I pulled these plugs out of a 2002 Kia Sportage 4cyl 2.0L DOHC, 76,000 miles. It tripped a check engine light, but no code on my tester. I Taken it to auto parts NAPA and borrowed their tester and same thing no code. The car ran fine no signs of loss of power, stumbling etc. So it's all guessing at that point without a full shop diagnostic. That's the issue with all these computer cars. Sensors upon sensors, emissions, fuel injection, catalytic converters that can plug up. I am old school, so when in doubt pull the plug out. With a little shock I got a plug with the ground electrode missing. So in all my years of working on my own stuff this would be the second plug that I have encountered in my life time. I did a sweep on the bore with a magnet on the end of a bent wire, but got nothing other than fine carbon dust. I ordered a bore cam so that's going to take a while to get here.
Honestly though I do not think it ran running lean, knock, or detonation did this. I think these plugs was flawed from the get go. Maybe one of you all can ring it on your opinion. First, let me show you some pictures... the first pic with the plugs side by side with another I pulled out. Notice the black one was the failed one. The weld held on the plug; However, seems to have broken or fractured just above the weld. There is a pic there of the top and the backside of the electrode showing the weld. The other pics that I am showing the other plug that has a groove on the inside of the ground electrode. In my opinion that is the worst F'in idea I have ever seen for a design. That groove basically channels the combustion right into the plug down the length of the electrode, pretty stupid idea! Probably the main reason it destroyed itself. I will never buy a BOSCH plug ever again. If you zoom in closer to the last picture you can see a fracture or cut just above the weld on the other plug. In my opinion that looks like a flaw to me. What say you??
P.S. it's a hell of a thing to get these plugs out, you gotta take apart the throttle body and everything! So I cleaned out the intake with throttle body cleaner it wasn't to dirty at all. The cowl manifold intake, with the MASS flow, Idle Air Control valve goes into it is pristine clean before i even shot cleaner through it. Overall this is a well maintained car as far as regular air/oil filters, fluids, oil changes, timing belt done at 60K, transmission flush, water flush. It's a good running car when you don't have Bosch plugs messing up things.
Honestly though I do not think it ran running lean, knock, or detonation did this. I think these plugs was flawed from the get go. Maybe one of you all can ring it on your opinion. First, let me show you some pictures... the first pic with the plugs side by side with another I pulled out. Notice the black one was the failed one. The weld held on the plug; However, seems to have broken or fractured just above the weld. There is a pic there of the top and the backside of the electrode showing the weld. The other pics that I am showing the other plug that has a groove on the inside of the ground electrode. In my opinion that is the worst F'in idea I have ever seen for a design. That groove basically channels the combustion right into the plug down the length of the electrode, pretty stupid idea! Probably the main reason it destroyed itself. I will never buy a BOSCH plug ever again. If you zoom in closer to the last picture you can see a fracture or cut just above the weld on the other plug. In my opinion that looks like a flaw to me. What say you??
P.S. it's a hell of a thing to get these plugs out, you gotta take apart the throttle body and everything! So I cleaned out the intake with throttle body cleaner it wasn't to dirty at all. The cowl manifold intake, with the MASS flow, Idle Air Control valve goes into it is pristine clean before i even shot cleaner through it. Overall this is a well maintained car as far as regular air/oil filters, fluids, oil changes, timing belt done at 60K, transmission flush, water flush. It's a good running car when you don't have Bosch plugs messing up things.
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