I was on my way home from work, not driving fast, not accelerating hard, just taking it easy. But then i gave it a little gas to pick up with traffic, I heard a pop, so I started to pull over, the check engine light started to flash, the traction light came on as well as the EML light. Popped the hood and the cylinder 1 spark plug was sitting on top of the intercooler. The threads weren't stripped that I could see, but it did look like it was hit. So before i tow it anywhere does anyone have any advice?

 

maybe the plug was not tightened down or was tigtend down with a hot engine. can you see what the threads on the head look like? ( have a flashlight?)

the prong looks like its bent, probably happened from banging around the engine bay. gap it and put it back in. the split plug wires dont look good to me. but i have never dealt with a car that had these wires before and i have not even pulled my plugs yet.

 

1. Make sure you had the right plug in there
2. Check to see if the plug threads in the head are blown apart
3. using borscope, inspect the piston
4. get your checkbook ready

 

Very common on a gen1 mini when plugs are not installed with a tourqe wrench....
Repair can be done cheap, or $$, depending on shop...
helicoil/thred-sert with head inplace, lots of grease on cutting head is the cheap fix, some risk
$$ fix is remove head, send to machine shop....

 

It happened to my '04 S a few months ago. I got a thread repair kit from NAPA, followed the directions (and yes, lots of sticky on the tap) and voila! A friend had a spare set of plug wires from an S he used to own. (now has a JCW Coupe). Don't forget to check the other three plugs for tightness. My car runs as good now as it ever has.

 

Happened to me a few months ago. Mine showed no stripped threads either. When I screwed it back in there were only 2-3 threads left. I repaired it myself in about an hour. Been going strong since with no problems. Here is a good thread on how to do the fix-

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nder-head.html

 

Just did mine a few weeks ago. Time-Sert is by far the best alternative for repair. Took me about 40 minutes to fix mine.

 

Seeing that it is not a factory plug my guess is that it wasn't torqued when put in. That is the most common cause we see for them blowing out. Also the denso iridium plugs commonly come out even if they are torqued right. I suggest getting the stock plugs or JCW plugs and if you can use a insert that will save you a bunch.

 

In the pic below, it appears that the washer on the plug is not compressed. It's possible that the person who installed it forgot to torque it down.

 

+1
good catch. Those one time use crush washers SHOULD be flattened after use.

 

I'm going to change mine with NGK iridium in a couple of days, any here had bad experience with those, popping out? Or would you suggest stock plugs only?

Mine's a 2002 S.

Thanks

 

Not the NGK's, just the Denso's mostly.

 

Thanks everyone for your input Where is the best place to get the Time-sert and other tools i'll need?

 

I got my stuff from Amazon. Try to buy the Sert but borrow the kit from someone. The kit is pricey.

 

The time-sert is around $200 and not worth it IMO. Way over priced. The kit I picked up was at most $40 and works just fine.

 

When you are repairing the threads on a spark plug hole, the stakes are pretty high. I felt that the investment in Time-Sert was worth it given the consequences of an interior insert failing. Remember, this location gets heat cycled to death.

 

Since the stakes are so high (you risk destroying a motor with metal shavings), it might be worth getting help....a $50 local tow to a negiborhood shop, might be well worth it, if the local guy has done a few....heck the job is so fast, he might do it on the way home for the $50, and an hours labour under the table......

 

I have been using the Denso's for over 100,000 miles not with no issues. It is absolutely essential that they plugs be torqued with an accurate torque wrench. But I think it equally important that they be installed in absolutely cold heads. I routinely check mine at each oil change, 5000 miles, and have not had a loose one even once.

As for the temperature of installation, I think that the aluminum is softer when hot and combined with a bit of expansion, it leads to torque being off enough, over or under, to cause these problems. I also use a tad of anti-seize but that is debatable. Plugs should at least be clean and dry at installation. And only used once as the gaskets are one time use. It's not like the old days any more.

I also fixed one with a . It's worth a try, as like I said, it worked for a friend once.

Rich