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Comments
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
On the plus side, since the whole spark plug cavity is protected, the plugs looked almost new when I pulled them at 30K miles. No oxidation on the contact to the spark plug wire, no grime in the threads, etc.
I've never been faster changing plugs on an engine.
Two days later we got a reminder card from the dealer that sold it to us. It recommended a 3 mo. or 5000 km first oil change.
What gives? Thanks for any advice.
And a 4pack of coppers cost less than 1 plat.
I've got 85K on the original plugs now and my engine still starts and runs fine, but my MPG has decreased. I thought I'd try some inexpensive NGKs this time.
At a 1.79 a piece they are cheap insurance each year for your car to run optimally and only take less than perhaps 15minutes to replace, given you already pregap them and antisieze them.
P.S. this car now has 164k and still driven 100 miles a day to/from work.
Ray T.
One application of anti-seize may actually help with the next FEW plug changes. You may also not be able to change your plugs when you want to.
how many years would you say bosch platinums are good for? I know they say 60k miles, but it will take me about 6 years to reach that mark. what do you guys think? miles or interval? I feel like I'm in the oil change discussion. LOL
I think Bosch claims they're good for a few years or something though. They also claim that you don't need anti-seize because of the nickel-plated threads.
Also, copper is 6 times more conductive than platinum. So if you replace your plugs often, copper will perform better, but it is not as resistant to corrosion/oxidation.
therefore.. always rotate your surgical socks at 2000 calories, change your walker tips as the grass changes colors to prevent skids, and be sure to make your next appointment to get your arteries reamed before you leave the hospital :-D
If you, like Spleck, use them as a diagnostic device...well, I'd pull them whenever I feel like it.
But it honestly depends very much on the vehicle. With my truck I essentially have to remove the intake manifold and most of the associated emissions control components to change the plugs. Those plugs will be changed at 60K intervals, just like the manual states.
I'm using anti-seize on my plugs. Don't know if it is necessary, but unless I hear something negative about it, I will continue to do so.
The last V6 I had was a bugger to get the back plug wires and plugs off. I definitely used plats when I had to replace them.
Did you say you got 60k out of your copper plugs?
They are relatively easy to get to on the exhaust side, a pain the in the rear on the intake side.
Yes, 60K on the factory copper plugs. Even though wear was clearly visible on the original plugs, I didn't notice any difference in drivability or fuel consumption with the new plats.
I have another I4 and an I6. Both are very easy to change. I notice hardly any wear or corrosion when I (first) replaced the factory plugs at 30K. But since plugs are so cheap, I replace them anyhow.
We will pass the question on to the next candidate...;)
TB
According2me - Great job without reading the profile.
this resulted eventually in a national informational "recall", I think around 95 or 96, in which VP National Parts send a letter and a sticker for the engine compartment. the sticker reminded one and all there were TWO sets of plugs, and both had to be worked on.
I think we can all guess the reason why... primary bank plugs rusted in, not doing any good at all, gaps worn to a quarter inch, while customers scream and stomp about how the truck won't keep running even though they keep changing the plugs. the VISIBLE plugs, the secondary bank, the one the EEC-IV keeps trying to turn off.
so basically, the "other four" plugs are insurance to keep Ford legal with the EPA, is the way I read it.
Several years ago, Federal warranty law was called in to control manufacturer's recommendations on maintenance intervals. Manufacturers were required to change their owner's manuals to show the highest mileage where warranty coverage would not be effected. It was determined that to do otherwise was misleading to the consumer.
Follow you service guy's recommendation and common sense, whichever is better.
Actually, the more I think about it...it's pretty sad.
I'm still not quite sure how you could completely miss a set of plugs during service. I mean, the ignition wires are clearly visible. It's one of the first things I noticed about the engine.
I don't know how my OBDII controlled engine behaves, but it would be very interesting to see if both plugs are firing all the time.
Dual Plug Inhibit (DPI) allows PCM processor to switch ignition system from single to dual plug operation. During cranking, vehicle is in single plug mode (only plugs on right side of engine fire). When engine starts, PCM sends a command to EI module to switch to dual plug operation.
Ford's way of trying to get a few extra years out of a dated engine design while maintaining driveability and emission levels.
That's what I thought, I'm driving a dinosaur.
Just curious, what is the advantage of using only one plug during cranking ? Less of an electrical load ?
4S plug was sort of interesting to remove and replace, but I seem to remember that 3P was even stinkier... 4P was cramped but it was reachable. not as bad as the 302 boss mustang, where you had to hoist the engine to replace plugs (they eventually approved punching a hole in the fender skirt and supplied a hole plug kit), but required a little more finesse than I was surely used to.
dual plugs per cylinder: I believe some Mercedes motors still use this setup. What it allows is a more complete burn, as the second plug fires afterwards to burn whatever hasn't. If you get a MSD (or equivalent) ignition system, it does the same thing on one spark plug (per cylinder), Multiple Spark Discharge.
I've otherwise seen two plugs in very hi-flow injected engines, where the fuel distribution inside the cylinder varies too much to ensure proper ignition by one plug in a single location.
But normally this is not the case, as highly turbulent injection should be far more fuel efficient and allows for more homogenous fuel distribution.
Which MB models use two plugs ? Just curious. (Mine only has one per cylinder. Maybe I was cheated ?
TB