SAND IN CYLINDERS?
Joseph A Fernando
Question for you auto-techies out there:
Before changing the spark plugs in my car yesterday I cleaned the area
around the spark plugs as best as I could - however after removing the
old plugs, I noticed some sand (dirt, grime ... whatever) lodged just
above the threaded area of the cylinder head. I didn't want risk wiping
that stuff off and in the process accidently having the stuff fall into
the cylinder - so I very carefully screwed in the new spark plugs.
My question is this - if I DID drop a few (5-10) grains of sand into the
cylinder, how much damage would it do?
My gut feeling is that it probably would do quite a lot of damage - however,
I have never seen a professional mechanic take any special precautions to
avoid grains of sand (and other fine particles) from falling in.
Thanks in advance for any comments/answers.
Joseph Fernando
Donald Teed
The Haynes repair manual I have recommends using compressed air (or
a tire pump) to blow air around the spark plug areas before
removing the plugs. Sand in the cylinders will cause abrasion.
I don't know "how much" damage it will do. Probably depends on the
chances of it getting out (escaping the cylinder) and the hardness of the
rock from which the sand is made. My guess is that it is like
driving around without an air filter for a while. In the case of
Mount St. Helens and the flying fine ash, cars were killed
by getting this material in their engines (through the air filters).
--Donald Teed
John Tollison
deposits than all the sand around all the sparkplugs put together. So
don't wast any money to mech's about it.
Jeffrey E. Thompson
>fern...@acsu.buffalo.edu (Joseph A Fernando) writes:
>>Question for you auto-techies out there:
>>Before changing the spark plugs in my car yesterday I cleaned the area
>>around the spark plugs as best as I could - however after removing the
>>old plugs, I noticed some sand (dirt, grime ... whatever) lodged just
>>above the threaded area of the cylinder head. I didn't want risk wiping
>>that stuff off and in the process accidently having the stuff fall into
>>the cylinder - so I very carefully screwed in the new spark plugs.
>>My question is this - if I DID drop a few (5-10) grains of sand into the
>>cylinder, how much damage would it do?
>>My gut feeling is that it probably would do quite a lot of damage - however,
>>I have never seen a professional mechanic take any special precautions to
>>avoid grains of sand (and other fine particles) from falling in.
>The Haynes repair manual I have recommends using compressed air (or
>a tire pump) to blow air around the spark plug areas before
>removing the plugs. Sand in the cylinders will cause abrasion.
[stuff deleted]
>--Donald Teed
Wisdom from my dad was to loosen the park plugs about 2 turns,
enough to break the seal, and then crank the engine over 2-3 revs.
The compression leaking around the plug should blow any loose dirt
away from the plug hole.
Just my $0.02
Jeff
Donald Teed
>don...@sq.sq.com (Donald Teed) writes:
And perhaps strip your thread if it starts and revs high like many
cold vehicles. I would disconnect the spark pplug leads before
doing the above. Sounds like a method that would work on dust
in the immediate spark plug thread vicinity, but might not
effect the grit or sand in the hollow area surrounding the
spark plug area. It might be a good balance to use Jeff's method
if your main problem is fine dust, and my suggestion if
you have bits of sand in the "cup" area around the spark plug
installation.
Jeffrey E. Thompson
>>don...@sq.sq.com (Donald Teed) writes:
Actually, removing the leads was implied. It is hard to loosen
the plug without removing the wires. :)
-Jeff
LEE LEWIS
>>don...@sq.sq.com (Donald Teed) writes:
Do not remove the spark plug wires and wind the engine if you have a DIS
ignition as this can blow the rather expensive control module. Blowing the
dirt away is a good precaution that most mechanics have forgotten about.
LEE