spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Gotta love that wiring . . .
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elcanadeso
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Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:08 am
Your car is a: 124 spider 2000-1979

spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Post by elcanadeso »

Tonight the car started fine as usual,then ran for 30 sec,started to cough and stopped.
It didn't restart. I checked the fuel it was coming from the gas line to the carburetor.
So I pulled out the plugs and they were full of oil. I cleaned 'em and check for spark.
Nothing. There is not spark.
What could be wrong?
(it is a Spider-2000,1979)
My weekend is spoiled,but I wish a great one to everybody.
Germinal
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RRoller123
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Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Post by RRoller123 »

When you say that the spark plugs were full of oil, does that mean that every one of them was wet with fresh oil? Or that they were gunked up with blackish burned oil? Or just 1 or 2 or 3 of them? Do you mean that the spark plug holes were filled up with oil? The experts here (certainly I am not one) will need more detailed info to help.
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
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DieselSpider
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Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Post by DieselSpider »

Were they wet oily, covered with dry carbon or possibly just wet with gasoline from a bad choke or float in the carburetor or is this 79 fuel injected?

Has it been burning oil and smoking for a while now? Is the oil level indicating low on the dipstick?

The spark issue could just be another bad ground or failed distributor points or does yours have a breakerless ignition? Still the spark issue could just be a continuation of bad grounds or electrical connections.

Time to start verifying the flow of electricity to the coil and distributor and the condition of the cap. Also verify that the distributor is spinning when you crank it and the distributor drive or cam belt has not failed.
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elcanadeso
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:08 am
Your car is a: 124 spider 2000-1979

Re: spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Post by elcanadeso »

All the plugs were wet of fresh oil
The car was running ok 'till the day before.
I had a oil consumption of a litre every 1000km for the past 12,18 months.
Anyway,I will keep you post it about this issue next week.
Since the car has been towed in front of my mechanic's garage and until monday is closed.
I didn't have a chance to try do something on my own. The car was parked on the street and I couldn't work on it.
Have great Sunday
Talk to you soon,Germinal
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elcanadeso
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:08 am
Your car is a: 124 spider 2000-1979

Re: spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Post by elcanadeso »

Hi there,I thought to to give you the last up date.
The problem end up to be just a control module that decided to stop doing its job.
Something I didn't aspect and need it right now.
Since I had planned some bigger work earlier this year to be done in September.
Anyway,the car is back on the road. And I decided to do those works in the next few weeks.
Soon I will receive all the parts need it from AUTORICAMBI.
Thanks for all yours advice and suggestion.
PS: the oil in the plugs,probably was just a mix of gasoline and some grime deposit from the cylinder.
For now the engine sounds ok. Hope it will stay that way.
DieselSpider
Posts: 2130
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Post by DieselSpider »

Be watchfull of the voltages and grounds still as the module failure could be due to low voltages and bad grounds. When the flow of power is not good things tend to heat up and burn out more quickly.
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RRoller123
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Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
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Re: spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Post by RRoller123 »

Although it is wonderful practice, watch not only where the grounds make chassis connection, but there are many locations along various power feeds where there are bullet connections that can have high resistance and drop the voltage. A good schematic (free) will show where these are, and they are worth checking for sure.
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle
TimpanogosSlim
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:45 pm
Your car is a: 1977 124 Spider

Re: spark plugs full of oil and not spark.

Post by TimpanogosSlim »

I feel compelled to plug my favorite contact cleaner.

CAIG Deoxit. You can get it from Amazon.

Remove the crusty oxide with a brush, squirt in a little cleaner, work the connector together and apart a few times. The rubbing action will clean the parts that actually conduct. It may not look perfect and shiny, but it will work perfect.
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