Spark Plugs and tracking
 

For those whom track their 8s.
How often do you replace your spark plugs?

I had to replace my spark plugs after 3 sessions, it won't even last to end of the end.
My latest set of spark plugs only last around 6k miles before I need to replace them after track session.

I shift around 6k rpm and stay at high rpm during tight corners.
This makes me wonder if I did something wrong...?
Can't imagine ppl replacing their plugs every time after track....:sweatdrop

There is something else wrong, that is killing your spark plug. Long story short, I would replace my spark plug once a year on my daily driver( hyundai scoupe turbo 1993) Past six month I replace them monthly, last two time I had to replace then daily, so I had a check engine light come on and off since I got the car 9 years ago and the Temperature gage work now and then. So i change the temperature sender and sensor. Now the car is running like new, no check engine light!!!;-)

My 8 is also my DD, i only have to change the spark plug after tracking session.
Otherwise daily cruise is totally fine.
Before I start tracking, I only need to replace plugs when i replace the coils.
No CEL.
Makes me wonder if i'm doing something wrong on track.
With my cooling mods, my temp doesn't even pass 200 on track, daily highway is around 180.

I got my car back in 06 with 43,000 miles, 7 years later with one engine replace after I got a check engine light turn on, I have 65,000 I have track my car three time and I do drive the car hard every now and then. I have only change the spark plugs once I still have my original coil and wire. So it just doesn't sound right to me. Did you get a check engine light, even if its for a second or two, it will remained as a pending code so you can check if you have any at your local part store or get a code reader. They do come in handy. Anyway I hope someone else can help!

I got CEL after I install underdrive pulley, but it's gone after awhile.
This is few weeks before tracking.
And CEL didn't show up during track.
I'll keep checking different possibilities....

Thanks!

Which type of plugs are you using? There are different leading ones (here in Europe at least). There are RE7C-L, which are for lower temperatures only and will not last you long while tracking, and there are RE8C-L, which are recommended here because we have no speed limits on parts of the Autobahn. I just replaced mine the second time at 70.000kms, so 45.000kms average.

My 8 is also my DD; I use it for my commute to work, but also drive it hard at lease 3 or 4 times a month.

OEM NGK plugs: RE7C-L and RE9B-T.

I'm wondering, putting tracking aside, during normal driving condition, what are the possibility that could foul the plugs?

I change mine every 20k miles... which includes about 12 track events, one event being about 8 to 12 sessions. Never had a problem and I shift at 9000RPM.

Stock NGK spark plugs and BHR ignition with MM tuned AP.


What happens when yours go "bad"? Misfires, loss of power? Or are you just pulling them out and looking at them and if they change color you think they're bad?

That's exactly what I was wondering. What is the criteria being used to judge them as bad?

Paul.

I did reset the e-shaft when changing pulleys.
P0335 was the CEL, it came up even after reset e-shaft, but only last few drive cycles.

Go bad as in, it'll lost power around 4k-5k rpm (during acceleration), and once that happens, I would no longer accelerate anymore. Rpm slowly drop to 0. Have to pull over, and restart the motor.
It would start right up, but won't last long until it happens again.

stuff will wear out more quickly on the track :)

although it does sound like you have something else going on, cycling the key should not make a difference

so wait .. you have been wasting money on repeated purchases of spark plugs instead of taking a few steps back and trying to discover what the issues are with your car? ....

Things like:

random CEL's,
random loss of power,
"wont last long until it happens again"

sound like normal wear and tear to you?

Are you serious... that code is for the eccentric shaft position sensor your motor doesn't know what to set the timing at because you put the underdrive pulley on and it moved while it was swapped. When the "RPM's drop to 0" it's because the car shut the motor off since you're driving it hard and it has no idea when to fire the spark plugs.

You need to do the 20 brake stomp reset in order to get rid of this. It's not the spark plugs. This can also happen if you somehow managed to put the timing plate back on wrong... which is almost impossible... the flat disc with the teeth. What would be even more hilarious is if you accidentally took it off with the old e-shaft pulley and it's somehow still running.

