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Plug color Topic is solved

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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Sveedy
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Plug color

Post by Sveedy »

I decided to look at my plugs today - this is what I found.
Not sure about this color......I'm used to white or black typically. I'd think major head gasket leak, but fresh engine and no signs of coolant issues ( exhaust vapor/smell, drop in coolant level ) so I'm at a loss.
IMG_20220529_123829690.jpg
IMG_20220529_123829690.jpg (492.22 KiB) Viewed 375 times
Try to learn life's bad lessons vicariously through others.


1996 850 Turbo GLH ( Goes Like Hell )
1999 V70 GLT

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abscate
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Post by abscate »

Dry light powder colour? Might be a fuel additive. Are you running a high end detergent gasoline?
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Sveedy
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Post by Sveedy »

Actually, yes - a little additive for a long highway drive I took the other day. But less than recommended on the label. Just wanted a little octane boost for higher fuel demands etc for a sustained highway drive.
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1996 850 Turbo GLH ( Goes Like Hell )
1999 V70 GLT

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abscate
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Post by abscate »

Hmmm, I had the correct nostril sniffing on this one! I’ll guess that is it.
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1999-V70-T5M56 2005-V70-M56 1999-S70 VW T4 XC90-in-Red
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454cid
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Post by 454cid »

Although the color reminds me of the coating the swamp water leaves in my trucks cooling system, I believe coolant "burns" white. I pulled and cleaned the plugs in my truck, and the plug with crusty white garbage on it, near the intake manifold coolant leak had quite a bit of white build up. I was actually relieved when Google told me coolant, as that made perfect sense given the known issue. I cleaned all the plugs, checked the gap, and re-installed them.

I need to find my original Volvo plugs. I'm going to see if I can clean them up and re-use them.... I think I saved them just because the 3 electrode design is new to me.
1996 850
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Post by duke1 »

Sveedy wrote: 29 May 2022, 16:58 I decided to look at my plugs today - this is what I found.
Not sure about this color......I'm used to white or black typically. I'd think major head gasket leak, but fresh engine and no signs of coolant issues ( exhaust vapor/smell, drop in coolant level ) so I'm at a loss.
IMG_20220529_123829690.jpg
hi thats near perfect colour for a sparkplug,black is burnt oil white remnants of ethylene glycol once its been super heated. i would be happy to see such colour a nice tan is good!happy motoring :P

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BlackBart
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Post by BlackBart »

Sveedy, my plugs are white with some writing and a little silver thing on the end..............ohhh, you mean the other end!
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Sveedy
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Post by Sveedy »

^ :lol: I know. I should have been clearer about that.
Try to learn life's bad lessons vicariously through others.


1996 850 Turbo GLH ( Goes Like Hell )
1999 V70 GLT

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