R50/R53 :: Hatch Talk (2002-2006) Cooper (R50) and Cooper S (R53) hatchback discussion.

R50/53 Spark plug 'backed out' of the head

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Old Aug 9, 2021 | 03:39 PM
  #1  
ladsjohn's Avatar
ladsjohn
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From: San Diego, CA
Spark plug 'backed out' of the head

I installed some Brisk (BRSKDR1XYS) plugs ages ago (5 years and 45K miles ago to be precise). Torqued them to spec at the time and forgot about them.
Yesterday; the plug in cylinder2 backed all the way out resulting in misfires, running rough and 'engine sounding like a lawnmower' (as my wife put it).

Luckily, no damage was done. I replaced all 4 plugs with cheap autolite ones for now. Also had to replace wire #2. My local auto parts store sells a cheap wire kit so I went ahead and replaced all 4 ignition wires/boots.
The reason I went cheap is that I just wanted to make sure there was no damage to the threads on the head before I started putting $$ into it. You can see in the photo the electrode got mushed so I believe the plug was bouncing up and down in the pipe for the 5 minutes it took her to get home. My fear was the top few threads on the head took some damage. It doesn't appear so as the new plug went in (and out and in again for good measure) and torqued to 20 ft/lb.

I'm about to go shopping for some proper parts but need some advice.

1) Currently at 126K with the original coil. Should I replace it? Does the performance of the coil deteriorate over time? (if so I'll likely go OEM based on threads I've read here on the subject)
2) I'm running a 15% pulley and a CAI. No other major mods. Whats a good plug to use? My previous choice was based on a kit from Alta. The Brisk plugs were colder than OEM.
3) Is it worth splurging for some OEM or MSD wires? The cheapo ones I bought are 7mm. The brand is 'Import Direct' (42274). Is that good enough? I'm not averse to getting proper ones and typically go with OE/OEM for all my parts since I save so much by doing the wrenching myself.

Car is my wife's daily driver. Looking for reliable parts more than performance parts to be honest. I do like to do some spirited street driving but I'm beyond the thinking that a set of red 8.5mm MSD wires really add an extra 142bhp.
Everyone knows the best way to get better street performance is a decent set of go-faster stripes


And yeah, lesson learned for this shade-tree mechanic. I'll be checking the spark plug torque at every oil change on all my cars from now on. At least until I feel a little more comfortable with that invisible gremlin.

Cylinder2 plug backed out
 
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Old Aug 9, 2021 | 03:54 PM
  #2  
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MrBlah
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I had a TON of knock corrections with autolite plugs, wont cause a check engine but the detailed logs were terrible, I felt them unsafe to run (brand new) You should be running a BKR7EQUP or BKR7EIX if you have a pulley

If the coil works leave it alone
 
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Old Aug 9, 2021 | 03:56 PM
  #3  
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I don’t see a crush washer on that plug. Could that have been why it loosened?

1. No and no.
2. NGK plugs are the only ones I ever use and I’ve never had a problem. One step colder than stock is probably good for your setup.
3. Yes. Quality parts pay for themselves over time.
 
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Old Aug 9, 2021 | 04:16 PM
  #4  
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Capt_bj
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From: Melbourne, FL
in the early MINI year this was VERY common .... dig back .....
 
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Old Aug 9, 2021 | 09:23 PM
  #5  
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BlwnAway
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From: Arnold, MO.
Originally Posted by Capt_bj
in the early MINI year this was VERY common .... dig back .....
Absolutely, a very common problem with the Brisk plugs.
 
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Old Aug 9, 2021 | 09:24 PM
  #6  
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BlwnAway
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From: Arnold, MO.
Originally Posted by MrBlah
I had a TON of knock corrections with autolite plugs, wont cause a check engine but the detailed logs were terrible, I felt them unsafe to run (brand new) You should be running a BKR7EQUP or BKR7EIX if you have a pulley

If the coil works leave it alone
Ditto....
 
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Old Aug 10, 2021 | 11:29 AM
  #7  
CRC's Avatar
CRC
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1, Go with the NGK plugs mentioned above.
2, OE wires are perfectly adequate for what you need.
3, If the OE coil is working fine, leave it be. There's no need for an MSD coil. The OE one can handle anything in your set up.
 
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Old Aug 10, 2021 | 09:21 PM
  #8  
BlwnAway's Avatar
BlwnAway
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From: Arnold, MO.
Originally Posted by CRC
1, Go with the NGK plugs mentioned above.
2, OE wires are perfectly adequate for what you need.
3, If the OE coil is working fine, leave it be. There's no need for an MSD coil. The OE one can handle anything in your set up.
Again, Ditto....

330+ WHP on OEM coil, 0 spark issues.
 
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