Get those spark plugs changed, before.....

[oliver1850]

Set out for the Madison swap 2nd weekend of Jan., happy to be going on a decent day after missing the last two or three due to snow. I got about 35 miles up the road and hit a pothole, engine immediately lost power and dash lit up. I could hear the exhaust leak, felt around and decided it must be a broken manifold to exhaust pipe doughnut gasket. Limped the car back home and drove it into the shop. Finally got around to tearing it down a couple of days ago. Had already twisted off both of the exhaust pipe flange bolts when I noticed a plug wire hanging down with a long piece of porcelain attached. One plug had broken off with the hex on the free end, leaving the threads and the tapered seat intact in the head. The car has 140,000+ miles on it. I'd bet money the plugs had never been changed. It's always run great and I never gave a second thought to plugs. The upshot is that it took me 10 or 12 hours of uncomfortable labor to get the manifold out to access the broken plug. The plug threads came out relatively easily, but I'm dreading getting everything back together. If you're in the salt zone, I'd recommend a plug change before it's "needed".

[AngryScientist]

Right on.

I have an irrational fear of spark plug seizure so I'm pretty good about changing them regularly. My most recent beater Jeep had about 125k on the clock when I got it, and like yours: likely had the original plugs in it. When I pulled them, the electrodes were damn nearly gone, work wayyy down. It's amazing that the engine just hummed along fine with such a massive gap. Close to failure, for sure. Don't forget the high temp anti-seize.

[paredown]

I think we are a bit spoiled with the modern engine management systems--they will try to compensate for spark plug wear until they can't.

In the 'olden days' of distributors and ignition sensitive cars (VWs) I used to be pretty consistent with changes/tune-ups.

My current Tundra, I just ignored the plugs until it really did start running like crap--and my wife says 'have you changed the plugs recently?' (Her car repair experience goes back to keeping her Rambler station wagon on the road as a teenager.)

No damage like yours, but boy they were pretty shot with 80,000 + miles on them.

[lzuk]

Oh Lucky Day! You got the broken part out. My head had to go to a machine shop

[tiretrax]

The way contemporary cars run so well, I am amazed by how many people I know don't do regular maintenance. With long life spark plugs and electronic engine management, it's easy to forget to get them changed. But I know people that don't get regular oil changes. Now, that will be an expensive repair!

[rnhood]

I change my plugs every 100k miles. Its not often one hears of a broken plug, but it happens from time to time.

[bcroslin]

I still have nightmares about watching my old man remove spark plugs from an old engine....

[wc1934]

The way contemporary cars run so well, I am amazed by how many people I know don't do regular maintenance. With long life spark plugs and electronic engine management, it's easy to forget to get them changed. But I know people that don't get regular oil changes. Now, that will be an expensive repair!

My issue is that the modern cars are almost impossible to maintain by you average do it youselfer. The engine compartment is so small and everything is jammed and squeezed in so tight that even the spark plus are difficult to get at.

[zap]

Had plugs changed in one of our vehicles last year at 53,000 miles-all 16 of them.

No way in hell I was going to tackle that job.

[54ny77]

If you have a Ford Triton V8 (5.4L) circa early-mid '00's, the job really sucks. There's been class action, recalls, etc. Two piece plugs.

Ask me how I know....

[AngryScientist]

My issue is that the modern cars are almost impossible to maintain by you average do it youselfer. The engine compartment is so small and everything is jammed and squeezed in so tight that even the spark plus are difficult to get at.

I hear that fairly often, but it's really not true; especially given how little actual maintenance is required on modern vehicles. I've owned a bunch of tightly packaged cars, including a Mini Cooper and I never brought it to a mechanic.

[JAGI410]

One of my Subaru plugs shattered upon removal. Of course on the one that's hardest to reach. A little anti-seize is a good idea!

[Fatty]

Curious how old the vehicle is ?

[jimcav]

I have one that popped off (suspiciously not long after I had a guy work on the carb), I crimped it and put it back on, but wonder if they have lifespan too?

[AngryScientist]

When they appear dry and have surface micro cracking. Lots of heat in the engine compartment that dries out plug wires and when they get that dry rot look, it's time to go.

[Ken Robb]

How did hitting a pothole break the spark plug?
RE: plug gaps. Generally engines run best with the widest gap that the spark can jump. The first hint of plugs nearing the end of life is missing at high rpm. because the ignition can no longer fire across the widened gap due to electrode wear. This makes me suspect that you guys who have gotten such long service from your plugs rarely wind the engine up near red-line.

Changing plugs on my BMW six engines going back to 1985 have been very easy to do as they are on my 2007 MINI Cooper S (turbo). I have never even seen them or the wires/coils on our 2014 Mazda 3 w/2.5L engine as everything is wrapped in plastic. ;)

[F150]

If you have a Ford Triton V8 (5.4L) circa early-mid '00's, the job really sucks. There's been class action, recalls, etc. Two piece plugs.

Ask me how I know....

Tritons are either spitting plugs out, or hanging on to them for dear life; no in between. Hate the thought of tackling the job, although I understand the 4.6 is less prone to seizing. By comparison, plugs on wife's '06 BMW straight six was super simple, easy to access.

[bobswire]

Also simple maintenance like keeping tires properly inflated will help longevity of the tires, gas mileage and proper handling.

[soulspinner]

Just did them at 130,000 miles on my Toyota. They actually looked pretty good. Eridium tipped.

[Saint Vitus]

I put Unobtanium tipped ones in my Dodge Vegematic (there in the parking lot...).

[54ny77]

i had 5 out of 8 gone kaput.

the special ford tool to pull 'em is a few hundred bucks.

just mailed in my response card for the class action as well.

not bad, it only took 9 years to get that going. and still no recall.....

Tritons are either spitting plugs out, or hanging on to them for dear life; no in between. Hate the thought of tackling the job, although I understand the 4.6 is less prone to seizing. By comparison, plugs on wife's '06 BMW straight six was super simple, easy to access.

[soulspinner]

I put Unobtanium tipped ones in my Dodge Vegematic (there in the parking lot...).

LOL. Its Iridium...:rolleyes:

[oliver1850]

Fatty: It's a 1998.

Ken: The metal part of the plug was corroded down to a very thin wall, basically nonexistent where it broke. Was likely separated most of the way around. When I hit the pothole it broke the rest of the way and popped out instantly.

[Ken Robb]

Fatty: It's a 1998.

Ken: The metal part of the plug was corroded down to a very thin wall, basically nonexistent where it broke. Was likely separated most of the way around. When I hit the pothole it broke the rest of the way and popped out instantly.

WOW! I never heard of anything like that happening----even when I lived in Chicago. :D

[SpokeValley]

That was one expensive pothole. :rolleyes:

[ultraman6970]

I got this problem a few years ago, car was revving and pulling time to time, went to check the sparkplugs and I noticed that one had half of it inside the boot. I dont have the tools neither wanted to expenriment with that fix so drove to the shop and they did a full sparkplug and cables swap.

After checking the piece that was in the boot, the sparkplug was cracked who knows since when.

Car can drive with less cylinders the problem is that you have no power neither acceleration.