I felt my S2K misfires. So I decided to open my plugs to see if they are OK.
The car's odometer indicates around 140,000 km and was running good.
When I opened the plugs, I was shocked.


http://blog.naver.com/benzydad/50087330406


I don't know if broken tip scratched my engine but it runs OK after sparkplugs replacement. What could cause this problem? I always use genuine Honda parts for S2000.

 

Maybe someone installed plugs and tried regapping them too much. Two of your plugs are broken. If it runs fine now, great. There's not much you can easily do about the engine at this point, so just enjoy the new plugs.

 

The ground electrodes eroded, so they basically wore away slowly over time. You left the plugs in the car far too long. The plugs likley did not break apart, they just wear away. The only downside is that the car performed poorly for longer than was necessary. Those are huge spark plug gaps, surprised the spark could even jump that far. This is what happens when car manufacturers convince owners that it is perfectly fine to use sparkplgs for 100k miles.

Everyone should check their sparkplugs at least once every 2 years. 100k mile plugs are part of the manufacturer low cost of ownership b.s. that they try to maximize so people will buy their vehicles. Don't leave your plugs in that long without regular inspections and lubrication.

 

Plugs are cheap.....engines aren't.

I would suggest having a look at the plugs every OCI(3-5k) miles and replace as needed & change heat range if conditions warranty a change.

More Maint usually equals less repairs.

\rlr

 

Damn. This just happened to me quite exactly one month ago, when I was in Germany with a friend. I used the same plugs, and they were changed at Honda on service. The car started to misfire. I stopped and checked the plugs, and the tip of one plug (cylinder two) were broken the same way as yours, but all the way up on the edge. I changed the plugs, and the car seemed perfect for about 600 miles. Suddenly when driving I felt powerloss, and stopped right away (was 200 meters to an exit off the road). Got the car transported to a Honda dealer where they inspected the engine. The block was done. I ended up buying a used complete engine.

The first place (where the picture is taken) didn't have time to check the car, so it was taken to another Honda dealer 20 miles away. But that didn't help...

 

on your plugs the ground electrode broke off at the attachment point, on the other guys plugs his were eroded. The way your plugs broke it could kill the cylinder, his erosion would not.

Looks like those are Iriway plugs, non-Honda aftermarket replacements if I'm correct ?. Could have been a defective plug, or improper gapping procedure upon installation if they were gapped. Detonation might cause that in some instances as well but it's hard to say if that was the cause in this instance. Good luck with the new motor.

 

Ah. Didn't look to much on his picture.. hehe. The sparkplugs on my car was changed at Honda at a service, just as the service book describes. I am still not sure why my plug broke. But as you say, it killed the cylinder.

 

those are nice plugs, sucks that they broke apart. No warranty on this ?.

BTW, are you boosted at all ?. The plugs look a little on the whitish side, running a bit lean perhaps.

 

When the plug body looks burnt and hot its a sign they were not torqued sufficiently. When they come loose the heat path to the head is reduced and the plug overheats and melts.

In the case of CMN's car, this was due to incorrect installation.

 

[QUOTE=JFUSION,Apr 27 2010, 08:36 AM] The ground electrodes eroded, so they basically wore away slowly over time. You left the plugs in the car far too long. The plugs likley did not break apart, they just wear away. The only downside is that the car performed poorly for longer than was necessary. Those are huge spark plug gaps, surprised the spark could even jump that far. This is what happens when car manufacturers convince owners that it is perfectly fine to use sparkplgs for 100k miles.