[s-cars] Spark Plugs and Coils

[Tony Curran]

Hi all,

About a week ago my car started to run very rough and was diagnosed as
having a bad no. 4 ignition coil. This was duly replaced but my mechanic
advised that the spark plugs were in bad shape. Something that I had seen on
them was a rust like discolouring at the base of the ceramic casing just as
it enters the SS body. Mechanic said this is caused due to the plug
leaking - I guess pressure blowing back up the casing of the plug.

So, these plugs were new when I first bought the car and have 52500kms
(approx 32500 miles). I suspect the plugs may have been showing this
discolouration for a few thousand kms but I failed to recognise what this
meant.

Could a bad plug have caused the coil to blow? What is the life expectancy
of th F5DPOR plugs?

Thanks,

Tony
96 S6 - running smooooth again.