Re: another question about 74 spider

[Scott Fisher <sfisher71@domain.elided>]

--- "Gregory S. Youngblood" <greg@domain.elided> wrote:
> 
> The engine looked clean, however, there appeared to
> be some oil down in
> the well where the first plug was. Using paper towel
> I collected some of
> it and it looked like fairly clean oil. The seller
> indicated that he must
> have spilled some oil when he poured it in. Given
> the location of the oil
> cap and the plug this certainly seems plausible.
> Does it seem plausible to
> the rest of you? 

Let him whose #1 plug well is without oil cast the
first plug, or something.  Yes, I believe I have made
this exact mistake.  It's completely plausible, and
there is a bit of a trick involved in really cleaning
the plug wells - read on.

If you really want to be picky, pull the dipstick and
wipe the oil from it on a white paper towel, then wipe
the oil from around plug #1 on another white paper
towel.  The dipstick oil will give you an idea of what
the oil is like inside the engine and let you compare
the two for color, consistency, etc.  Even with a
relatively recent oil change, the oil inside the
engine should be visibly darker than the oil outside.

> The car ran smooth at idle and up on the freeway -
> admittedly I didn't push it hard though. Certainly
> didn't act like a plug was fouled, though it the
> car did have bosche platinum plugs.

If the plug is fouling because of oil on TOP of the
head, run away unless you need a parts car.

By the way, you may note that the deep wells around
the plugs collect more than spilled oil -- any grit,
dust, leaf litter or other small crud that gets sucked
into the engine bay will naturally gravitate toward
the spark plugs.  Those with a little sympathy for
mechanical things will realize that it probably does
no long-term good for the pistons, rings, or valves if
said rocks, dirt, and crud falls (as it is wont to do)
down into the spark plug hole when you replace the
plugs.  

The slickest way to get the crud out of the plug wells
is to use something like brake cleaner, a source of
compressed air, and an old towel.  Put on safety
glasses before you start this one, just in case -- the
last time I did this, just last weekend, I got a big
goopy splash smack in the middle of the right lens of
my safety glasses.  

BEFORE removing the plug, spray the cleaner on the
cylinder head so that the crud is loosened and falls
down into the plug well.  Then lay your old towel over
that plug well, slip the nozzle of your air compressor
under the towel, and blast away, making sure to hold
the towel where it will soak up most of the
air-blasted cleaner and keep it off your paint, your
skin, etc.  Repeat for the other plug wells, then wipe
dry with clean paper towels.  Inspect carefully to
make sure there's no crud left, then remove the spark
plugs and do whatever you were going to do -- replace
them, compression test, etc.

Best,

--Scott Fisher
  Tualatin, Oregon
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