I thought spark plugs were suppose to last about 30k miles. I put thenese in when I got my car a 12k miles ago and the other day, it wouldnt start. I changed the spark plugs and found out that these were the culprit!


Is this normal wear or is it caused by something else?

 

dammit, you bought bosch plugs for your honda! that's the problem. next time get NGK ZFR5F-11's. they're the copper version plug used in LS engines, compatible with GS-R and Type-R. GS-R's use platinum plugs b/c they last longer, but copper is a better conductor and will therefore result in slightly hotter sparks due to less lost current.

 

oh yeah, and that one black one is running rich or something. maybe also a bad plug wire or dirty terminal in the distributor cap?

 

haha i didnt know man. thats what the kragen guys said. he told me to get the bosch 4s again but i cheaped out and got the twos. theyre working great right now, I will buy the ngk next!

I think that black one is due to o2 sensor?

i have a cel code 1 and 45

 

I have some of the dual-plat plugs in mine now, their usually in bmws and such stock though. Nothing bad about mine Yet.

 

those plugs are messed up buddy........possibly your o2 is the problem. Probably hurting your MPG too

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mordeki &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">those plugs are messed up buddy........possibly your o2 is the problem. Probably hurting your MPG too </TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah...i want to get that o2 sensor done. soon though but im still getting 260ish to the tank so its not bad.

i wonder if i can get like 270-280 with a good o2 sensor

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ucdant &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah...i want to get that o2 sensor done. soon though but im still getting 260ish to the tank so its not bad.

i wonder if i can get like 270-280 with a good o2 sensor</TD></TR></TABLE>

****. i get 320+ on a tank, right as the light is coming on. BTW, i have crower stage III's and i'm non-vtec, so there is no small cam.

 

bosch suck ***** go NGK or DENSO iridium

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95lstegman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

****. i get 320+ on a tank, right as the light is coming on. BTW, i have crower stage III's and i'm non-vtec, so there is no small cam. </TD></TR></TABLE>

320 is alot of miles!

i have an ls too. all stock and its automatic. i should change the o2 sensor

I should be geting about 280-300 though

the thanks 11 gallons. our 4 bangers should get about 24-28 maybe more?

I think it is messed up hahah...wow...i just go the car 12k ago....i guess i just lost alot of money


12k divided by 260 = 46 fill ups

12k divided by 300 = 40 fill ups

each fill up is about 20 bucks

46-40 equals a differecen of 6 fill ups

i lost about 120 bucks??? plus or minus ~20-30 dollars

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SOHCD16y8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">bosch suck ***** go NGK or DENSO iridium</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

The 2 on the right look like they were running hot. The one on the top left is obviously fat. I don't know whats up with the one on the bottom left. It's really hard to read a plug from a monitor so I may be mistaken. Were you running octane booster? Looks like it from my computer screen.
Then again it could be my monitor, your pictures, or both.

 

bosch

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sack Master &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The 2 on the right look like they were running hot. The one on the top left is obviously fat. I don't know whats up with the one on the bottom left. It's really hard to read a plug from a monitor so I may be mistaken. Were you running octane booster? Looks like it from my computer screen.
Then again it could be my monitor, your pictures, or both.</TD></TR></TABLE>

check these additional photos: let me know what you think. I do use fuel injector cleaner or gas cleaner every tank. I use 89 too in my ls. Might be the o2 sensor for sure though

 

Its so hard to read a plug from a picture. Looks like a lot of build up on those things. Maybe burning a little oil. You don't need any fuel additive. Just put good gas in it. I use cheveron. Run fuel injector cleaner through it once every 3000 miles or whenever you change your oil.
It may be just the spark plugs. But I would say your car is in dire need of a major tune up. Like everyone is saying use NGKs. I wouldn't use anything else in any of my cars. I tried the bosch +4 once and it lasted about 2 weeks. But I think my ignition system had a lot to do with that.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95lstegman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dammit, you bought bosch plugs for your honda! that's the problem. next time get NGK ZFR5F-11's. they're the copper version plug used in LS engines, compatible with GS-R and Type-R. GS-R's use platinum plugs b/c they last longer, but copper is a better conductor and will therefore result in slightly hotter sparks due to less lost current.</TD></TR></TABLE>
This statement is true to some extent. Copper is a better conducter. Which is why most drag racers use them. But unlike a platinum plug(a real one, platinum electrode and ground, not a cheap $3 platinum plug with a platinium tip) they lose that conductivity within 10 minutes of driving making them actually less effective. People with drag cars usually change thier plugs very frequently so thats not an issue.

