Spark Plugs: Such a dummy!

DRNewcomb · Post by **DRNewcomb** » 12 Oct 2012, 08:12

First post her, so sorry if this is a common thread.

Last Friday my 2002 V70 all at once started running very rough and the "check engine" light came on. Acted just like spark plugs or a bad coil. I pulled plugs 1 & 5 to check (no small task) and they looked OK to me. So I got it over to my friendly mechanic and the next day he informed me that the problem was indeed the spark plugs. Two years ago I had installed Bosch plugs thinking they would be a good brand. On one of the plugs the electrode wire hand broken loose and slid down through the insulation to touch the grounding bar. This seems to have been the cause of the sudden performance degradation. The rest of them were coming loose and starting to back out of the tips. $160 blown because I didn't just replace all the plugs when I had the cover off.

Anyway, has there been a history of Bosch plugs going bad like this? I've never seen a spark plug fail in such a dramatic way.

Post by **jblackburn** » 12 Oct 2012, 09:24

What kind were they?

I've been using the Bosch Super Copper plugs for years, and never had any problems with them.

Volvos do not like the Platinum plugs one bit, but that's the first I've heard of that happening.

DRNewcomb · Post by **DRNewcomb** » 12 Oct 2012, 09:30

jblackburn wrote:What kind were they?

I've been using the Bosch Super Copper plugs for years, and never had any problems with them.

Volvos do not like the Platinum plugs one bit, but that's the first I've heard of that happening.

Sorry. They were what the computer at AutoZone listed for the car. I was looking for the receipt with the idea of calling the mechanic back and asking if he'd tossed them yet. If not I'd pick them up and return them to AutoZone. I couldn't find the receipt so I passed on the idea. They had very small diameter electrode completely surrounded by ceramic insulation.