Hi all, greetings from the UK.
Just serviced my beloved 2013 R56 JCW Mini.
I removed these Champion 12ZR-6SPP2-1 plugs, and replaced them with some Bosch Iridium SR5S1332 plugs.
The Champion plugs were dealer fitted, in September 2017 at 19,602 miles.
My car now has 40,446 miles 'on the clock', and the oil is changed every 12 months/5000 miles.
Does the appearance of these plugs, give any indication to the condition/running of the engine?
Much appreciated fellas!

 

Don't look too bad. The tips are free of deposits. (This is by design. The use of projected tip plugs has them running hotter at low throttle operation to keep them free of deposits but at higher throttle operation the incoming charge cools the tip.) Some electrode erosion which is normal. Absent a CEL or the engine manifesting issues see nothing really to be concerned about.

Would offer Champion is probably *not* a factory plug so I'd be inclined to replace the plugs with factory plugs.

Here is a pic of a new plug and old plug from my 2002 Boxster engine. All 6 plugs looked the same. Old plug had approx. 60K miles. After installing new plugs engine did not react favorably (or unfavorably) which is good news in that the plugs were still doing an adequate job.

 

Agree with Rock C on plug condition. On the top picture, the middle plug seems a bit darker on the electrode then the others ( perhaps a bit more decay on that piston ring ? ) - might be due to light. Not enough to worry about it as mentioned with no CEL. Within normal variance.

Ditto on using factory plugs or the upgraded performance ones ( some NGK plug for the JCW depending on mods ).

Did you turn or move the plugs between photos. Spark plug 4 on the last photo - threads seem darker. Was that one tightened down as tight as the others ? Could that be the spark plug I mentioned in the first photo ?

Love the Boxster plugs - I miss my 2001 S

 

You've got an oil leak at the spark plug tube seal. Probably time to replace the valve cover gasket along with all those seals. They'll all come with the valve cover gasket kit.

 

Is that from the blackness around the bottom of the plug ? I was thinking they might not have been tightened down enough - especially the last plug. I have never replaced spark plug seals before. But must be early sign of failure if there were no misfires etc .... But makes sense. Learn something new

 

Thanks for the replies, fellas.
The car runs great, always starts first time. I don't have any display 'warnings' or fault codes.
I'm just wanting to really look after 'her' as she's my 'pride & joy'. I did have a comment, from someone on another Mini forum, saying the plugs looked as though my Mini was running 'lean', which worried me.
I don't have ANY symptoms of a 'lean' running engine.
The Champion plugs were fitted by a Mini Main dealer!
Here is my lovely!

 

The car looks like its in great shape!

The plugs actually look about normal to me, except for the #4 plug with the black on the threads. The black on the threads could just be from the sealing ring not "sealing" 100% and allowing minor blow-by. Here is a plug condition guide from NGK:
https://ngksparkplugs.com/en/resources/read-spark-plug

 

Thanks Nik, much appreciated!