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Just popped the spark plug out of cylinder no. 5 and sent a borescope cam down to have a look. This is what I found...
Horizontal score marks?
Not sure what this discoloration is, scuffing?
Small score marks?
I'm no mechanic but I believe this last picture is vertical scoring.
Vehicle is a 2014 w/a Stage 2 tune. I am not the original owner nor did I tune it - purchased it tuned. Just under 68k miles. I recently performed a Blackstone labs test(posted in an earlier thread) and everything came back just fine. So I dunno...
Ya I read through that thread. Most of the marks in the pics I posted don’t bother me… except for that last one. Curious to see what everyone else here thinks? Sell the car or keep it lol?
ETA: saw the second link and looks like the 3 vertical marks in my last pic are fine according to that doc?
Ya I read through that thread. Most of the marks in the pics I posted don’t bother me… except for that last one. Curious to see what everyone else here thinks? Sell the car or keep it lol?
ETA: saw the second link and looks like the 3 vertical marks in my last pic are fine according to that doc?
I would re-scope in a few months or a year so long as car drives fine and if no significant change, continue annually scoping and enjoy the vehicle. The tune likely has nothing to do with your scoring.
I would re-scope in a few months or a year so long as car drives fine and if no significant change, continue annually scoping and enjoy the vehicle. The tune likely has nothing to do with your scoring.
Solid advice. At first I was freaking out that it was over for me and my ownership of this car. But I guess it’s not bad news really. So here’s the next question. I’ve asked this before but still am somewhat confused: spark plugs.
The current ones are OEM ones gapped to .026. I’m not sure if that’s the stock gap or not. With that being said, I am not sure what to replace them with. Since I’m stage 2, do I go NGK 1555, gapped to .022-24? NGK 97506(.022-.024)? Or OEM(.022-.024 or keep it .026)? I just want the best performance coupled with safety. I unfortunately was not able to get a hold of the previous owners tuner for recommendation.
Solid advice. At first I was freaking out that it was over for me and my ownership of this car. But I guess it’s not bad news really. So here’s the next question. I’ve asked this before but still am somewhat confused: spark plugs.
The current ones are OEM ones gapped to .026. I’m not sure if that’s the stock gap or not. With that being said, I am not sure what to replace them with. Since I’m stage 2, do I go NGK 1555, gapped to .022-24? NGK 97506(.022-.024)? Or OEM(.022-.024 or keep it .026)? I just want the best performance coupled with safety. I unfortunately was not able to get a hold of the previous owners tuner for recommendation.
I'm the OP on one of the links PeterUbers referenced. Pretty similar situation. I've been scoping every 5k miles when I change the oil and my situation has been pretty stable for over 10k miles. Running ceretek all the time and making sure my oil is up to temp before getting on the gas. I think the long vertical scratch that we both have is from carbon or catalyst material being sucked in the exhaust. To reduce emmisions there is an intentional valve timing overlap, where exhaust stay open briefly on intake stroke, it's a form of exhaust gas re-circulation for lack of a better term.
I'm the OP on one of the links PeterUbers referenced. Pretty similar situation. I've been scoping every 5k miles when I change the oil and my situation has been pretty stable for over 10k miles. Running ceretek all the time and making sure my oil is up to temp before getting on the gas. I think the long vertical scratch that we both have is from carbon or catalyst material being sucked in the exhaust. To reduce emmisions there is an intentional valve timing overlap, where exhaust stay open briefly on intake stroke, it's a form of exhaust gas re-circulation for lack of a better term.
Very informative post. My mechanic BiL told me the same exact thing when he saw the picture - contaminates entering the combustion chamber. And basically nothing you can do to stop it. I will be putting in Ceratec from here on out. Have been always sure to not go WOT until vehicle is up to temp. And even then, I seldomly do it(cause I’d be in jail already lol).
Speaking of Ceratec, I’m assuming you guys use 2 bottles of the stuff per oil change?
Yes, I use 2 bottles. Even though it is supposed to provide benefits even after you change it out at the next oil change, I run it 100percent of the time...I get a year between changes so it's not a big cost...maybe Ceratec is just this generations version of "slick 50" but if it does help it's cheap insurance and i don't think it can hurt....
I was browsing the X166 forum related to the M278 and it seemed like one guy was like "my mechanic said I have scoring and need a new engine." His symptoms were........nothing. No CEL, no oil consumption, no funny noises. Makes me wonder how many good engines are being replaced.
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