Water Sitting In Sparkplug Holes

[Fire06]

Working on my 06 Trailblazer EXT with the I6 engine I found water sitting in (starting at the front of the motor) cylinders1,2,and 3. I found dried up water deposits before in cylinders 1 and 2 but not water. Any ideas on how to stop this ? The coil pack was pushed down all the way and last time I had them off and I applied some dielectric grease on the boots over the plugs and on the boot where it would touch the valve cover. Any one else ever have this?

Just wondering if any one has found water (not alot ) sitting in there spark plug holes on the 4.2l I6 engine. I found this in cylinders 1,2 and 3. It seems to be a problem since I found it before but it was just the white powder from water aluminum residue on the coil pack boot.

 

[christo829]

If it's just water, check your hood seal/weather strip. Some of the older models had issues with water getting past the
cowl seal between the windshield and hood. Usually that got in to the #4 plug well and caused issues, but it could
run elsewhere along the top of the engine.

Driven through any deep water that may have gotten sprayed up in to the engine compartment? Gone to
any detailing shops that may have sprayed down the engine? Is your AC draining properly? Just trying to
think of any other sources of water that might get sprayed around in the engine bay...

But if you've seen evaporative residue, I'd bet on the hood seal leaking. I believe the problem was prevalent on
2002 - 2004 models (but that's just going from memory), and there was a modified seal designed for later years.
Don't know if it migrated over here yet, but there was a DIY fix on the OS that might help.

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[Fire06]

Thanks I will have a look

 

[McGMT]

If it's just water, check your hood seal/weather strip. Some of the older models had issues with water getting past the
cowl seal between the windshield and hood. Usually that got in to the #4 plug well and caused issues, but it could
run elsewhere along the top of the engine.

Driven through any deep water that may have gotten sprayed up in to the engine compartment? Gone to
any detailing shops that may have sprayed down the engine? Is your AC draining properly? Just trying to
think of any other sources of water that might get sprayed around in the engine bay...

But if you've seen evaporative residue, I'd bet on the hood seal leaking. I believe the problem was prevalent on
2002 - 2004 models (but that's just going from memory), and there was a modified seal designed for later years.
Don't know if it migrated over here yet, but there was a DIY fix on the OS that might help.

Good Luck!

Chris

What year did they switch over to the updated coil packs? I am gonna go take a picture of my cowl seal, mines a 06. maybe someone with an 02-03 take a pic of theirs and lets see if they changed it...

 

[Fire06]

I used some silicon high temp grease around the base seal of the coil pack boot where it snugs up to the valve cover dielectric silicon grease inside the boot against the plugs and then some dense foam tape on the metal in front of the cowl but under the rubber seal to improve the seal. See what happens.

 

[MacMan]

Fixing the cowl seal (by adding a 1/4" thick foam weatherstripping) is the easiest & least expensive fix. Did mine 4 yrs. ago, and never a problem since.

 

[Fire06]

Fixing the cowl seal (by adding a 1/4" thick foam weatherstripping) is the easiest & least expensive fix. Did mine 4 yrs. ago, and never a problem since.

Thanks that is what I did

 

[CaptainXL]

Working on my 06 Trailblazer EXT with the I6 engine I found water sitting in (starting at the front of the motor) cylinders1,2,and 3. I found dried up water deposits before in cylinders 1 and 2 but not water. Any ideas on how to stop this ? The coil pack was pushed down all the way and last time I had them off and I applied some dielectric grease on the boots over the plugs and on the boot where it would touch the valve cover. Any one else ever have this?

There are gaskets underneath the coils that should block most water from getting in. Can't guarantee though if you pressure wash the top of the engine with the air resonator off.

I would check the gaskets and also see if you have the following TSB applied.




2004-2007 Buick Rainier

2002-2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer

2002-2007 GMC Envoy

2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada

2005-2007 Saab 9-7X

with Vortec™ 4.2L Inline 6 Cylinder Engine (VIN S -- RPO LL8)

Some customers may comment that, after severe weather that includes large amounts of rain in a short period of time, the engine has a rough idle and/or flashing MIL/SES light. Upon further investigation, there may be the following DTC(s): P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0305 or P0306.

This condition can be aggravated if the vehicle is parked nose down on an incline during this type of weather. The customer may also comment on repeat occurrences of this condition because water may be passing over the Air Intake Plenum (AIP).

Cause
The dripping rain water onto the engine cam cover will collect at the coil(s) and may seep past the coil(s) into the spark plug(s) well of the cylinder head and may affect the operation of the spark plug(s) and coil(s), causing the misfire(s).

