Mystery Cylinder issue?

[97Burban57]

Hello, I have aa 97 Suburban 5.7 vortec. This is pics of cylinder #2 and it's spark plug. The plug is wet and smelled like gas. However the piston almost appears to have either gas or coolant setting on it along with the black carbon build up. Im in the process of changing my intake gasket to the metal fel pro one and hoping it's not a head gasket! Any advice? Engine doesn't overheat and i don't see bubbles in the reservoir like a typical head gasket leaking cylinder pressure into the radiator.

 

[SAATR]

Is it running poorly or misfiring? If not, put it back together and run it. Plugs on cylinders that are consuming coolant don't typically smell like gas, and are generally a lot cleaner than your pictures due to "steam cleaning". Your plugs have some wear on them, and I would consider replacing them. Maybe go back to a factory double platinum or iridium.

 

[97Burban57]

Thanks for the input. Im throwing in new plugs that's why i decided to scope the cylinder and noticed the mystery crap on my piston in that #2 cylinder.
Also the burb runs perfect, it does have 216k on it though!

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

I decided to scope the cylinder and noticed the mystery crap on my piston in that #2 cylinder

Did you scope any of the other cylinders for comparison?

 

[97Burban57]

Yeah the other cylinders are just black carbon build up. This cylinder appears to have gas or dexcool sitting on the piston.

 

[97Burban57]

Got the intake off, i see no coolant leak from the intake gasket or any coolant in the runners. I think my boroscope sees my oil as a orangish color. I might be getting a little oil from the valve seal leaking or something.
I wish they made something to stick through the spark plug hole to swab the mystery fluid to identify it!

 

[smdk2500]

You can get 6 inch long cotton swabs. That should be plenty long to get in there and collect a sample.