So the top part is like a white color and then the threads are black and the bottom threads have oil all over them


is this my rich condition or what am i looking at here


****ty pictures not even worth posting yes i know

 

well, any sort of white, chalky color on the tips is an indication of a lean condition.

ideally the tips would have a nice tan, beige color.

 

Ideally the tips should be totally clean with modern fuel, unless you like a rich cruise condition.

To get an idea of WOT air/fuel you have to look for a fuel ring at the base of the porcelain insulator way down inside the plug. Color on the porcelain around the electrode at the tip indicates AFR at cruise and low throttle/rpm(with modern fuels and a good cruise AFR it should remain clean for thousands of miles). If you have black soot on the metal part of the threaded portion(the flat surface that faces in towards the chamber) then idle is too rich, rich idle can also be seen by sooty fuzz on the electrode.

If you can, cut the threaded part off the plug and post pics of the whole porcelain insulator that we can see.

Also heat range can be seen by the threads, they should be heat discolored for about the first 4 turns of threads coming from the chamber and clean after that. Also, if you have ash buildup on the porcelain then the plug is too cold.

And oil on the threads of a plug with the plug NOT being fouled or showing signs of oil contamination is a valve cover gasket.

 

This is some great info.....it certainly helped me as well. Thanks!

 

yep. he's our plug man :-)

what he means with cut open is kinda like that as it's impossible to see without plug reader:

 

Yeah, like that. Ideally the best way to check to to do a WOT run up through max shift rpm then shut the engine down, pull the plugs and check. Lean best horsepower is a thin ring that only goes about 3/4 of the way around the base of the plug, but some street engines might not like it quite that lean, a thin ring all the way around the base is usually about 1 jet size richer than lean best hp, and will make good torque and works well for most street cars. If the ring is any thicker than about 1mm then you're getting into "too rich" territory.

I've found I can check mine using a small LED flashlight and looking down to the plug base, but it depends on the light, the plug and how good your eyes are.

Reading plugs these days can be a real pia with all the high oxygenated fuel and cleaning additives. It leaves very few signs on the plug unless something is wrong.