318i owners opinion/observation

[jjskibinski]

my '84 318i is operating just fine, good fuel usage (31 plus mpg). I'm wondering how often other 318i owners need to clean the spark plugs. The bimmer seems to have significant deposits on plug tips after about 5,000 miles. Deposits are tan/grey and only seems to affect starting and then only slightly. Engine usually starts after turning over 2 or three times, but with fouled plugs it take 5 or 6 times, then runs normally. Is this build-up on plugs in only 5,000mi that unusual?
Thanks,
Jan

[camaroman]

Hey, the 318i's were NOTORIOUS for valve work. My parents had an '85, which is supposed to be the same thing as your car (4 cyl, Jetronic Distributor). Their car began running rough and it turned out to be that the valves had to be re-adjusted...don't remember if the seals had to be replaced though. Anyway, the mechanic told them that the BMW 4 cyl.'s back then were only good for X-amount of miles before they needed to come in for a valve job again. Something like 40 or 50 thousand miles or something like that.

If you have leaky valve seals, then oil residue will enter the combustion chamber and make deposits on your plugs--bad rings will do this as well. Poor ignition from a sloppy valve lash could as well. I personally own a 1989 325i with the 6-cyl., and my car is currently in the shop for its own oil woes--mine was rings. However, since your car gets 5k out of its plugs (mine got 500 if I was lucky), then I'd say it's all in the valves if you don't have an emissions problem. There are oil additives for worn valve seals that may help, but you really should have the car looked at to be sure that A) you don't have valves out of adjustment, B) leaky valve seals, or C) malfunctioning emissions system.

Hope this was of help to you.

[jjskibinski]

Thanks Mike! There does seem to be a problem with valve guide seals. I have some white smoke on engine start up (when engine cold only). Only reasonable to assume that oil is continually, though not noticed, leaking throught seals and fouling plugs. Well, I guess valve guide seals are next weekends project.