Performing routine annual maintenance on my Echo hand-held leaf blower, I discovered that last spring, I mistakenly installed a spark plug one heat range hotter than specified. The blower was used plenty with this wrong plug in it- and the part of the plug inside the engine had a heavy very light gray deposit on it.
Wonder if that did any permanent engine damage or shortened its life…
IDK. In a pinch I have used a higher heat range plug in a mower. Never saw any problems that I could discern.
You haven't hurt it . If you had , you'd know because it would likely have locked up . Do get the right plug , that light gray deposit , was it like glass ? Or more like oil deposits that had burned very hot ?
Didn't look glassy at all, just something I've never seen before.
Usually the well-used plugs look tan- or black if it's running rich or I'd put too much oil in the gas.
It's a hotter plug, so the temp of the plug will be higher, so maybe that which would have been tan, burned up more and became gray. Like others have said, I would not worry about it. IMO to harm one of these things, you have to do something really stupid. Like run it on gas without oil.
As long as the grey isn't deposited aluminum from detonationdamage to the piston you are likely OK
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required