So, I finally got around to changing my ignition coils, plugs, and plug wires. My car just turned 35,000 miles, but it ran and idled like crap. After doing search after search and reading thread after thread, I decided to tackle the job myself and save some money.

Prior to doing this, I changed my oil only once. (Another oil change--my second--is actually due now.) That's why I was hesitant and worried. But thanks to the DIYs, I was able to do it on my own.

Anyway, here are two pics of my spark plugs:





The plug on the outermost left (the black one) is the front Trailing plug.

Can someone please tell me anything by looking at those plugs?

Thanks!

 

Your front trailing coil was bad...that plug wasn`t firing



How did you get 35K miles with only 2 oil changes

Did you just buy it or something.....

 

I used to bring my car to a local dealership for my oil changes.

So, the other three plugs are ok?

I actually got a CEL and the car idled very rough. But after I switched out the coils, plugs and wires today, the CEL was gone.

 

The one was very fouled...the others looked normal for 20K + plugs....

It will run rough at idle especially with the trailing coil not firing as the trailing plug fires first at idle

It would have run better after the rev`s came up.....

CEL went away cause I assume you disconnected the battery.....

 

Yup, I disconnected the battery.

 

Yes. I have to conclude, they look like spark plugs.

 

anyway these plugs can be cleaned with a wire brush or MUST IT have new ones. $20 is the cheapest ones at advance auto?

 

That is pretty much the going rate. I bought a set on ebay for $56 before but they should never be cleaned with a wire brush. The OEM NGK Iridium are the best for the money believe me I have tried them all. Look at the bottom of this page and you will find a few sites to order from. How many miles on yours? How is it running?

 

91k miles and the car has a hard time re-starting after its been driven. I have to wait about 5-10 min for it to re-start and when I do, a small puff of smoke from exhaust will come out.

 

don't clean these with a wire brush!
you're best bet is to buy yourself a new set of plugs. Your car will thank you .

 

ok, hopefully this should cure my not being able to restart right away problem

 

could b low compression if you are having a hard time starting when hot....but if it's been awhile 4 plugs/coils....id change those out asap

 

I would do plugs,coils and wires. I did mine for about $250 with my son in an hour(dealer will charge about $700). It could also be a simple cleaning of the MAF sensor. Or a couple of cans of de-carbon cleaner(Seafoam or BG44K) might improve compression. Mine had a slight hesitation at about 6K and I added a can of Seafoam($8 Walmart) at a quarter of a tank of gas and drove it hard till it was on empty and it smoothed it out.

 

But a new set of plugs. You can find the NGK stock ones for around $20 each. Small price to pay for better engine driveability.

 

u did not get it
he did not mean..where
but why?
normally one oil change per 3000 miles
so in 35000 miles should be at least
10 oil changes
so he asks
why did u only do 2?
did u buy the car with high mileage?

 

He's only done 2 by himself the dealership did the other ones...

 

^thats what i got from it too

 

LOL...Exactly!


I was thinking of getting the BHR kit, but I found out about it a little too late. I had already ordered a set of RB Ultra plug wires and they (RB) had already shipped it out by the time I called to cancel my order.

When my coils and plugs go bad again, I'll probably spring for the BHR kit. But I'm probably looking at another three years from now.

 

good call ... gotta agree
i'm in the same boat, regretting that i let the stealership install whatever **** they had sitting around when i got new plugs wires and coils last month.

 

Just changed them in the last weekend. They were baaaad...

 

You still have some electrode but yeah.....you have more black "dirt" than brown "dirt". They look due for a change. She runn'n any better? What grade gas do you run? Are you premixing? Anything out of the normal you're doing? What kind of oil you using? Mileage?

 

How many miles, type of driving(short trips?), premix, oil consumption. What heat range are they?

 

37K miles. It was the first change. I don't know a lot of about this car because i bought him 2 weeks ago. Yes she running better after change and start faster.

What i know:
oil 5W20 changed every 2K miles.
gas- 91 or 93
no premixing yet. but i think im gonna do this.
oil consumption- I think normal.

 

Usually a black plug shows an overall rich condition while a lighter brown is a leaner condition. The most (and only) real important factor with plugs is the health of the electrode. As long as that works then the plugs are fine.

You can easily tell which coils are working based on previous pictures as others have pointed out.

 

mmmhmmm, somthings def. wrong with your trailing plug...somthings not firing that plug. As you could see the plug is fouled...which means overly exposed to unburned gas/oil...theres a way you can check to see if its sparking...

repop it into your ignition wire and have someone turn the motor over a few times to see if a spark travels through the plug...make sure its grounded on the frame..dont hold it...just keep it on the frame...if its not firing...or as much as the others, most likly its a bad coil...