out" ? Does that mean, "put it closer to 12" ?

And what do you mean by "right plugs"-- the RN12YC that every parts-website thinks I should have, or the RN9YC's I see people talking about here? I got perplexed when I couldn't find the 9's at any of the usual auto places, so I kept googling and I found that they are supposedly intended for "Hondas" (!) and "TORO GAS ENGINES" (!!!).

Look, I totally trust you guys, but I have to ask: Why am I going to take a spark plug designed for freekin lawn-mowers and stick it in my Daytona? What's the trick there?

People ask the gas I use: almost always Union 76, which I think is decent. The premium-- I think it's "92" octane ? Never anything less than the premium. And once in awhile Chevron, which my car likes the best, but it's more expensive.

I'm in California, so there very well may be a bunch of enviro-chemicals in there to keep me from wreaking mass genocide on polar bears, but I wouldn't know what those chemicals are.

 

[speeduphoria]

Look, I totally trust you guys, but I have to ask: Why am I going to take a spark plug designed for freekin lawn-mowers and stick it in my Daytona? What's the trick there?

If you search, you'll find that many engines use the plugs available from other small engines like ATV's and Snowmobiles, even lawn-mowers, ect..

For the most part a plug is a plug, so car manufactures would cut cost by using existing plugs

 

[ol"blue]

I run RN9YC plug's in my turbo's because I run high boost and race gas. The 12's are stock for a 2.2 turbo. As a matter of fact my V-8 Ramcharger used RN12YC plugs also. The turbo's just like a colder plug. I also use a 318 oil filter on my turbo's. They hold a full quart, and keep it from sloshing around in the pan. System holds 7 quarts with oil cooler & pan I've got.

 

[PTT]

HA HA....Dex-Cool and a leaking headgasket? JK'ing!

 

[glhman]

I'd do a complete tune up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor) and adjust your timing to 12*. Run it for several thousand miles (without using cheap gas or octane boosters) and Ill bet your plugs will be fine

 

[zips11]

Red plugs are almost always a result of too much fuel injector cleaner or fuel system additives

 

[crusty shadow]

or you left em out in the rain

 

[woodrow Z]

I'd do a complete tune up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor) and adjust your timing to 12*. Run it for several thousand miles (without using cheap gas or octane boosters) and Ill bet your plugs will be fine

^ What he said. :thumb:

Champion or NGK plugs only for now and ever:nodding:

+1 . I put factory plugs in all of my customers cars. From Porche to a Benz, or Ford to Dodge. Hasn't failed me yet.