Well, I thought spark plugs were spark plugs so I swapped out the worn NGKs in the Loyale with some Bosch Platinums. Driving into work today she ran WORSE! I checked the gap when I put them in and they are right around .040 which I believe is correct for the EA82. What the heck? Could this have actually made it worse?

 

I can hear the question now: define worse. It chugs under acceleration (just got rid of that with the fuel filter/O2 sensor change) and I had to downshift on a hill I usually don't have to.

 

Could changing to plats actually cause it to run worse? Do I need to find me some NGKs? Help!!! :-\

Yeah, the NGK's are a better plug. Not many would recommend using Bosch.

 

Check the obvious, has one come loose from the pressure. Have you got the leads in the correct order? If not, go buy some regular NGK's. These don't need platinums, they're used for engines whose designs require a days work to change the plugs because of poor design. Making them the very much cheaper option.

Have to admit that I disagree, Bosch Platinums are GREAT in my opinion, my subaru runs great now that I put them in, actually ran smoother and felt like it had a little more kick to it. I have platinums in every car I own, my subaru, my kia, my toyota and even in my monster chevy 350. They work great in all of them. I'm sure they don't work for everyone but I just wanted to put a positive opinion of them on here.

 

I'm not sure but I think the gap for my subie was .050 but I might be mistaken.

Had 2 cases recently which acted like plug problems..changed plugs..no help. Changed plug wires and problems cured. Bad cap, rotor or coil can cause plug like problems.

I tried platinums in my turbowagon, didn't make any noticeable difference. I thought that maybe there was something else in the system holding me back, so I replaced everything else in the ignition system, piece by piece. Still, no difference.

 

When it came time to change the plugs again, I went with NGKs, and it ran fine as well.

 

For me, platinums aren't worth the extra $$. NGKs work just as well, and they can be maintained over a long time as well.

Did them one at a time so I doubt that I swapped a wire. Checked the wires and they looked okay. The only thing that is different is the dern plugs.

 

I'll check for looseness on the wires and the plugs themselves, but I think I'll try the NGKs.

 

We shall see...

when the platins came out, i was driving old saab 99's... and the platins run hot

compared to standard plugs, it helped with oil fouling. i thought they were great.

havent tried em on anything else though.

... Checked the wires and they looked okay....

"Looks" can be deceiving. Just the act of removing and replacing the wire on the plug can damage an old or marginal wire. I would suggest going ahead and replacing the wires to make sure that you know that they are not the problem.

 

Regarding Bosch Platinums, I have tried them off and on since around their introducion, and have been very disappointed with them. After only about 1000-1500 miles in my Datsun the center electrode would be eroded down to the insulator. I believe that I have tried them once in my 82 Subaru, and the same thing happened. I try them again every couple of years to see if they have changed or if I was doing something wrong through earlier ignorance, but the results have always been the same.

 

This is in contrast to NGKs, which I have used since the mid-1970s in all manners of car and motorcycle, and have never had a problem with them.

Yea... if the boots are flakey, or have a questionable connection, they can go out when you move them. I like to do plugs & wires as a set, and I usually do the cap & rotor (if so equipped) if possible as well.

 

-=Russ=-

Swapped out the spark plug wires and it got "back to normal." Musta hurt one somehow when swapping the plugs.

 

BUT... I'm starting a new thread: "More Power At Part Throttle than Floored"

get some new NGKs and throw out the bosch.

 

Gap them to .44mm

 

-Brian

I bought the Bosch platinums and put them in not knowning any better. I have noticed improvement greatly. I dont think I was running the NGK's. But anyways I think you are not supposed to gap the Bosch Platinums. Dont know for sure but that is what it said on the package. Thanks