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Major carbon buildup on one valve (a little long)

To: "Spridget List" <spridgets@autox.team.net> 42dbca82.dsl.aros.net id h2EEUL0K028258
Subject: Major carbon buildup on one valve (a little long)
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 09:21:51 -0500
Thread-index: AcLqNQ5eiTlsdzcUS1+Do0N0SUkF7w==
Thread-topic: Major carbon buildup on one valve (a little long)
My car (1966, 1098) had been smoking a little for a while, so I installed a set 
of nice modern valve stem seals - no difference.  There was maybe some valve 
stem leakage though, because I noticed after that that only one plug was now 
oily (number 2).  I figured I could get a little more life out of it by running 
a slightly hotter plug in that cylinder to avoid it fouling up so much.  After 
one day of running around like this, I came off the highway after a short run 
and started experiencing the worst detonation type sound I've ever heard.  The 
slightest load on the engine would have it rattling like a coffee can full of 
marbles.  I figured it was the plug, so I swapped the old one back in and let 
things cool down.  No apparent improvement.  Anyway, I managed to limp home and 
dumped it in the back of the garage until last night when I finally got around 
to pulling the head off.

I found the exhaust valve in number 2 cylinder to have a very thick carbon 
deposit (the others are nicely dusted).  There's the reason for the detonation 
(or is it pre-ignition?).  Also very evident was a nice hole burned through the 
head gasket between 2 and 1 - presumably the result of the detonation.

So, here's a question:  Why did this come on all of a sudden?  Was it 
coincidence that the plug change was followed immediately by the problem, or 
was that really the cause.  Was the carbon buildup just sitting there waiting 
to get nice and hot as a result of the new plug?

And another question:  If I scrape away the carbon and put on a new head 
gasket, will I most likely get a season of driving out of it before I'm forced 
to fix the real reason for the blue smoke (obviously a ring problem)?

Thanks in advance,

Phil

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