Looking for the supreme spark plug

[Brett Dikeman]

At 7:58 PM -0500 3/5/02, Gerald Penyweit wrote:

>>I own a 86 Audi 5000 TQ. Bosch made a 2 prong plug that was considered
>>by some to be a racing plug for the 2.2L 5 cyc engine.

Hmm, doesn't ring a bell.  The only unusual plug I know of is the one
for the 20vt which is a solid platnium single-electrode; some -claim-
they see a difference in the 10v, but I just don't believe it.  More
folk claim they last longer, that I do believe, but I don't think
they last long enough to justify their exorbitant price.

The part number is F5DPOR, and they're about $10-12 -apiece-.  Its
just not worth the money for someone whose car doesn't require it.
Light wallet syndrome makes the car feel faster, that's all.


>>How about the Bosch platinum +4

3 more electrodes than you need.  See previous comment about
lighter-wallet-syndrome.


>>What is the recommended plug these days
>>for a 86 Audi 5000TQ?

What's listed in the owner's manual, end of story.  Anyone who claims
performance increases in an unmodified engine by switching plugs is
full of it.  Usually people only replace plugs when they're either
due or long overdue, and presto, they install a clean,
properly-gapped "performance" plug and the engine seems better.
Duuuh.  If they had simply dropped in a set of standard plugs that
were new too, they would have seen the same effect.

If you are concerned about problems with the ignition system, they're
very unlikely to be the plugs.  Check the condition of the
distributor, rotor, and wires.  The rotor should be unpitted and
clean; the "points" in the distributor cap should be free of
corrosion/carbon, and the interior of the cap should be both clean
and free of "lighting marks."  The ignition wires should not have any
cracks etc in them(don't check with the engine running) and
resistance should be within tolerance.

If you are having running problems, ignition is one of many things
that could be wrong, and its usually the least likely unless it has
been neglected.  Much more common are vacuum leaks(one item that
typically sneaks by unnoticed is the crankcase breather hose,
driver's side of the engine compartment; if it looks like it
"collapsed", tada, its toast), solenoid failures, dirty/leaking
injectors, and so on.

Other things that can cause poor running include a clogged air
filter(just drop in a $3-4 replacement, no need for the audi part NOR
a K&N; I run this in my 200q20v and it works just great, even with
the chip) and clogged up catalytic converters.  O2 sensors are
supposed to be replaced every 50-60k miles -by default- because they
become slow to respond.  If yours hasn't been done in 60k miles,
replace it outright; get a generic 3-wire Bosch sensor for -any-
car(they're all the same if they're 3-wire, should be under $60), cut
the old one off and the connector off the new one, and splice the new
one into the harness you have left from the old one (polarity does
not matter on the white wires, its for a DC heater circuit.)  If you
have a lot of different wrenches, you can get the O2 sensor out, but
there's not much room and an O2 sensor socket will do the job with a
fraction of the cussing.

O2 sensor importance should never be underestimated.  They'll hurt
performance and mileage if they're out of whack...

Brett
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