Was pulling my plugs on the cavalier to regap them cause when i replaced them i didnt gap them and i had a kick in the idle. anyway, the # 3 plug wouldnt come out without an 18mm wrench on the end of the ratchet...(breaker bar style) and my 200+lbs pushing on it...when i finally got it out (amazingly i didnt break the plug) ^that^ is what i found.

Keep in mind these plugs are less than 72 hrs old. They were AutoLite Copper Core's from walmart...now they are (in the) garbage and the 149,000 mile-old AC Delco's are back in...

Miraculously, the AC delco i put in the #3 spot went right in without trouble...which is good, cause I REALLY didnt want to take the head off of this car tonight.

 

next time get some ngk plugs! not cheapo walmart ones. might b a beater but u want it to not break down on u.

 

Too much gap.

 

Almost looks like the new Champion's we pulled out of Ford F250 V10 they were totally black and sooty. Replaced with Ford plugs and run 300% better.

 

Kinda looks like the first set of Champions I pulled out of my old 70 hp Chrysler outboard. That thing had a killer electronic ignition system that burned plugs to the ground. I removed one set of three plugs at 40 hours and couldn't find one ground electrode among them. They'd been completely burned off. That thing had one HOT ignition box.

Nice - those threads look like they've been peeled off - wonder where they went?

 

With the treads being stripped that badly I'm surprised the old plug went back in with no problem. Or it just could be those Auto Lite plugs have a very soft tread which isn't good either.

 

I think its the latter...there appears to be no damage to the head...i shined a flaslight in all threads look good. Im very suprised myself...when that plug came out i thought for sure i would be doing headwork...

Into the engine block is where they went...oil change GO!!!! I need to seafoam so I will do an oil change on payday. Right now it isnt important enough for me to dig into savings for a car i paid $1,000 for. I drove it tonight, it drives fine so i think the filter caught everything...i hope.

Yeah i have an issue running autolite, champion or any of those brands...for this reason, i just did it cause it was cheap and so is the car. I WILL NOT be making that mistake again.

No, the gap on these plugs is supposed to be .060"...which is HUGE. i put it at .065 cause i was going off of memory at the time. thats why i was changing the gap. and if you can tell .005" of difference then i commend you sir.

You are right, but i wont spend for NGK on a $1,000 car, it came with delco from factory, so Bosch or delco plats will go back in.

 

Treat any car, even a beater, with decent parts and fluids and it will be good to you.

Wal*Mart plugs FTL.

 

The OEM for new Delco plugs is NGK or Denso now. I'd stick with Delco on GM, Autolite or Motorcraft on Fords, and NGK on Chryslers since Champions are junk IMO...