I started the car very briefly after changing the oil today - to check for leaks. I shut the car off and began my first engine field trip. I removed the JCW filter and vacuumed it off and then removed all four spark plugs to check for color etc. Number four had fuel on 1/3 of the threads beginning at the compression washer. Nothing near the tip.

Has anyone experienced this?

 

Sounds like it may just have been the engine running rich until warm. How long did you run the engine?

 

2 minutes. Fuel injectors, in general, have been known to be leaky at times. Just wondered.

I'll remove it once when the engine as at full operating temp.

Thanks

 

Are you sure it was fuel? Since it's on the top 1/3rd of the threads and not on the tip, could it be water or something that leaked into the spark plug tube and moistened the plug as you extracted it?

Do you wash your engine compartment with a hose? Be sure to blow out each plug tube with compressed air before removing the plugs so anything in the bottom of the tube won't drop into the cylinder.

Use a torque wrench when you reinstall the spark plugs. Spec is very low: 20ft.lbs. You can very easily over-tighten using the grunt method.

This is also a great time to put a small dab of dialectric grease in both boots of each plug wire.