zombie

iTrader: (1)

with a lot of help from christian8, we were able to replace my very old spark plugs. i used the ngk laser iridium spark plugs and after the installation (battery cable were removed during installation) the rx feels slower then usual.
is there a break in period for spark plugs?
should i drive easy for a couple of weeks?
is it slow because i chose the wrong spark plugs?

thanks!

thomas1

Sorry never heard of a break in period on plugs. I changed my plugs with Denso, and car ran fine no change, but it had been 125k miles... Hope you didnt mess a COP up.....

Christian8

Hey, i just remembered something. It's probably slow due to the fact that you just reset the computer anyway? Give it about 100 miles. Then the computer should be able to relearn your driving paterns.

TunedRX300

I think there is something else causing your car to be sluggish, changing spark plugs may trigger the problem to be more exposed.
There are members who changed to Bosch Platinum +4, Densos, none needs breakin.

Lexmex

When I switched to TorqueMasters several years ago as a test, noticed no change. Switched back to Densos and NGKs for a bit and then after intake/exhaust modifications went back to TorqueMasters, did notice a difference in MPG, power and emissions.

However, as TunedRX300 mentioned, nothing needs breaking in.

Now true, temporarily after you pull the battery cable, it is going to be slow for a bit until it learns your driving habits. At the most, depending on miles driven, a day or so of normal driving is usually the limit.

Let's take a look at this in a few days, but I suspect something else is at play.

zombie

iTrader: (1)

yeah hopefully it will get better after the next couple of days.

when my engine cover was removed and the rx turned on, christian noticed a clicking noise coming from the injectors. its about two clicks per second and its very light. does that mean i have to replace my injectors soon?

salimshah

The specs on gap should depend upon the type of plugs you use.

For after market (un-specified) plugs, how do you find what gap to set?

Salim

TunedRX300

It is good to check gap, but most brands put into writing that gaps are pre-set and no need for adjustment.
Changing the plugs affects how to ignite the a/f mixture, but the problem is unlikely to be the plugs because Zombie already has 13 mpg before changing spark plugs, that tells me something else is wrong.

zombie

iTrader: (1)

the ngk spark plug box said not to mess with the gap because it might damage the center electrode.
im going to be changing the a/f sensors next week and then the 02 cat sensor after that.

TunedRX300

The oxygen sensor checks the efficiency of the catalytic converter. Since you mentioned $ is tight, I would prioritize A/F sensors because 1) they tend to fail sooner because they endure higher temperature and more thermal stress 2) they control the air fuel ratio, which affects both power output and mpg.
Good luck, I had better luck with the rear bank than the front one.

zombie

iTrader: (1)

thanks tunedrx300! did you have to jack up your rx to remove the firewall side a/f sensor? did you use a special sensor socket to remove the a/f sensor or can you just use regular tools?

TunedRX300

Yes, you have to jack up to get access for the rear bank. I used regular 22mm wrench but had to wedge it to the sensor. You can get a oxygen sensor loaner tool from Autozone for free to make life easier.
I was going to do a photo DIY but the front A/F sensor kind of seize on the exhaust manifold, since it has not gone bad I will leave it there. A/F sensor is not cheap, you may also want to save $ for coil pack as Lexmex can tell you, they also fail much sooner (unlikely in your case since your car does not sputter, which a symptom if one of the cylinders does not fire at all) than the oxygen sensor.

zombie

iTrader: (1)

after 200 miles my mpg has gone up to 15.8 mpg and this is after i started using plus gasoline, making a heat shield for the intake, and changing the spark plugs. the acceleration seems a lil better, but i cant really tell. im still waiting to buy the a/f sensors, but the gf's bday is the end of this month, so it might be a lil longer till i can change them out

Lexmex

The gf's birthday blew mod money many times (through several gs's down here).

1/4 mile tracks often have test and tune nights (we used to have them on Sunday nights down here and had a cheaper price to get in) where hardly anyone shows up a the track or in the stands, and that is a good way to test.

Other device I might be getting for Christmas to help measure my mods (especially when we have rainy season like now that ruins track time), http://www.gtechpro.com/ss.html

I have seen that device used on the net.