dmp

Car has been harder to start lately, and down on power. From what I've seen, plugs are supposed to be brown-ish - not like this. These have about 30K miles on them. Will check the coils next.



I realize the focus wasn't spot on - hopefully this works though...

DarkBrew

Running rich or misfiring... Are you getting a flashing CEL?

Miles on the car? Any other symptoms?

dmp

Yessir - getting flashing ECU during even gentle driving. engine used to light-off within a second; now cranks a bit longer. 68k on the car; about 30k on this engine; 20k on these plugs/wires/cat/coils.

DarkBrew

You don't have many miles...

Are your plug wires going to the correct plugs? Maybe you can snap a picture of your wires/plugs/coils
Also check your MAF sensor... Search for a DIY
It's possible that your coils are bad again... What's your driving style?

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Man up and buy new stuff

Those plugs are typical of crap fouled over rich Mazda tunes

I would replace the plugs first..and see if it helps...and the then the coils and wires if it doesn't fix most of it

Any other CEL's??

dmp

Thanks much - I can't imagine the wires would have gotten moved; used to run just fine. It's very possible my coils are bad again. I'm learning this car will go thru cats, coils, plugs, and wires - it seems every 20k miles or so. I drive the car pretty hard.


No, Dan - no other CEL's - just the flasher under part throttle. Where do you buy your plugs?

quazmosis

iTrader: (2)

sparkplugs.com

dmp

Got them ordered...

Razz1

Yes sir, for 20k miles that's normal. The second plug looks like it is from the rear rotor.

The second one indicates too much in town driving.

Our plugs run black when they get like the second one they are shot.

Even the first one does not have a hint of brown.

dmp

well, I don't drive it a ton; my wife would drive it to work; I can't take it to work because the do-not-back-up spike strips rip chunks of rubber out of the tires. I'll ask her to drive it harder (thatswhatshesaid). Yes, front plug was from front rotor, second plug was from rear rotor.

Thanks guys.

DarkBrew

You need something like this

dmp

eek! need that?

DarkBrew

Yup!

We do burn oil by design!

dmp

Right - I don't get what you mean; is that photo showing 'healthy' plugs?

DarkBrew

Yes... You want your plugs to look roughly like this when you replace them.

dmp

Thanks - new plugs showed up yesterday - interesting though; they look identical, trailing and leading - not like what I pulled out of that car. That okay? I got the iridium set from sparkplugs.com

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Check the numbers...they should be different

They likely sent you all 4 of the same plugs....

dmp

two have IRL01-27, two have IRT01-31, but they look the same; no channels cut into the trailing plugs.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Those are the Denso Plugs I think..they don't have the channels in the L plugs like the NGK

dmp

so should be good to go then?

the1jesster

Do you premix and if so how heavy???

dmp

I don't, unless going to the track.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Should be good....

dmp

when I replaced things today, my OEM plugs looked more brown than black. weird. Anywho - got them swapped; pulled off coils to see white marks on the backs - looks like i'll shop for those next.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

White marks don't mean anything...good coils can have white spots...and bad ones can be normal looking.....

If they are over 40K miles old...replace them and save yourself the trouble of testing them