Slow87

87 lg4 all stock except for headers and exhaust.

My car is slightly smoking white out the exhaust and out the valve cover breathers. This is due to a faulty intake manifold gasket I think because it started after I broke one of the intake bolts loose and it started to leak.

I plugged the valve cover holes for a second so I could work on it without smoke in my face. Within seconds the car stalled and I can't get it running again. I pulled the plugs and everyone is covered in oil (they have maybe 300 miles on them). I know by plugging the breather holes I prevented the crankcase from breathing but What do you think happened to get oil all over my plugs? I don't want to blow 70$ on plugs just to have them foul again.

Any ideas?

MD83Z

I usually scrape all the deposits off the old ones ....reset the gap an continue to use...AC45TS are like $2.50 each? So I save $20

1983Chimaera

$70 on plugs?? I run UR4 NGK V-Powers for under $2 a plug...In your case I see NO sense wasting high dollars on a stock motor.

You can clean off the plugs with a rag, and wire brush them to get any hard deposits off them. Check the gaps and reinstall. I had fouling issues for over a year before I finally took off my heads and re-did them. If you're not sure where the oil is coming from, take a black sharpie marker and mark the top of the tip of each plug before you pull it from the engine. This way you can tell the orientation of the plug as it sat in the engine when you have it out. If the oil fouling is on the top of the plug, you have valve seal leakage. If the oil fouling is on the bottom of the plug, you have ring blow by. Either was probably exacerbated by the lack of adequate crankcase breathing.

Slow87

Hey folks sorry for the long wait, I've been in cali for a month. So I pulled all the plugs and and replaced them with new ones. I got the same result. Motor ran for like 2 seconds and then stalled. I started again, this time pressing on the throttle and could keep the motor running but it sounded like it was firing on 4 cylinders. Pulled the plugs again and Cylinders 4 and 5 were completely covered in oil. #7 and #8 looked normal and the rest were barely oily. My mechanic told me to pull all the plugs, spray carb cleaner directly in through the spark plug hole and turn it over(with no plugs in) after its been sitting for 5 minutes. Then to reinstall spark plugs. Does this sound safe?

What does the problem sound like to you?I was thinking a valve or a ring until I saw it was on both sides of the motor, now I won't know till I test it.
Will do a compression test once I can get a new one to fit under the headers.

tzim350HO

If you do that you better unplug the ignition first! spark plus carb cleaner = fire

Slow87

Today I was doing what my mechanic told me to do to clean the cylinders out. When I unplugged my fuel line to the carb TONS of fuel came out. I filled half a gallon of gas before I thought to open my gas cap. What would make this happen?

Pretty sure this Is why my car won't run unless I'm pressing on the throttle.

tzim350HO

Unplug the fuel line for what reason? The carb would still be full of fuel regardless. Kindve defeats the purpose. When your cranking it over just unplug the ignition and don't pump the gas.

Slow87

Well the car hasn't been turned over in a month. I expected the bowls to be empty by then. Normally If I don't drive for two days I have to pump it a few times to prime the bowls. I was Just taking precautions by unplugging the fuel lines.

Either way, with that much fuel pressure would that be enough to cause my problem? I'm just confused because it looks like oil on my plugs, but smoke coming out the exhaust is black for sure and not blue.

I'm hoping now that I relieved all that fuel pressure my car will run right. Waiting for all the spilled gas to dry up before reconnecting everything and trying it.

tzim350HO

The carb will always have fuel in it no matter how long it sits unless its leaking through the primaries. Black definately means a fuel issue. Probly looks like oil because the gas is just mixing with carbon buildup in the cylinders giving in a dark tint. you just need to figure out what is causing the rich condition

Slow87

Alright, so I havent solved this headache yet. I took it to a shop and they told me it was my carb flooding itself and it needed a rebuild. Well I ditched the carb/dizzy , and replaced them with a mechanical quadrajet from mountain man carbs along with a msd streetfire distributor. Hooked everything up and turned the key. It started right up and ran for 4 seconds then stalled out. Now the plugs are fouled again. What should I look at next?