I Think I've Died and Gone to Hell!

[Titleist16]

My car died today and wouldn't start. So I called my mechanic and he came over and looked at it. We screwed around with the carb but that didn't help. Then I treid starting it again and there was some really bad engine knock coming from it. So I had the car towed to the shop for them to check what was wrong. I get a call to come down for him to show me what happened. He showed me one of the spark plugs, the whole center electrode and insulator was completely gone. Apparently it had broken off and know it's stuck in the combustion chamber somewhere. Now they're going to have to take the head off and get it rebuilt and see what other damage there is. The spark plugs are Bosch Platinums and are only two weeks old. I am going to contact the store at which I bought the plugs at and then get a hold of Bosch and see if they are going to cover the costs of this since the spark plug was obviously defective. It seems like everytime I try and do some it just blows up in my face. Once I get one thing fixed something else goes wrong. Do you think Bosch will cover this?

 

[Asa]

are these plugs sold specifically for the car?
because if you just grabbed the correct size, heat range, etc because you knew that would work, then they can easily say that the plug wasn't defective, it just wasn't supposed to go into that type engine and that they don't owe you squat

 

[Titleist16]

They are the plugs that the guy at the desk gave me for my engine.

 

[JackFish]

I put some new plugs in a couple weeks ago. While doing some other work I noticed something funny, a little bubbling on the side of #1.
It was loose.
Along with 3 others.
If they don't get put in right I would think something serious could happen.

 

[Guest]

To Titlest...

Did you gap them to factory specs?

Thats important. Too close, theyll run too hot. Then they crack off sometimes. Very rarely, but sometimes.

 

[Titleist16]

I put them in the way they came in the box. I was going to gap them bigger but just haven't got around to it.

 

[LameHoof65]

I would give it a try anyway...did you get a chance to take a pic of the damage at the garage along with the spark plug that fell apart? And will your mechanic stand behind you on the appropriateness of that set of plugs for your engine? I'm just saying from experience, if you want to prove your case, then you need to have all "your ducks in a row." I'd also say this is a case where you need a receipt of when and where you bought your plugs.

At the end of the day they will probably try to put the blame back on you implying that you did a poor job on installation....at least that's the way it usually goes.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, I know you, like a lot of these folks have poored a lot of money, time and effort into your dream car----I hope they do pay up, stranger things have happened.

 

[Anonymous]

yah most all of my plugs i've got lately are factory gapped i'd raise hell if they don't pay for your damages. Make sure you ask to talk to someone important from the get-go like a manager ceo or such. Then hopefully you won't get tossed around on the phone as much. If they say they aren't going to help fix your problem then i'd remind them of the bad publicity they are going to receive and tell them you will contact a local newspaper about it or a dragstrip or something just bs you know lol.... WEll i'm realy sorry to hear this happened. G/l and i hope this gets resolved as painlessly as possible for you.

 

[mustang6]

That really sucks. Perhaps there won't be too much damage from these small pieces. I have seen guys racing using the big MSD 7x & 8x systems where they have so much spark energy and combustion pressure they shatter the ends of spark plugs (especially Splitfire plugs for some reason) during runs and sometimes you can't even tell there was anything wrong by looking at the chamber/piston. Keep us informed on how Bosch deals with you, let them know there are many people who will be judging them online based on your experience.

 

[Anonymous]

If you need a good used cast piston and rod (if yours is damaged beyond repair) then I can hook you up for super cheap.

 

[Titleist16]

Thanks alot for the support guys. I have all my receipts and the spark plug. Me and my dad have been going to the same mechanic for years so he will definitley back me up. He is a master mechanic and an awarded mechanic in several different areas so if they try to say it's his fault they've got another thing coming. Well, me and my dad are going over to Kragen tonight as soon as he gets home from work and start there and see what happens. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks. Tom

 

[Anonymous]

I am trying to think really hard, but I think someone tried to get money from Autozone because of the same exact thing - - - with Bosch plugs. It has been at least 3-4 years now that I remember hearing about it.

 

[Titleist16]

I just got back from the shop taking pictures of the piston. It has a lot of little gauges and a few big ones. The mechanic is going to buff it out as a temporary fix. I need to find a Silvolite 1120 piston and have it put in. My engine is balanced so that messed up piston is going to throw everything out of whack. we went to Kragen and the guy was very helpful about the situation. We need to fill out forms and give them copies of bills and receipts. Hopefully things will turn around for the better.