Correction

To prevent a reoccurrence, the revised AIP seal will redirect the rain water flow away from the engine cam cover area.

Install AIP seal, P/N 25788476. The revised seal has a foam weatherstrip attached to the bottom. Refer to the above illustration (1). The foam weatherstrip faces the air inlet grille panel. Carefully stretch the revised AIP rubber seal over the plastic staked studs of the air inlet grille panel without damaging them.

 

[Gevans17]

There are gaskets underneath the coils that should block most water from getting in. Can't guarantee though if you pressure wash the top of the engine with the air resonator off.

I would check the gaskets and also see if you have the following TSB applied.




2004-2007 Buick Rainier

2002-2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer

2002-2007 GMC Envoy

2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada

2005-2007 Saab 9-7X

with Vortec™ 4.2L Inline 6 Cylinder Engine (VIN S -- RPO LL8)

Some customers may comment that, after severe weather that includes large amounts of rain in a short period of time, the engine has a rough idle and/or flashing MIL/SES light. Upon further investigation, there may be the following DTC(s): P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0305 or P0306.

This condition can be aggravated if the vehicle is parked nose down on an incline during this type of weather. The customer may also comment on repeat occurrences of this condition because water may be passing over the Air Intake Plenum (AIP).

Cause
The dripping rain water onto the engine cam cover will collect at the coil(s) and may seep past the coil(s) into the spark plug(s) well of the cylinder head and may affect the operation of the spark plug(s) and coil(s), causing the misfire(s).

Correction

To prevent a reoccurrence, the revised AIP seal will redirect the rain water flow away from the engine cam cover area.

Install AIP seal, P/N 25788476. The revised seal has a foam weatherstrip attached to the bottom. Refer to the above illustration (1). The foam weatherstrip faces the air inlet grille panel. Carefully stretch the revised AIP rubber seal over the plastic staked studs of the air inlet grille panel without damaging them.

Screw GM and their redesigned hood seal. Use a strip of foam weatherseal under and in front of the crap OE GM seal. Make it wide enoug to direct water to either side of the engine so it no longer drips on top of the engine. Bunch of morons muust have designed these trucks.

 

[The_Roadie]

...Bunch of morons...

I've called them a "BFG" before, in honor of a punk band from Toronto. Seems they have a book out now: DIRTY DRUNK AND PUNK

Actually, the acronym could also be "BOFG" depending on if you count "of" as a word needing to be included.

 

[Gevans17]

I've called them a "BFG" before, in honor of a punk band from Toronto. Seems they have a book out now: DIRTY DRUNK AND PUNK

Actually, the acronym could also be "BOFG" depending on if you count "of" as a word needing to be included.

After dealiing with a defective fan clutch, blower motor resistor, melting headlamp sockets, reduced engine power idiot lights,leaking hood seal, and rusting cops, I now have the dreaded liftgate module problem. Everyone on this forum is dealing with the same issues again and again, and yet GM has never stepped up to take care of thei rdefects Maybe I'll just dump it and go buy a Volt

 

[CaptainXL]

After dealiing with a defective fan clutch, blower motor resistor, melting headlamp sockets, reduced engine power idiot lights,leaking hood seal, and rusting cops, I now have the dreaded liftgate module problem. Everyone on this forum is dealing with the same issues again and again, and yet GM has never stepped up to take care of thei rdefects Maybe I'll just dump it and go buy a Volt

These issues aren't specific to just our models. I have had similar issues with GM trucks dating back to 1988 when the new C/K lineup entered the market. Thats when this all seemed to start. I attribute it to lean manufacturing.

 

[Fire06]

These issues aren't specific to just our models. I have had similar issues with GM trucks dating back to 1988 when the new C/K lineup entered the market. Thats when this all seemed to start. I attribute it to lean manufacturing.

When you say it that way it is even worse... Because now GM has problems dating back over 20 years that they have refused to fix as they try to move forward continuing to build in their previous problems while not fixing them.. I bet management thinks they are doing a great job.. No wonder they had/have money issues and have to lean on the GOV... while people continue to bad mouth them..

 

[elew57]

I also had water sitting in Sparkplug Holes. Number 4 spark plug broke off-rusted off in head when I started changing spark plugs.Any ideas how to get out broken spark plug without pulling head?

 

[CaptainXL]

.Any ideas how to get out broken spark plug without pulling head?

Remove the remaining ceramic. Then use a square cut easy out. Don't use the spiral one.