Anyone willing to help a noobie analyze his old spark plugs? **PICTURES INCLUDED

[TOTJaybin]

Just did the plugs and wires on my 97 GTS. These plugs have been in the car about 7 years (I've only had the car a few months).

Any concerns with how these old plugs look? Thank you!!!

BTW: no more backfiring at idle after the swap =)

[TOTJaybin]

IMG_20140330_172131504[1].jpgIMG_20140330_172100599.jpgIMG_20140330_172036744.jpg

[James430]

How many miles we're put on those in 7 years?

[TOTJaybin]

Shoot, I bought it with 44k - I'd have to guess between 15-20K

[dodgestang]

IMG_20140330_172100599.jpg

Where did the ceramic go on this plug? I only ask because I had the ceramic part of a plug come apart in my 410c and it cost me a pretty penny to rebuild the motor.

[TOTJaybin]

no clue....

[TOTJaybin]

looking at it from different angle. The ceramic is still on it: its just blackened from that angle. however it looks like two pieces chipped off. Here is pictures of it at different angleBADPLUGCLINDER8.jpgBADPLUGclinder8PIC2.jpgBadplugclinder8pic3.jpg

[dodgestang]

Well that looks a bit better

[TOTJaybin]

wheeeeeew so these look okay? I wasn't going to sleep tonight.

[dodgestang]

They looked old, but there is no oil contaminants, no fungus, no weird burnt off electrodes...they just look like old plugs to me. You are two short though...did you remember to change them all? And did you gap the new ones (and to what spec) prior to installation?

[TOTJaybin]

I had trouble uploading the other 2 pictures. However they were not chipped at all in the ceramic area. I used Champion RCI2LYC and was under impression i did not need to gap them. Should i pull em out and check em to be safe

[dodgestang]

I always check the gap on my plugs (and usually have to set it since either I don't like what they are out of the box or the quality control is low and they aren't all the same)....but then again....I've never owned a viper before until last weekend....maybe things are different.

[ICPREY]

Should i pull em out and check em to be safe

I would verify the gap, never know what happens in transit.

[TOTJaybin]

Okay Ill go on the safe side and pull them out and measure it up

[Indy]

Okay Ill go on the safe side and pull them out and measure it up

Spark plugs have a crush washer on them, so watch out when you take them out and put them back in...if you have a torque wrench you should be fine though, otherwise it might be hard to get the torque right. Manufactures often state how much to turn the spark plug after you have it hand tightened, but this only works for the first time as long as the crush washer is still unused and generally is only a very rough estimate.

In terms of the appearance of the plugs, they seem in good shape.

Cheers.

[Fatboy 18]

Just did the plugs and wires on my 97 GTS. These plugs have been in the car about 7 years (I've only had the car a few months).

Any concerns with how these old plugs look? Thank you!!!

BTW: no more backfiring at idle after the swap =)

I'm see a problem here, your engine may not be running right as it should have 10 plugs and I'm only seeing 5!






Sorry

[bluesrt]

those plugs look like new, I don't think they are original

[TOTJaybin]

Thanks guys, car is running great with the new plugs in.

- - - Updated - - -

Spark plugs have a crush washer on them, so watch out when you take them out and put them back in...if you have a torque wrench you should be fine though, otherwise it might be hard to get the torque right. Manufactures often state how much to turn the spark plug after you have it hand tightened, but this only works for the first time as long as the crush washer is still unused and generally is only a very rough estimate.

In terms of the appearance of the plugs, they seem in good shape.

Cheers.

I bought a torque wrench to be safe- Thank you for checking out my plugs!