So I Changed My Spark Plugs For The First Time ...

[Torques]

Hi there ..

Yesterday I changed the spark plugs on my R33 GTST S2 for the first time (I had the car for just 8 month)

Since I'm new to the car it took me 3 hours : ( but next time I recon it will be more of an hour)

Anyhow I have included the pictures of the old plugs, and I think these are pretty much worn out.

Considering they're platinum (by a company called AutoLite) I figure these plugs have been in the car for a long time.

The gap is at 1.5mm due to erosion ..

The car had just one owner (in Japan) and the certificates claims that the milage is 55,000 km.

I have no experience with platinum spark plugs, so any comments on the pictures is welcomed.

From the colouring of the plugs I'd say the engine is sound ..

PLUGS 1

PLUGS 2

Cheers from London ...

Edited July 21, 2009 by Torques

[HEKT1K]

how does it drive with the new plugs in?

need to get onto changing mine i think...

[Torques]

how does it drive with the new plugs in?

need to get onto changing mine i think...

That was a quick reply ..

To be honest the car is still in the garage, I have not driven it with the new plugs because I was too tired and needed a cold beer

In addition I wanted to double check all the tubing and piping on the car under daylight conditions.

[HEKT1K]

cold beer? i thought you Poms drink it warm

hahaha fair enough. be sure to post up when you've had a drive.

[Torques]

cold beer? i thought you Poms drink it warm

hahaha fair enough. be sure to post up when you've had a drive.

I'm half German so the beer has to be ice cold and my coffee must be boiling hot

(and obviously my car has to be fast)

Edited July 21, 2009 by Torques

[SteveL]

The car had just one owner (in Japan) and the certificates claims that the milage is 55,000 km

Is this car standard ??

Those photos show badly eroded Autolite double-platinum plugs, which should last around 100,000 miles in a more-or-less standard engine. 'Double platinum' means they have platinum on the earth electrode as well as the centre electrode. Those plugs have done a lot of work.

Sorry to say, but they look like they're from a car that's done 155,000kms rather than 55,000.

That said, I suppose it's possible they were put in your engine from another car with high mileage......

[Torques]

Is this car standard ??

Those photos show badly eroded Autolite double-platinum plugs, which should last around 100,000 miles in a more-or-less standard engine. 'Double platinum' means they have platinum on the earth electrode as well as the centre electrode. Those plugs have done a lot of work.

Sorry to say, but they look like they're from a car that's done 155,000kms rather than 55,000.

That said, I suppose it's possible they were put in your engine from another car with high mileage......

Hi!

Yes, the car is standard .. (except that there was a huge HKS exhaust)

As for the engine ... of course you never know what has happened to the car in Japan.

And I doubt the car really has only 55,000km on the clock.

However the engine does not look like it has been swapped unless the people who have done it are real masters in doing so.

There is not a single scratch in the engine bay, and all the mounts are in pristine conditions.

Even the pedals and seats show no wear or tear.

Same goes for the headlights or windshield (no chips or scratches)

It even came with the service record from the Japanese Workshop.

As for the engine, it pulls strong and uses no oil whatsoever.

In addition the engine sounds pretty healthy and not like 155,000km+.

But back to the plugs .... Autolite claims 100,000km and these plugs look like 200,000 ...

Very strange!

Edited July 21, 2009 by Torques

[SteveL]

But back to the plugs .... Autolite claims 100,000km and these plugs look like 200,000 ...

Very strange!

Actually they claim 100,000 miles (nearly 161,000 km's !!) and a five year guarantee (with conditions, of course):

http://www.autolite.com/products/doublePlatinum.php

Can't really comment on the rest, but I also doubt your car has done only 55,000kms

[Torques]

Actually they claim 100,000 miles (nearly 161,000 km's !!) and a five year guarantee (with conditions, of course):

http://www.autolite.com/products/doublePlatinum.php

Can't really comment on the rest, but I also doubt your car has done only 55,000kms

Yep ... that's a lot of mileage especially for a spark plug in a turbo engine.

Is there an engine number linked to the vehicle id?

I could try to cross reference..

I honestly doubt the engine has 160,000km+ because I know how engines with this mileage run/look.

But of course there is always a risk involved

[Wacky Dee]

being an R33 I'd seriously doubt the car has done less than 100k-120k kms realistically. Mine came with 65k on the odo and it's an R34 and I have a feeling it's done atleast 100k as there's lifter noise (although I've masked that with thicker oil)

If you want a piece of mind just get a compression/leakdown test done but if the car pulls nicely, doesn't use oil or blow smoke it's probably fine.

Ps. I hope you've put some decent plugs this time ..NGK copper plugs are the shizzit for RBs ..cheap and last a year on average. Get them in the .8mm gap size if you get any missfire.

