Spark plug help!

[Tbone714]

Hello Guys, first time poster here, so cut me a little slack if i dont get everything right;-) Anyways, Just purchased a moderately upgraded 02 bugeye about 2 weeks ago, and have since then been going over everything in the engine just to make sure things were broken and that the mods were done correctly. Well last night it was time to change the spark plugs (74,000 guy i bought it from said he never changed them out and didnt know what kind were in there) so i got the spark plugs out (which were NGK iridium's) and they looked a little overheated (white) and the insulators were pretty much gone, so i went ahead and purchased some stock range NGK Platinum's and gaped them to .031, I then installed them, and put everything back together. After that i turned the car on thinking everything would be just dandy being i only changed the park plugs, but when i turned it on, it sounded like 3 of the cylinders weren't even firing, and the 4th one was barley aking it. So i pulled out my scanner and looked for codes..nothing. i then inspected my maf/vaf connection and it was secure, I couldn't think of anything else to check for so i decided to take two of the plugs out and gap them to .040 (that's what the old one's were gaped at) and then reinstall them and see what the engine thinks, so i did so and to my surprise the engine acted pretty well, this time sounding like 3 of the cylinders were firing and only one not, i then decided to take the OTHER two plugs out and also gap them to .040, so that all 4 plugs would be at the same gap. After doing so i turned the car back on, and the engine sounded like crap again! So i gave up and went to sleep. let me tell you what i'm working with.

Vf22 turbo
3 inch Catless straight pipe W/Optimus muffler
Catless down pipe
Upipe
Apx custom intake pipe and turbo pipe
Custom front mount intercooler
Turbo XS BOV
Greddy Turbo Timer
Greddy A/f monitor


Hope you guys can be of some help. Thanx in advance.

[pzr2874]

Any engine management ?

[Tbone714]

Sadly no. Like i said, just bought the car 2 weeks ago, and i spent all the big cash i had on it, so believe me/ EM is deff my next upgrade!

[pzr2874]

Put the old plugs back in till you are ready for EM and a tune.

[racerchaser]

If you haven't figured this out already, I'm embarassed to say I had what sounds like the same problem. I eventually figured out that I had put my coil packs back on the spark plugs in the wrong order. If you haven't tried that yet, I would say try switching them.

[roger lux]

it's kind of loading up and almost backfiring...like a little pop. it will start but there is almost NO power. but as i lay awake in bed last night pondering our mutual problem i've come to the conclusion......it has to be coil packs in the wrong order. got to be. please let it be coil packs.

[Donkey]

If you haven't figured this out already, I'm embarassed to say I had what sounds like the same problem. I eventually figured out that I had put my coil packs back on the spark plugs in the wrong order. If you haven't tried that yet, I would say try switching them.

/\ This. I always just do one plug at a time and the proper gap is .028-.031 . Hope your using the right tool to gap those plugs or your going to break the center electrodes if your not careful. White harness plugs go to the front and black to the back.

[roger lux]

yeah....i'm dumb. i noticed the plug colors after i go out there to try and fix it. still sounds like a 68 comaro with some serious lift. it sounds like it's loading up every time i push on the gas. kind of pops like it really wants to back fire on me. won't really roll till the turbo spools up and then it's horrible when you hear it.

[Donkey]

yeah....i'm dumb. i noticed the plug colors after i go out there to try and fix it. still sounds like a 68 comaro with some serious lift. it sounds like it's loading up every time i push on the gas. kind of pops like it really wants to back fire on me. won't really roll till the turbo spools up and then it's horrible when you hear it.

List your mods. Maybe try cleaning your MAF and IAC valve.

[roger lux]

greddy b.o. valve. prodrive exhaust. that's it. i mean wheels and radiator but yeah. keep in mind i rolled it and landed on the driver side......

my dad said since it sat for a year and a half it's probably the gas. idk. i got some lucas fuel injector cleaner and i'm going to fill 'er up sat. or sun. and idle for a while.

i need to replace the right rear spindle if anyone has a spare. that's for sun. if i can find one by then.

i'm in Chattanooga Tenn. if anyone's close.

p.s. i may be a noob....but as far as gapping the plugs i've always used either the pocket knife looking one w/ a diff. size blade for each size or the one that looks like a quarter you get from auto zone for like a buck.... :\

[subaru_crazy]

Wait a minute so your car is the car in your avatar and does it still look like that or is it fixed?

[roger lux]

here it is now....lol i've got more in it than it's worth. but i love it and will drive it til the powder coated wheels fall off! as you can see i have to adjust the camber lol. j/k i found out the spindle is bent after i replace the upper control arm and the sway bar.....so now i need that too

[roger lux]

thanks for all the help guys