Spark plug...now I am worried!

[CDENsomnia]

Alright so it was finally nice enough to change the oil, oil filter and spark plugs. I started with the spark plugs and found two of my spark plugs looked like rust which we all know is a really bad!

Below is a picture. Just want to get everyone's thoughts. When I changed the oil there was no milky oil or just plain water. I don't have any idea how a condensation would have made its way in the motor as the boat spends the winter in the garage. Maybe it's not even rust but years looking at spark plugs and it sure looks like it. The engines during warm up ran very well and no signs of any ring issues.

 

[txav8r]

Post up your maintenance routine @CDENsomnia , so we have an idea of how often the oil and plugs get changed. Also, so you use ring free, fuel stabilizers, or fog the motors? Do you blow out the engines every time off the water, etc.? Also, do you keep it in a wet slip during the season? I am concerned always, but even more since I just struck a deal on a 2012 SX 240 today!

 

[ToddW850]

I don't have the answer for you, but it would probably help to spray some fogging oil into the top of each cylinder. It would coat it at least. I'm sure there are additives you can add to your oil and your gas as well, but I don't have the names.

 

[txav8r]

I know they are saying don't use anti seize on new engine plug threads, but I may anyway. It forms a protective coating on the plug.

 

[CDENsomnia]

So i got the boat the beginning of last season with 10 hrs on it as it was my dealers demo. They did the first oil and spark plug change before I took posession.

I put around 40 hrs last season on the boat. I blow the water out of the exhaust as we pull the boat out the ramp every trip to the lake. It doesnt live in a slip and has never spent a night in the water. I ran the engines up to blow any additional water out at the end of the season and put fuel stabilizer in. I didn't fog as a didn't see a need since it never runs in salt water and is in a garage in the winter. I generally fogged my old SX230 so I guess I will do that next year assuming I didn't do any damage. Anything else I should check? Hopefully it was just the spark plugs...and it was 2 spark plugs in one motor and only 1 in the other.

This was my first oil and spark plug change on the 240. Maybe I will start doing it at the end of a season rather than the beginning if the next.

 

[ToddW850]

The mechanic I went to last week for some engine work told me he's seen some corrosion in engines that he was partly blaming on the gas. Because there is some moisture left over from the gas nowadays.

Might not hurt to run some gas stabilizer during the season.

 

[CDENsomnia]

@SuperJetDan I actually have an old set sitting in a cabinet for my old fx140 and they rusted pretty easily. I definitly get a good amount of humidity in kansas!

 

[CDENsomnia]

@ToddW850 I never thought about that!! I try and be careful where I get my fuel from but who knows where a good place is anymore. I think even the stations that don't label their ethanol content is probably adding it in. Ugh!

 

[Murf'n'surf]

The "Classic" boats are plagued with seized and rusty plugs usually the #3 cylinder from what some say is moisture from the exhaust when the motor sits for long periods.

 

[CDENsomnia]

Anyone have any other things I should check to make sure I don't have other issues? Like I said the engines seemed to run good on a hose. I will know more once I get it to the lake.

 

[Gym]

Even though you're not operating in salt water try fogging a couple of times over the season. I also use a fuel stabilizer & ring free at each fill up. Check your plugs at the end of this season.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I know they are saying don't use anti seize on new engine plug threads, but I may anyway. It forms a protective coating on the plug.

Wow this is new too me, why do they say that Mel? If anything I would want to use antiseize MORE on a newer motor. If you have seen the progression of the quality of metal over the years like I have you may think different. It seems like everyday it gets even worse then the next batch that comes out of a metal mill (Manufacturing place for metal not a machine) . CRS, HRS, Aluminum, and even Stainless steel.

 

[justason]

I know they are saying don't use anti seize on new engine plug threads, but I may anyway. It forms a protective coating on the plug.

@txav8r l. Who says that?. I add a very slight amount to the threads to prevent a sieze, or worse.

I took water into my cylinders last year. it was a chore to get them completely dried to the point the engines would run well, once they did I ran the boat for a while to build up as much heat as possible. I ALWAYS use marine stabilizer regardless of storage or general use to eliminate any moisture content.

When I stored the boat for winter I had oxidation on the upper surfaces of the plugs from moisture within the spark plug well......The sight of it pushed me to fogg the hell out of the engines..

@Murf'n'surf : define "classic" please.........I still have not found the source of how I got water into my cyliners

 

[upperdeck]

I know they are saying don't use anti seize on new engine plug threads, but I may anyway. It forms a protective coating on the plug.

@txav8r, DON'T use anti seize? I thought that's what stopped the dreaded #3 plug from being frozen in the head? I've used it without issue...

 

[txav8r]

Remember, we have two different motors here. The MR-1, and the newer 1.8L. NGK issued an advisory to never use anti-seize on their plugs. All I have to say on that is BUNK in regard to the "classics" which I believe @Murf'n'surf is using to describe the "MR-1" engine'ed boats. I am glad to hear so many of you guys still supporting the use of anti-seize on the "classic's" as it is absolutely needed IMO. But the OP, @CDENsomnia , has the 1.8L, and not only have I read the tech bulletin from NGK, but I have also heard tech talk that service tech's say not to use the stuff on the 1.8L. Here is what I believe and this is just my opinion without anything to change it or make me think I need to. Stuff rusts. Boats are in water. The exhaust is both an oxidizer as well as added moisture in there from the cooling system. Exhaust valves remain open, at least one of them, per engine. And spark plugs have steel threads that go in an aluminum block. All of this will continue to reinforce my belief that anti-seize on the spark plug is a good thing, along with annual spark plug changes at a minimum. I will continue to use standard plugs, not iridium's, anti-seize, and the practice of 1/4 to 1/2 turn past hand tight instead of using a torque wrench. If you use anti-seize, you can't really use a torque wrench, because the values are way off IMO, as the plug will turn in much easier with the grease than without it. The anti-seize does much more than prevent seizure, it lubes the threads, prevents leakage of gas/water both ways, improves compression, and probably more that I am not thinking about right now.

