Am i crazy and wasting money....?

[Weq]

... for changing my spark plugs every 5000 km service? I know some people leave them in for ages (15k++) but it seems when i pull mine at 5000 they are quite directy and carbon effected, and that i get noticeable response from the new plugs? Im using normal NGK V tips, and dont want to run long life plugs because of the fact that i do run rich up top to stop detonation. Id just like some opinions... the <15 i spend on plugs does add up over time, but i think its worth it.... thoughts?

[type one]

whoa... that's very costly exercise unless you know someone who works at Repco and you get a staff discount.

carbon affected as in black crusty deposits?? i find this hard to believe... but then again FI... this is not my area of expertise.

All i can say is i change every 40K.. and i run NGK platinum plugs which have a paper life of 100K but different situation to you i guess. Every 5K to me is still a little extravagant.

FI is a different ball game i guess...

[bluebird]

Preventive mainteance is always a good idea.

I don't think you can go wrong with changing your plugs every 5000km service - esp because they are cheap plugs :)

Sure, you might be wasting a little bit of cash, but why not do it :)

[poid]

weq i change mine every 5k as well, would rather spend that little extra every 3 months and have the car running well all the time (same with oil and filter)

Especially on boosted cars, when not modded i did it every 10k along with oil and filter but as soon as it was boosted i changed to every 5k

[pornstar]

same, but i do transmission change at the same time aswell

[Weq]

when i pull the plugs today i'll post up some comparision pic's.. thanks for the comments.

[wynode]

when i pull the plugs today i'll post up some comparision pic's.. thanks for the comments.
Sounds good....you can host them in the gallery if ou want :)

[LatinoHatchCrap]

For optimum performance you should keep changing them every service.

[shecomb]

What plugs are you running??? Are they colder than standard?

[Weq]

bkr7e-11's 2step colder - 0.030" gap.
had a mishap on the service today (****en double oil filter gaskets) so i was in no mood to get snapshots of the plugs.

[McChook]

That, in my opinion, is over cautious, but whatever works. I don't have any experience with boosted hondas, but NA, 20K wouldn't be too long on most cars.....

I personally don't touch my plugs - I dunno if honda do them with my service eery 10K or not, but I have checked them a few time ssince I owned them, they always come out clean and with the right gap...

[2ds]

Am i crazy and wasting money

these are two completely different questions ;)

-2ds

[CivicSedanMan]

My Uncle has owned his own workshop for 20 years and told me that even if you have a look at your plugs after 500-1000 k's they will look the same as 5000-10000 k plugs, he said it was to do with the additives they put in petrol these days?

I don't know myself but i to do trust him

[Catcha]

Wow 5000km intervals is a bit much.....NGK plugs recommend every 100,000km but for performace orientated applications changing them at 50,000km would be the norm...running octane booster and other stuff will foul your plugs quicker, and depending on the mods will also wear the plugs out, just every 5000km take them out and regap them cause they do differ in size over time. but in all honestly you wasting you money.....even when i had my WRX i didn't go that far. Oil is the most important thing do that at 5000km intervals is always good

[Weq]

they arnt idrridiums, so they are 100k plugs.

[Catcha]

well get iridum plugs then....save you money in the long run

[imashy14u]

It's just carbon build up, especially on turbo cars where the engine runs richer than an NA car. just take them out, clean them with petrol and a wire brush (give them a good scrub) and re-gap them, this will be as good as new. As long as the elctrode is still pretty good, then there is no real need to change them that often.

You must have alot of "OLD" 5000km plugs lieing around. Interested in giving them away? I'll take them off you :D