Can you interpret the condition of this spark plug and what it means for the engine?
Just bought it 4 weeks ago. 2013, S All4-m, 64k miles. Dealer cleaned and re-installed spark plugs at 42k miles. Engine stumbles occasionally, especially when hard on throttle. Mr. Grumpy suggested changing the spark plugs and coil packs. Bought a set on sale from ECS Tuning. This is what I pulled out of the engine (left most cylinder)
... now I'm going to pull the other 3.

 

That plug gap looks gigantic! :O Might be the cause of your high load stumble.

 

Hi Yesti! I replaced all 4 plugs and coil packs. Yes the new plugs have really tight gaps (Beru plugs). Took the car out for a run. Its superfast, strong running, no stumble. Just gets up and goes with barely touching the accelerator. The other three plugs I pulled...
#2 cleaner than #1
#3 had some oil on it and at the base of the o-ring. What's that all about?
#4 had some oil on it and at the base of the o-ring. What's that all about?
They all have these really big gaps.

Thanks!

 

Looks like it was the plugs after all. Good to see that it’s running strong again! That gap is enormous! No wonder it was misfiring!

 

If you are getting oil in the plug tubes, you probably need new o-rings and a new valve cover gasket since it will need to come off to replace them. If it’s the electrode of the plug that looks wet, then it could be gas, maybe it’s a little rich on two cylinders? Or it could be oil, you may want to consider a compression test to see if it’s blow by from the rings.
But with the gap that was on those old plugs it could be wet from misfires too. Run it for a few weeks and check them again to see how they look.

 

Champion plugs in a MINI?

Is that even legal?

 

#2 . cleaner than #1 and not burn at the ceramic

 

#3 oily and #4 looks like number 3. There was oil residue (black) in both #3 and 4 at the base (o-ring?) where the spark plug sits.

 

THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING!

 

Thank you Mr. Grumpy for alerting me to replacing the spark plugs.
Been driving around twisty mountain country roads today and jamming on the freeway. WITHOUT sport mode the car is snappy and behaving like its in sport mode. Even sounds better.
The CARFAX says Mini Dealer in Hollywood "Spark plugs cleaned and gap adjusted" at ~43k.

 

I have a $500 deductible on my warranty. What's the typical shop cost for a Valve Cover Gasket and O-rings? Should they do the timing chain while they are in there?
Is this not that big a deal that I can just wrench on it myself?

I didn't work on the e46 because it just seemed like special tools and complicated. This little car seems deceptively easy.
Is that how all these MINI owners turn into their own mechanics?

 

For me it the labor charges involved, I do it myself for way less money.
The valve cover gasket is pretty simple. There are a couple of spots that need a little RTV too, but there are some good diy’s around on the site and elsewhere. Pelican parts has some good diy instructions for things too.
There really aren’t many special tools you need for these. Some torx bits and sockets, and a set of cam lock tools if you are going to get around the timing chain. And you will definitely need a good scan tool that reads the BMW proprietary software. There’s a few options out there and opinions vary, but personally I am very happy with the Schwaben scan tool from ECS.

 

CarFax says Dealer "Valve cover gasket(s) replaced" at 54k. :/
Maybe they didn't do the O-rings?
I don't have a garage so I'll need to either find one or wait till the weather gets a little better to open up the valve cover. ... "cam lock tools"... I'll look into it.
Thx!

 

Why would a Dealer re-gap plugs to so much wider? Wouldn't that make the spark have to jump farther? Retard the timing or something?

 

 

Kit I used. https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assemble...222936972ktkt/
So far the car engine responded well.

 

That’s a good deal, those are the factory plugs and coils, I wouldn’t go any other way unless tuned, then only the plugs would be different.

 

Plugs look to be past their change by date/miles. IOWs, just worn out.

If you replaced the plugs and the engine perked up that's just another sign of worn out plug. I've changed or had changed plugs in a number of cars and at the recommended miles -- 60K in some cases, a bit less in other cases -- and never had the engine react favorably (or unfavorably). This is actually good because it indicates while the plugs have 60K miles they are still performing adequately.

A bit of "oil" at the plug seal can be the result of the plugs being in service so long. Notice how the threads are discolored all the way up? When I have had plugs changed the discoloration was not all the way up threads. (The discoloration is the result of combustion pressure forcing gases in the space between the plug and head threads.)

Also, you report the plugs were cleaned and gapped? If so that's just lame servicing. The plugs should have been replaced. That they were reinstalled can just make the discoloration up the threads worse.

 

Ok so here's what I found today... the car has 64K miles on it and was driven around LA for at least the last 40k. How old is this filter? Yes the artifacts on the filter where there when I pulled it out and the air intake interior casing had seeds, crumbs and a layer of dirt.

 

Thank you RockC, I have the work orders for the car. I don't know why the MINI service dept would just clean and regap at 42K miles when the car is still under warranty. Not only that... I'm finding other discrepancies on the most recent work order. See air filter pictures in this thread. I just purchased this car. It was not a MINI Next or Certified.

 

To respond to the original post:
Those plugs are simply worn out. My sense is that nothing at all was done to that car before re-sale. You may have some come-back with Carfax.
(Personally I buy the cheapest brand-name plugs & change them every 15,000 or so - but that's just me! Never a mis-fire.).

 

I seem to remember in High School shop class the recommendation was a Tune-up every year or two (change the plugs, check the timing, change the air-filter).
Hmmm Carfax? Will look into that.

 

That was then!
Most modern cars run 50-100,000 miles between serious maintenance, just oil & filter every 10,000.
I'd have to RTFM to recall what MINI currently recommends.
Just curious - what's the part number on those plugs? That will tell you if they are the original or $2.50 or $20 replacements.

 

Afe makes a dry replacement air filter, that's what I put in after my free maintenance was over. I should go look at it one of these days....

 

I’m pretty sure they are not the correct plugs that were in it, I think the ones pictured are champion?? Definitely not Beru or NGK