Spark Plug Killed my N/A 2.3 !?!?!?!?!?!?!

[vristang]

Has this happened to others?

I pulled the attached spark plug from cylinder #4.
#4 is now producing 0 compression.

The plug does not appear to have been hit, and I don't think I had to change the gap on these when I installed them (can't remember though).

This was a standard Autolite plug.

Guess the turbo conversion is going to happen a little sooner now

jason

 

[Fast_Mustang87]

Has this happened to others?

Guess the turbo conversion is going to happen a little sooner now

jason

lol

 

[RustBucket]

I don't think the plug killed the motor, I think whatever killed the motor got the plug too.

I'd just about bet money that there's a hole burnt in the top of the piston. That pic has detonation written all over it.

 

[Fast_Mustang87]

hmmmm...

 

[vristang]

I don't think the plug killed the motor, I think whatever killed the motor got the plug too.

I'd just about bet money that there's a hole burnt in the top of the piston. That pic has detonation written all over it.

I think you win the prize.

I pulled the head and I could see the top piston ring

For whatever reason the piston was destroyed.

I'll get a pic up as soon as I can.
It is actually quite impressive.

For now I am cruising around with a Turbo short block from a T-bird (I think?).

jason

 

[RustBucket]

Sometimes I hate it when I'm right.

If it's burnt around the edges and the top ring is exposed, that's from detonation. You either leaned out or you've got timing issues. If it's just the one cylinder, I'd be wondering about that particular injector. did you get a look at the rest? Are there any mottled spots on any other pistons, or any signs the same thing might be happening elsewhere?

Thanks for the update, I'd been wondering.

 

[vristang]

Here are a few pics of the carnage

Yes, I have replaced the spark plugs in this pic.

 

[ACSPONY]

Ouch!



...time for the turbo!

 

[vristang]

What amazes me is that the car still ran.
Not very well, but if you consider the HG was blown and part of the piston was missing, then the car did great.

I probably put over 100 miles on it after the piston was destroyed.


I now have a turbo short block installed and the car runs great again.
New HG and I installed the stock head. Other than the damage to the squish area the head was fine. (although I did have to chisel off a piece of metal that had been hammered into the top of the chamber. You can see it in the pic)

 

[RustBucket]

Think of it this way, after the headgasket blew, it acted as a pressure relief on that cylinder and the one next to it so neither piston really saw any real cylinder pressure. Double check the deck and the head for any burn tracks in the surface. I've seen em cut grooves between cylinders because a blown headgasket was left too long.