 

Dont be so quick to blame your O2 sensor they are expensive and there are MANY things that can cause an O2 cel to trip. Remember all it is is a sensor, if you have access to a scope check out the wave forms, and then make sure other things are not incorrect, like timing, other sensors, if your running rich or lean for other reasons it can cause your O2 to look like its bad when all its doing is trying to tell you that there is something wrong.

 

WTF, bosch sucks? I just bought a set of the same ones (Bosch Platinum 4+) for my LS, damnit why am i now finding out, they were like 4-5 dollars each too! I thought these were good, darnit.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shyboy817 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">WTF, bosch sucks? I just bought a set of the same ones (Bosch Platinum 4+) for my LS, damnit why am i now finding out, they were like 4-5 dollars each too! I thought these were good, darnit.</TD></TR></TABLE>

sorry man. could have told you that a million years ago.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sack Master &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Its so hard to read a plug from a picture.</TD></TR></TABLE>

yup. sorry. it's the truth. but i agree, two look like they may be running a bit hotter (the whiter ones) than the rest, and one colder (the black one) in the second pic.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ucdant &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">320 is alot of miles!</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah. i hardly ever fill it up any more, though. i just keep &lt;5 gal in it to keep weight to a minimum. but i used to run that far between fill-ups. the light would come on at 320-330miles. and i still have lots of fun with it. i think having more power, naturally aspirated, at least to a certain degree, can increase your fuel economy. more power = less time spent accelerating, and N/A cars don't use a whole lot more fuel than stock (compared to turbo). also better BSFC. even after tuning, it's still better mileage than i got before ever modding the car. but cams took away some. i think i get ~30mpg-ish, where before those i got 33mpg.

 

I always get 280miles on my tank, then light comes on, i want more out of it!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95lstegman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dammit, you bought bosch plugs for your honda! that's the problem. next time get NGK ZFR5F-11's. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Those are longer than GS-R/ITR plugs. I have been using NGK BKR6E-11 copper plugs in my GS-R for years now, I change them every 10K-15K miles. Every time I pull mine out they all look the same with just the normal wear appearance on them.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ucdant &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">320 is alot of miles!

i have an ls too. all stock and its automatic. i should change the o2 sensor

I should be geting about 280-300 though

the thanks 11 gallons. our 4 bangers should get about 24-28 maybe more?

I think it is messed up hahah...wow...i just go the car 12k ago....i guess i just lost alot of money</TD></TR></TABLE>

I regularly get 320-350 miles per tank in my GS-R, sometimes more. The tank is 13.2 gallons, and I usually put in 11.xx gallons when I fill up.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ucdant &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">check these additional photos: let me know what you think. I do use fuel injector cleaner or gas cleaner every tank. I use 89 too in my ls. Might be the o2 sensor for sure though
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Using injector cleaner on every fillup is WAY overkill, expensive, and has probably fouled the O2 sensor and probably didn't do those plugs any good, either. I always just pour in a bottle of injector cleaner when I fill up right before changing my oil. At every 4th oil change, I substitute the injector cleaner for complete fuel system cleaner. I've been doing this since I first bought my car over 100K miles ago and it still runs beautifully. I followed the same schedule on my old Camry and it eventually cured some carbon buildup it had, I was able to run 89 octane where previously it would ping with anything below 93 octane.

I would say replace the O2 sensor (or 2 if it's OBD-II), get some NGK BKR6E-11 plugs (if it's a GS-R) and throw that Bosch junk in the trash can. Also if you think your wires might need replacement, go ahead and do that too. NGK wires are great, and only about $40.

Or you could just go ahead and do a whole tune-up with plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, etc. etc.

 

something's wrong with my car too then........cause I'm not getting anywhere near that MPG

 

yeah, when i got 320mi/tank i was only filling up ~9.5gal or so, sometimes almost 10, but i've never EVER filled up more than 10gal. i really wonder when web sites say i have a 13.2gal tank. i think they're wrong, b/c when i ran it down 'til the idiot light had been on for 20 miles, i only filled up 9.95gal.

oh yeah, and that's an interesting observation about the length of the plug. next time i have nothing to do, like shoot the **** on this forum, i'll play with one of those plugs. the guys at autozone will look at me funny for buying 1 plug, though.

 

I have put in over 12 gallons before, awhile back I put nearly 12.5 gallons in the tank. The owners' manual and I believe the Helms also confirms the fuel capacity as 13.2 gallons.

 

13.2 gallons in my owner's manual, too.

I've used Bosch Pt+4 plugs in my GSR. I know what everyone says around here, but they worked OK in my engine...