So until someone adds that I shouldn't and bonafide reasons, I will continue to do all of the following.

1. Use of marine grade (blue) Stabil in every tank of gas.
2. Use of Yamaha Ring Free at least every other fill up.
3. Fog my engines several times a year depending on use or lack there of.
4. Anti-seize on my spark plug threads and new plugs every year or 50 hours, whichever is first. (at first 10 hours too)

 

[txav8r]

I want to clarify and correct myself in one statement above. I wrote... "I have also heard tech talk that service tech's say not to use the stuff on the 1.8L" I should have said that I have heard the say "you don't need to use it on 1.8L", because that is the argument I have heard, that the old #3 cylinder eating spark plug threads isn't a player on the 1.8L. That may be true, but the number of reasons to use it in addition to that hasn't change IMO.

 

[Glassman]

I'm with you Mel. Although I do have the MR-1's and I have always used anti-seize, I would on any of my vehicles. What was the reason behind no anti-seize on the 1.8's? Just, "You don't need it" ?

I use an additive, PRI-G (although I have used Stabil many times in other fuel tanks)
I have never used Ring-Free, basically because I use PRI-G.
I fogged my engines once or twice when I first got the boat, but frankly it's just so hot and dry where I keep the boat I have zero moisture problems. In fact, I'd run a humidifier if I could!
I always carry new plugs on board and I change them when I see a drop in performance. No set schedule for me. I do pull them at the beginning of the season and I've never seen rust like that on any of the plugs.
I don't run air filters and I keep the engine compartment clean enough to eat off of. I spray the entire engine with Boeshield T-9 every year before it goes into winter storage. It displaces any moisture that may possibly be present and forms a wax like coating. Be careful around aluminum, it doesn't play well together.

So far the boat has been very good to me. I got to "visit" it yesterday. I was sorry I didn't have time to get it wet. The Colorado River was so high, plenty of water and no time to play!

 

[Gym]

Remember, we have two different motors here. The MR-1, and the newer 1.8L. NGK issued an advisory to never use anti-seize on their plugs. All I have to say on that is BUNK in regard to the "classics" which I believe @Murf'n'surf is using to describe the "MR-1" engine'ed boats. I am glad to hear so many of you guys still supporting the use of anti-seize on the "classic's" as it is absolutely needed IMO. But the OP, @CDENsomnia , has the 1.8L, and not only have I read the tech bulletin from NGK, but I have also heard tech talk that service tech's say not to use the stuff on the 1.8L. Here is what I believe and this is just my opinion without anything to change it or make me think I need to. Stuff rusts. Boats are in water. The exhaust is both an oxidizer as well as added moisture in there from the cooling system. Exhaust valves remain open, at least one of them, per engine. And spark plugs have steel threads that go in an aluminum block. All of this will continue to reinforce my belief that anti-seize on the spark plug is a good thing, along with annual spark plug changes at a minimum. I will continue to use standard plugs, not iridium's, anti-seize, and the practice of 1/4 to 1/2 turn past hand tight instead of using a torque wrench. If you use anti-seize, you can't really use a torque wrench, because the values are way off IMO, as the plug will turn in much easier with the grease than without it. The anti-seize does much more than prevent seizure, it lubes the threads, prevents leakage of gas/water both ways, improves compression, and probably more that I am not thinking about right now.

So until someone adds that I shouldn't and bonafide reasons, I will continue to do all of the following.

1. Use of marine grade (blue) Stabil in every tank of gas.
2. Use of Yamaha Ring Free at least every other fill up.
3. Fog my engines several times a year depending on use or lack there of.
4. Anti-seize on my spark plug threads and new plugs every year or 50 hours, whichever is first. (at first 10 hours too)

X2 for me also. I didn't see the NGK bulletin. What was their reasoning?

 

[jcyamaharider]

I have always used anti-seize and always will. I work around way too much metal and know the repercussions all to well and see it on a daily basis when people don't.

 

[txav8r]

X2 for me also. I didn't see the NGK bulletin. What was their reasoning?

I don't know their reasoning Jim, except to that they have had quite a number of spark plug failures causing sometimes very expensive damage on MR-1 engines. So it just may be misdirection to deflect possible liability, but this is just my thoughts, no basis other than that. Like I said, unless one of our members can give me good reason not to, I will use anti-seize on the larger, more break resistant plugs that the 240 uses as well. Just wanted to ask. And @CDENsomnia , if your reading this, I suggest that anti-seize will stop the rusting all together, or certainly keep it down to a non event. Even with it, it is oxidization, and if left in, you could get some corrosion in places you don't want it. But between the other protections and preventions we have discussed in this thread, you should be good to go. My boat will get 10 hours without anti-seize...then new plugs and will have it, ring free, and marine grade stabile in the fuel always, as well as fogging 3 or 4 times a year. Fogging isn't just for storage, it is lubrication. It is a common misconception that revving to blow water out eliminates your fogging oil, it is also a misconception that it is just for storage, I can provide the tech bulletins that jetboatpilot got for us if anyone wants those on fogging procedures. I am going to have to read them carefully, because I have never fogged a 240 before!