If you can read....
That code came up after i reset e-shaft, few weeks before tracking. And DID NOT SHOW UP during track.

Again, this only happen on track....and NO CEL during track and random error...
Just the plugs go bad very quickly on track.
Stop putting random assumptions....

Why do you believe that this problem: "Go bad as in, it'll lost power around 4k-5k rpm (during acceleration), and once that happens, I would no longer accelerate anymore. Rpm slowly drop to 0. Have to pull over, and restart the motor. " is related to spark plugs?
What happens when you replace the plugs?
What happens until you replace the plugs?
If you can drive normally on the new plugs, can you drive normally on the prior plugs?
Have you ever replaced the plugs at the track and gone right back out? Detail what happens and how if so.


I'm betting that there is something else going on here and you are incorrectly assuming that it's a spark plug failure.

Having the ess profile out of alignment certainly could cause this behavior if it's progressively losing the signal or the heat soak is causing problems with the wiring to it.

This also sounds like it could be fuel pump failure to me, overheating and slowing down under the heat and load on the track until it shuts off. Starts cooling immediately in the gasoline, allows you to start again, but it isn't completely cool so it starts acting up sooner and sooner. Later on at home or under cruise it's not under strain and it's temps stay under control. :dunno:

Nothing of what you have described tells us that you have a problem with spark plugs, or that replacing spark plugs would actually have an impact.

Example, if you have the problem at the track and immediately put in a new set of plugs and go back out on track and it takes a while to happen again, THEN we would agree there is something fouling your plugs bad, however if you just head home and replace them later, then you have changes lots of other variables as well as the plugs (temperatures, sustained loads, etc...)

If you have information that conclusively ties the spark plugs replacement to fixing the problem then please share it. Not sharing it just leads people off on a wild goose chase elsewhere. If you don't have that information, then drop the assumption that it's plug related, or that plugs fix the problem.

Why would it be spark plugs if replacing them doesn't fix the problem, it's not the plugs fault. Yes plugs may be failing but something is causing it and your not giving enough info for us to make any kind of diagnosis.

The definition of insanity is to repeat the same steps and expect a different result.

Replacing plugs fixed the issue, what's why i'm pointing toward plugs.
Plus I DID NOT say replacing plug didn't fix the issue....where did you read that?

Are you going to answer any of the questions I posed?


And NO, replacing the spark plugs didn't fix the issue if the issue keeps reappearing.

You started the thread specifically because replacing the spark plugs wasn't solving the problem!

After replacing plugs, it runs fine like before, acting like nothing happened.
Can't even drive normally on the prior plugs, had to stop and go on the highway. lol

I thought about the fuel pump, but once I replace the plugs, it's all good.
That's why i'm pointing toward plugs.
Will bring another set of plugs next time.

When?
Quote me

First post:

Clearly replacing them isn't solving anything, because it keeps happening.

We don't think you see it the same way we do :)

^I guess not. lol

My apology.
I guess I didn't state it clear enough.
What I meant was, the plugs starts acting up (go bad) after 3 sessions.
That set of plugs only have 6k miles on it when it happened.
Once I got home and replace them, it runs fine....
This happened before, but it was on an older set of plugs (about 20k miles).
I replaced coils, wireds and plugs at that time. (Almost time for regular maintenance anyway)
This time I only replace plugs.


Hopefully this clears up. lol

I ran the same plugs for 2 years including what.. 20 track days? So no, that behaviour is not normal, you've got something else going on. How many sets have you replaced in this fashion and how many sessions/miles was between the changes?

If you're saying that when you go back, you drive home, park, install new spark plugs and drive around normally until the next track day, then its just as likely that simply stopping and cooling down is fixing the issue, which would point back at the fuel pump, for example.

Just for kicks, try an old set of plugs in there, I bet you it will run just as well as a new set.

sounds like a fuel pump/strainer issue to me, as well try cleaning and relearning the ESS... hopefully you already did clean it with the pulley swap.