Spark plug condition

[Mike118118]

What are people's thoughts on the condition of my spark plugs?
Had them changed today, been on since 42k miles along with new coils aswell, changed at 57k, been mapped from 42k miles aswell. Strictly run on mainly vpower with occasional esso supreme or sainsburys supreme but never 95 ron.
Good oils used aswell, shell helix ultra.
Took all 6litres of oil in the oil change. Do the plugs show signs of consumption? Look OK to me bit I'm no expert, always thought dark coffee brown was a colour that shows good air fuel mix.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 

[SuperV8]

Don't look great to me. Well past their best.
Plenty of images on google on reading spark plugs.

Your plug vs 'normal/healthy' plug
Your plug has contamination - like it hasn't being burnt off? Do you do lots of short journeys?

 

[Mike118118]

Thanks for the response super.
Yeah I do a lot of short to medium journeys where often I don't have the chance to give it the beans. Do you think I should be giving it an Italian tune up more often, driving it hard for a bit, getting the temps up?
I use top fuel all the time and often add in archoil petrol with polyetheramine or hybrogen.
Definitely noticed more acceleration and better running now I've had them changed. Just would like to know what I can do to prolong their life in the future, don't fancy having to change them every 10k miles.
Doesn't look like oil deposits though from what I saw on then Internet pictures.
Do you think it's running a bit rich?
I've only got a bluefin superchips generic map but I intend to visit unicorn at some point to get rick to do a proper custom map.
Maybe my air fuel ratios and timings need tweaking.

 

[Mike118118]

I'm wondering if either my driving style is the cause or the additives.
I'm leaning more to the driving style though as I only use a small amount of archoil 6900p or hybrogen with each fill up and 6400p (the 400ml bottle) before a service and mot.
I often have it in economy setting where it slips it into neutral to coast and I cruise a fair bit without giving the car much revs on some journeys.

 

[SuperV8]

Your driving looks like it would be classed as 'severe' so means you need more frequent servicing - which includes more frequent spark plug changing.

Looking at the 'Russia' service schedule which I believe is 'severe':
Renew the spark plugs *every 30,000 km/24 months

Shorty journeys don't get the engine hot enough to burn off and clean the plugs.

Operating conditions​

In severe conditions the service intervals will be shorter
Severe conditions apply when the vehicle is operated under one or more of the following conditions:

• Frequent short trips of less than 16 km/10 miles
• Prolonged idling
• Urban driving with long idling stops
• When using fuel with a high sulphur content
• Driving in dusty, sandy or wet conditions
• Frequent driving (> 50% of the time) at sustained high speeds in high temperatures (> 32 °C)
• Frequent driving (> 50% of the time) in heavy traffic and high temperatures (> 32 °C)
• Frequent driving at temperatures below -15 °C
• Extreme temperatures

 

[R3k1355]

If you've only got a Bluefin generic map then there's a pretty good chance it's running rich.

Get a decent map on it before you get cack all over the new plugs.

 

[Mike118118]

Your driving looks like it would be classed as 'severe' so means you need more frequent servicing - which includes more frequent spark plug changing.

Looking at the 'Russia' service schedule which I believe is 'severe':
Renew the spark plugs *every 30,000 km/24 months

Shorty journeys don't get the engine hot enough to burn off and clean the plugs.

Operating conditions​

In severe conditions the service intervals will be shorter
Severe conditions apply when the vehicle is operated under one or more of the following conditions:

• Frequent short trips of less than 16 km/10 miles
• Prolonged idling
• Urban driving with long idling stops
• When using fuel with a high sulphur content
• Driving in dusty, sandy or wet conditions
• Frequent driving (> 50% of the time) at sustained high speeds in high temperatures (> 32 °C)
• Frequent driving (> 50% of the time) in heavy traffic and high temperatures (> 32 °C)
• Frequent driving at temperatures below -15 °C
• Extreme temperatures

Thanks for the detailed response, definitely gives me an excuse to go out and give it a good thrash fairly regularly

 

[Mike118118]

If you've only got a Bluefin generic map then there's a pretty good chance it's running rich.

Get a decent map on it before you get cack all over the new plugs.

Thanks for the response.
Yeah those were my thoughts, although it does run well now that the plugs have been changed.
Definitely going to get over to unicorn Developments for a proper custom at somepoint this year.