[s-cars] misfires under (& off) boost - catastrophic plug failures

[chad clark]

BTDT, same exact plug failure as you Mike. About 1.5 years ago to be exact.
Luckily the only symptoms I experienced was an occasional low rpm stumble
but the thing that finally got me to check the plugs again was a ticking
noise at idle(sounded just like a valve lifter) but only when warm, not
cold. Anyway, yes, the ceramic base of the plug had completely separated
itself from the plug innards if you will. Spun like a top. These particular
plugs only had 10k mi on them to boot.

Check your plugs folks! Both torque and overall condition.

Chad 


on 12/3/03 7:18 PM, Calvin & Diana Craig at calvinlc at earthlink.net wrote:

> I have had the tip come loose and short out the plug causing a coilpack
> failure and my engine is completely stock.
> --Calvin
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com]On Behalf Of mlp qwest
> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 8:00 AM
> To: s-car-list at audifans.com
> Subject: [s-cars] misfires under (& off) boost - catastrophic plug
> failures
> 
> 
> Just curious, having a very recent BTDT experience shortly after a
> chip/turbo upgrade that will now run @ 24 - 25 psi of boost, how many on the
> list have experienced catastrophic plug failures?  i.e. electrode blown out
> of plug and the ceramic insulator separated from threads such that while
> still attached to the base, the ceramic tower spins like a top inside the
> base.
> 
> It's the first time I've personally had a plug fail like this, but I'm now
> wondering if it is at all common.  I can't say as I recall anything recently
> on the list on Bosch plug reliability.  Fortunately I still have good
> compression in the cylinder the plug failed in; no obvious whine from the
> turbo; and still see good boost levels.  FWIW, the plug in question was
> fairly "new" i.e., less than @ 4K total miles on the car since replacing the
> set of five, and only @ 800 miles since the switch over to the bigger turbo
> and "more" boost chips.
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> ~-----Original Message-----
> ~From: s-car-list On Behalf Of Karl Smith
> ~
> ~Another source of concern are the wires that run from the power
> ~output stages to the ignition coils.
> ~
> 
> 
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