tasha si

hi i changed my spark plugs in september last year i have a fiesta si and its started misfiring , we changed the fuel filter because it was clogged we have checked the spark plugs and ht leads and the sparkplugs are brown. does anyone know why they need changing so soon. its a 1.6 16v zetec engine. thanx.

redrocker1976

Id be guessing here cause I havnt looked at the plugs myself, if you have replaced the plugs in september last year id be looking at the timing and or how the leads are put on eg no1 to no1 etc secondly if the plugs are brown but not fouled with carbon deposits and electrode looks clean id say thats ok. Its when the plugs got a white powdery appearance or has black shit eg oil and carbon thats when you look for other problems more serious ones.Id suspect wrong lead config or if its running a dizzy, rotor cap or dizzy cap arcing or carbon tracing. Possibly and I say possibly a lifter lock nut has come undone casuing vavle to shut or almost shut causing car to pigroot. make sure you go over the spark plug gaps with feeler gauge to be sure they are right gap whatever that is maybe .5 of a millimeter or as great as 1.5mm. Clean them up with a wire brush and make sure you torque them up with a tourqe wrench if available. Because a loose plug can cause the engine to hunt and missfire like no tommorrow, the copper gaskets maybe stuffed if the plugs have been overtightened. You may need to replace them anyway, if you replace plugs remember its only an aluminium head it takes very little torque to overtighten the plugs. Anyway ive crapped on long enough

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If You always do what you've always done, you'll always get what youv'e always got.

TruBlu351

Brown isn't bad.
Here's a link on what a good spark plug looks like. Which one do you think yours is?

http://www.dansmc.com/spark_plugs/sp...s_catalog.html

If you do a lot of city driving, then then can foul up a bit. Give your car a quick flogging and check the plugs again!

Are there black carbon deposits or oilt build ups?

Are all the spark plugs the same condition. Usually if one is different than the others, it could point to a problem with that cylinder. (plug/injector/lead etc).

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XE Falcon
393 Tremec TKO 9"

redrocker1976

Nice link there true blue id agree, that it looks a bit to hot on fig 23 onwards. Thats what no1 and no6 looked like on the old ute when i pulled plugs out last night.

__________________
If You always do what you've always done, you'll always get what youv'e always got.

tasha si

thank u that info has helped alot im useless wen it comes to cars hehe.

tasha si

thnk u for the info its been really helpful i know nothing about cars.hehe