red/orange deposit on NEW spark plugs? bad gas mileage

[TurDz]

I just installed NGK Iridium IX spark plugs a week ago before the ButtonWillow track event. Well, I added an octane booster before hand, and I recently noticed a drop in gas mileage, especially on the ride back home (~230 miles).



I was curious about the mileage, since the only thing I changed since then was the gas (Chevron to Mobil), NGK wires and plugs. So I checked the plugs just now, and they're all orange. Does anyone know what this means? on this website at the bottom,

http://www.mopar.com/m_maint_inspection_plugs_tune.html

it indicates fuel additive or octane booster depsoits on it.

Did this permanently affect the performance of the plug and would this be the cause of my noticable drop in gas mileage (~19mpg highway w/ a/c). Does it affect overall spark?

If the condition of these plugs creates a non-optimal spark energy, then I will definately just replace them again. help?

Here are the pics, with and without flash:

[rrobe99999]

This is an interesting post. I have note seen that plug color before. I don't know what it is, but I certainly wouldn't put it back in my car. I don't understand why people reuse spark plugs. If you take them out you might as well put in new ones regardless of condition. They only cost $40 max. If that improves your gas mileage, you'll save the money back in a few weeks.

[TurDz]

Well I have no other plugs to run really, so I have to use these for a week or so while I wait for new ones. But I would definately like to hear more explanations and everything.

I'm not just going to blindly insert new plugs without the possible causes of why this happened. thanks for the comment though..

[mjjstang]

40 bux max, I dont have moeny like that to throw around just cuz. dont know about you guys.

[theicecreamdan]

especially when the spark plugs you pull out can just use a cleaning 90% of the time. I wouldn't replace my spark plugs everytime I pull them out, that could get expensive.

[m0rex]

Unless you get the cheap ones. My gas mileage really sucks i mean it sucks. Havent really figured out what it is but i run uber rich.

[kandyflip445]

It is fuel additive.

If you notice, the electrode is clean. The ignition system has more than enough voltage to burn clean the light dusting of what the additives leave behind. You shouldn't have to replace them unless there is some heavy build-up.

[TurDz]

kandy,

so would you assume if this was the problem for the noticable gas mileage drop, the condition will improve as the spark plug "burns clean" the additive?

[idlafie]

Originally Posted by TurDz

kandy,

so would you assume if this was the problem for the noticable gas mileage drop, the condition will improve as the spark plug "burns clean" the additive?

Pull your 02 sensor & see if it's also coated with that yellow fuel additive stuff. If it is, then you probably screwed up your 02 sensor hence the poor gas mileage.
You are still using your O2 sensor right??
ID

[Rich_S14]

What was the exact additive that you used? Brand and product?

[TurDz]

NOS Octane Booster, Race Version. wooooooooo!! haha...claims to raise 60 pts or 6 octane #'s per 8-16 gallons.

[the head]

black bottle 104+ will leave the same deposits anything that is a 6point plus additive will "red" the plugs check your o2 it is probably gummed up with that shit too which is why your milage went to hell. THe plugs shoud be fine just look funny the o2 on the other hand can be damaged by that shit.

[kandyflip445]

Do what The Head is saying, check the O2 sensor.

Did that octane booster do anything on your butt dyno? I tried some toluene before and it seemed to make a little difference, aside from making the exhaust note a little different.

EDIT: You could go get a bottle of Marvel Mystery Oil and try to see if that will clean it out. I dunno if that would help any. I just want you to be the guinea pig. If you do, then check to see the condition first and then pull it after a tank of gas and see if it has gotten any better.

[S14DB]

It's the octane booster. You can see what Seafoam in the gas tank did to my O2:

If the plug looks like that. I would bet the O2 does too. "Race" stuff usually can fubar an o2 so make sure it says o2 safe.

[Pank]

Originally Posted by kandyflip445

Do what The Head is saying, check the O2 sensor.

Did that octane booster do anything on your butt dyno? I tried some toluene before and it seemed to make a little difference, aside from making the exhaust note a little different.

EDIT: You could go get a bottle of Marvel Mystery Oil and try to see if that will clean it out. I dunno if that would help any. I just want you to be the guinea pig. If you do, then check to see the condition first and then pull it after a tank of gas and see if it has gotten any better.

a higher octane isn't going to make your car faster, unless you run more boost or compression to take advantage of it

[TurDz]

Yeah, I just used the octane booster for protection at the high rev range that I was at all day on the track.

O2 sensor safe:

http://www.brothersperformance.com/s.../nos12010.html

I'll check the O2 sensor in a bit. I'll also report my gas mileage once I'm at around 1/4 line of the fuel gauge.

[ZK]

The NOS octane booster uses MMT. MMT is known to coat the O2 sensor and spark plugs with a orange color. High concentrations of MMT can damage the O2 sensor so take a look. Small amounts like in a octane booster should be fine.

Doesn't mean anything bad. It's normal, just a different color.

[junkilo]

stay away froom all metallic octane boosters. if you must boost use toluene. if you cant get toluene then use methanol/ethanol based boosters.

[TurDz]

Thanks Phillip, and all of your for your comments. I'll check all the stuff out, and I'll update this thread too. Next time, I'll play it safe and not use those octane boosters.

I've read about toulene, is it that much better?

[niceassfd]

yeah toulene is better.

the orange build up is from the octane booster. my friend had the exact same thing happen to him.

[TurDz]

Hey all. UPDATE!

I got ~26 mpg. mixed highway/street. Wooo hoo!

CONCLUSION

Mobil Gas SUCKS for my car, OR, fuel additives such as NOS (and/or STP, since I fogot to mention there was probably some remains left after changing to new plugs/wires) will hurt mileage by around 5~6 MPG.

I know for a fact I filled the car twice with Mobil/Exxon gas, and that's when I noticed the poor gas mileage. Even on the track, I was bummed that near the end of the day, I was around 1/4 on the gauge.

I will update this thread one more time for the last mileage count. But I'm glad things got better. Thanks for all the help everyone.

[kandyflip445]

Driving on I-40 a lot, the best gas I've used is Amoco fuels and Shell fuels. Too bad over here I can only get PhillipsConoco and whatever the Kwik Shop uses. Both seem to have a high sulfer content becuase I can smell it with the 2 of those.

[TurDz]

thanks kandy. For all of you reading, do different types of gas affect your gas mileage?

[kandyflip445]

Sorry, I thought I put that in there.

I was basing it on mpg with each fuel.