[Torques]

being an R33 I'd seriously doubt the car has done less than 100k-120k kms realistically. Mine came with 65k on the odo and it's an R34 and I have a feeling it's done atleast 100k as there's lifter noise (although I've masked that with thicker oil)

If you want a piece of mind just get a compression/leakdown test done but if the car pulls nicely, doesn't use oil or blow smoke it's probably fine.

Ps. I hope you've put some decent plugs this time ..NGK copper plugs are the shizzit for RBs ..cheap and last a year on average. Get them in the .8mm gap size if you get any missfire.

Hmm ... I can't argue that a low odometer reading is somewhat fishy.

(Though I have it in writing

I have no lifter noise, rust, smoke or other nasty stuff.

It's a really neat car. I like it alot

(I'll be posting some pictures)

http://www.strangelanding.com/skyline/r33/r33.html

How long did it take you changing the plugs?

And isn't it better removing the whole frame where the coils sit on rather than removing each coils separately? (that's what I did)

?

As for misfiring I did not have any, even with the worn out 1.5mm gap from the old plugs.

I drove the car from England to Europe (800km through 4 countries) in 7 hours and there was no problem whatsoever. (driving at 160-180km/h)

Even the gas mileage was good..

But I know ... if it's too good to be true, it possibly isn't true

Cheers to OZ!

Edited July 21, 2009 by Torques

[Jason82]

You probably need one of these http://justjap.com/store/product.php?produ...at=0&page=1 Something to do with lowering the voltage resistance to the coil packs - I am no expect, but worth researching mate!

[Jason82]

Your under body looks as though it has been re-sprayed with some form of body deadener, but your engine bay looks really good - such as the gold zinc on the fuel rails (new look). Going by the engine bay and interior, it looks a reasonably low milage skyline. But the re-spray of the under body looks pretty fishy to me. BUT, keep in mind allot of these Skylines come from the northern end of Japan and they have snow on their roads allot of the time - what they do is lay down salt to get a better grip and this salt can actually spot rust your underbody, maybe thats why it has been resprayed at some point - not sure! But all in all it looks a very clean and neat Series II.

Edited July 21, 2009 by Jason82

[EliSun]

it could just be that the car was started and run for short periods of time, eg a home that's close to work etc.

thats known to cause fouling of the plugs aswell.

explain the low mileage and good condition

[SteveL]

You probably need one of these http://justjap.com/store/product.php?produ...at=0&page=1 Something to do with lowering the voltage resistance to the coil packs - I am no expect, but worth researching mate!

Definitely doesn't need that...that's for GTR injectors, or an engine fitted with GTR injectors.

[gotRICE?]

Mine was like yours too.. but 49,000km. I was clearly suspicious.. yet i could not find a single reason why it would not be 49,000km. Unless someone took the time to change the carpet, seats (F+R) floor mats dash and steering wheel... Shit even the OEM exhaust looked like it had barely been used haha.

And x2 on the underbody. Mine is definitely grey. But id also agree its possible it was done because of the spot rust etc from snow/salt.

[SteveL]

thats known to cause fouling of the plugs aswell.

Those plugs aren't fouled, they're eroded, which is either caused by very high mileage or unusual combustion - particularly, unusually high temps at the plug tip.

[Wacky Dee]

^^ so most likely simply the wrong heatrange (a 5?) Try a 6 or heatrange 7 if above 200rwkw..

[SteveL]

^^ so most likely simply the wrong heatrange (a 5?) Try a 6 or heatrange 7 if above 200rwkw..

According to the OP the car is standard apart from the HKS exhaust. Given the temperature capabilities of the plug materials, I doubt that simply incorrect heat-range selection has caused that damage.

[Torques]

According to the OP the car is standard apart from the HKS exhaust. Given the temperature capabilities of the plug materials, I doubt that simply incorrect heat-range selection has caused that damage.

Hi,

Thanks for all the answers.

All I can say is that I have driven the car for about 7 hours at around 4500-6000rpm when I was going from the UK to Europe.

It's kinda difficult finding out what made the plugs look like they do.

But judging from the old copper paste and the looks of the plugs I'd say they have been in there for at least 4 years.

I have another older car, a Chrysler, and the spark plugs look similar to the ones I had in the Skyline (as for the wear)

Chrysler Sparks

These plugs have been in the car for 4 years...

I now have installed these NGK copper plugs (shame on me) and I have a slight misfire at idle (at least I think it's misfire)

And I'm under the impression that the car ran better with the AutoLite Platinum plugs. (though I have not fully tested)

Cheers from rainy London

Edited July 22, 2009 by Torques