Changed my spark plugs a few weeks ago to Bosch Platinum+ 4 pregapped. Reason for changing is that prior that I had my copper plugs left from when I had turbo installed which was a few heat ranges colder. I figure normal heat range plugs would be good.

Ever since I had the plugs swapped out my car has been a little harder to start in the cold. ( A few more cranks than usual...) I was going to drive my car for the first time this week and it just wouldn't start at all. At first it would crank a few times, now it just clicks and won't turn over. Any ideas before I have it tow to my local dealership??

 

Yours is a function of "failed battery" and not necessarily bad spark plugs. The clicking noise you heard was the starter solenoid when there is insufficient battery power to actually turn the starter motor. Get a boost and see if it will start. If it still doesn't start, then put "normal" plugs back in. I've seen where these platinum 4 plugs are not the best thing for certain applications. Our cars may be one of them. Also, just because they come "pre-gapped" does not mean they are gapped correctly. And who really knows what the proper gap is when using P-4 plugs on this engine? The OEM platinum plugs work so well, why fix something when it ain't broke?

 

unlikely to be a problem with plugs. maybe you shorted the circuit somewhere and drained the battery. i would charge up the battery first and see what happens. if your car starts fine and is able to charge up its own battery after it is jumped, then the problem is most likely battery( or short circuit drained it). if your car could be jumped, but will not charge your own battery, then the alternator and affiliated components are bad. if you cannot jump start the car at all, then you've got problem with ignition. the fact that you dont hear much noise when you crank it, suggest low battery voltage/ current. hope this might help

 

Would the problem still be the battery if all the electronic accessories still work? Headlight, radio etc., are still full functional. Not questioning your guy's expertise, but just wondering. I've always wanted a optima battery.

 

Radio takes very little battery power to work. Headlights should be dim but could still work. Cranking an engine takes a lot of juice. Like I said, try to boost it and see what happens.

 

Fixed with a new Optima D51 yellow top battery. Thanks!