I would like to address this problem. When I did my very first engine rebuild,
I ended up with a similar problem. I found that after a very short period of
running the engine on fresh spark plugs, the # 6 seemed to foul quickly and it
was not very noticeable when the car idled, but very much so when trying to
gain speed. With my situation it was the Head Gasket which had not sealed
properly and oil was seeping out of the rear oil hole that leads to the head
and sitting in the cylinder. The answer was to remove the head, clean up up the
piston surfaces with a plastic spatula and make sure all surfaces on both the
block and the head were clean. Once this was achieved a new gasket was put
inplace and with the use of the Bentley Bible I retorqued the head bolts in the
proper sequence. Then the valves were adjusted like wise with the use of the
bible before putting the valve cover and all other components back. After a few
hundred miles I retorqued the engine and went through the motions with the
valves again. Twice a year I check the torque on the headbolts and adjust the
valves. This sounds anal but I don't have any problems in that area. Besides I
like to tinker in the garage on my Toys. That's why I have a TR6.
rcotting@mgnet.ca wrote:
> Gang - my 6 has always been plagued by a fouling #6 plug which I presume is
> due to excessive oil (worn guides, rings, all of the above). My intention
> is to address this problem in due course by way of a thorough rebuild of
> the head and bottom end. In the meantime, I have shares in Quaker State -
> which is helpful considering the 20W50 (not 5W30) that I pour into the
> engine. After replacing all six plugs the other day, the car started and
> ran just fine but I got no further than the end of my lane when the car
> started misbehaving, showing symptoms of no fire on one cylinder - which,
> because of the above-noted problem, I'm well-familiar with. Since the
> plugs were brand new, I addressed other elements of the electrical - new
> points, condenser. The coil and wires are new. I have spark at the
> distributor, spark at all wire ends, spark at the #6 plug (though I haven't
> checked the spark at all of them). My question is this - will a stuck or
> badly carboned valve give me the same symptoms? If so, how should I check
> and make sure my valves are all operating properly? BTW, when the engine is
> running (albeit roughly), disconnecting the #6 wire seems to make no
> difference even though there is spark to the cylinder - this leads me to
> believe I'm not getting proper combustion on that cylinder. Because I am a
> duffus, I thought that poor combustion might be due to a stuck or poor
> valve.
>
> Rich C.
> '74 6
> In Halifax and missing the best touring weather of the year.
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