Is That Bad? Should They Not Look Like That?

"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5) 03/26/2015 at 10:32 • Filed to: None

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I noticed over the past week that at times, my DD '03 Civic had developed a little stumble in its idle. Yesterday being the first legitimately nice day in RI since last October, I decided to take a cheap and easy swing at it and change my spark plugs.

Being an OHC 4 banger, the Civic is the easiest spark plug job imaginable. It took me about 15 minutes, most of which was digging through my tool box for the right size 3/8 deep socket.

Apparently it had been quite some time since anybody gave any thought to the little guy's plugs because, and I apologize for the photo quality, they almost appear to be hemispherical. Lots of buildup around the electrodes, but nice and dry. Basically they look pretty good, but very worn.

The car always bucked a little at low RPMs, but I had always attributed that to a general lack of torque and lugging the engine. Not so, apparently. The little Civic can now accelerate from 1500rpm in the higher gears perfectly smoothly. The car just generally feels better across the board.

A good $28 fix on the first nice day of the year.

505Turbeaux > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/26/2015 at 10:36

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that gap is huge, but the color is okay.

Also dont put autolites back in, I hate them. NGK copper core for the win

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > 505Turbeaux 03/26/2015 at 10:38

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I went NGK Iridium IX. My local parts store had them pretty cheap, and I've heard they're pretty good for Hondas.

The gap is monstrous. I'm shocked the car ran as well as it did.

505Turbeaux > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/26/2015 at 10:47

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Iridium is overkill for those, but hell you wont have to change them again! I have too much experience pulling Champion or Autolite out of imports and something messed up happening, or putting in plugs for someone that were provided and having running issues. Good job! Only thing easier that those is if it was not a coil over plug!

Party-vi > 505Turbeaux 03/26/2015 at 10:49

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Autolites are for tossers and sheep shaggers. Also, Fords.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > 505Turbeaux 03/26/2015 at 10:55

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I figured for the price difference, which was maybe $2 a plug, I may as well go with the iridiums. Now if it were my dad's 300C with its 16 plugs (2 per cylinder on the Hemi, apparently) I may have gone a different route, haha.

Worst part of the whole thing was spark plug sockets with the stupid rubber holder. I tightened the first plug, and instead of pulling the socket off the plug, the socket stayed and the extension came off. I switched to a regular socket for the installs then.

505Turbeaux > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/26/2015 at 10:59

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I finally bought a magnetic one because that stupid extension never holds!

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > 505Turbeaux 03/26/2015 at 11:02

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Now that's a damn good idea. In my work tool kit I've actually got locking extensions, so that would probably have worked, but I didn't feel like digging through that junk.

E92M3 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/26/2015 at 11:35

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Stick with NGK. I don't know why but Autolites never last as long as NGK.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > 505Turbeaux 03/26/2015 at 11:36

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NGK coppers have been my go-to for the better part of 25 years. I put them in all my cars unless something is ultra specific.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Party-vi 03/26/2015 at 11:52

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Fact. In even the most built Fox body Mustangs, you don't want anything except the cheapest copper plugs you can find. Ideally you want to buy them at a flea market for $.25 each. The Mustang instinctively knows what you paid, and finds your frugality pleasing.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > E92M3 03/26/2015 at 11:54

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I'm a big fan of NGKs. Got them in my Civic and my Jag, I'll put them in the wife's Mercedes if she keeps it long enough.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/26/2015 at 12:14

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I splurged on the SHO, bought me a set of E3 Diamond fires. I'll let ya know what they're like once I've got a bit of mileage on them.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 03/26/2015 at 12:53

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I'm always interested to hear about spark plugs I've never tried. Every time I go to buy plugs, I like to see if there's some new weird spark plug out of Japan to try. An HKS plug that's made of carbon fiber? Absolutely. Denso invented a new kind of iridiplatipaladium electrode? I'm there. NGK invents a plug with 12 tips? SIGN ME UP!

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/26/2015 at 13:20

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My old man has been using them in his Silverado for about a year now, and he's pretty happy with them.

Axial > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/26/2015 at 15:57

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Hemis also do not like Iridium plugs anyway. At least, my dad's '03 Ram 1500 with the 5.7L Hemi doesn't. It idles rough with them. Yanked them out and replaced with copper cores and presto, ran like new (it's now sitting at 74,000 miles on those plugs).

Also, you don't want to have to do plugs on a Hemi back-to-back for any reason. It's friggin' rough, man...

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Axial 03/26/2015 at 17:28

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Ha, that's what I've heard. I'm not sure what he put in there (knowing him, whatever came out is what he put in), but he's only changed them once in 160k miles, so they must be doing okay.

Axial > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/26/2015 at 18:08

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The OEM plugs in the truck lasted past 86,000 miles. Was still technically running without a hitch on them at that point and they were replaced simply for preventative reasons. So...I tend to think that iridium is a bit overrated.

pip bip - choose Corrour > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/27/2015 at 04:20

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there's your problem , Autolite

you should use NGK.

8)

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > pip bip - choose Corrour 03/27/2015 at 06:36

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I replaced them with NGK Iridiums. The Autolites were in there when I bought the car, not my fault, haha.