[s-cars] More Project Questions - Plugs & Plug Connectors

[Douglas Fifield]

Hedz,

Rolling along on my multi-part project, I now come to plugs and plug connectors.

A while back, in an attempt to track down an intermittent miss, I
purchased and installed new plugs and connectors.  The plugs were the
standard Bosch platins that have been in such discussion on this list
of late.  The connectors were sourced through Worldpac and appeared to
be identical to the stock ones they replaced.

At my next oil change, I went to check the torque on the plugs, but
instead of the connectors coming up with the coil cover and giving
access to the plugs, the connectors stayed attached to the plugs.
After much pulling and straining, I finally got the connector off of
the number one plug, but clearly stressed the connector in doing so.
I decided to leave them in place until further work needed to be done
on the car.  That time has come.

I pulled the connectors off as part of the valve cover gasket
replacement, destroying them in the process.  One of them left a ring
of rubber welded to the plug which required further gyrations to
remove before the plugs could be extracted.

Has anyone seen behavior like this before?  The plugs are now out and
the electrode ends look fine.  The screw-on contacts on the other end
of the plugs all look baked however.

In examining the plugs themselves I see the script that says Bosch
Platin and underneath that is the following:  R1  591

The new plugs I ordered from SJM are identical except for the three
numbers.  The new plugs have the numbers 782.

Does anyone know if this means anything?  Or, does anyone have ideas
on why I experienced what I did.  I don't want the connectors to stick
again.  Those plugs need to be checked as we all know.

TIA.

D.

-- 
Douglas in MN
95.5 Audi S//6 Avant
73 BMW R60/5 mit Toaster Tank