H8RRA 0 Posted August 31, 2005 If anyone has a marketing/sales email for NGK, I'll be sending the pics with a strongly worded complaint!! Will be taking the head off just because of a dodgy, supposedly premium platinum brand spark plug - H8RRA noow officially OFF THE ROAD!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinkus 10 Posted August 31, 2005 Ouch, that's not pretty :? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Geo 0 Posted August 31, 2005 Oh that is nasty. Never saw that happen a spark plug before. I reckon you should have some comeback with them if you can get in contact with them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
H8RRA 0 Posted August 31, 2005 email to NGK sales and marketing - i'll post the response when it comes I enclose a picture of one of your spark plugs that I “removed” in the process of servicing my engine – VW VR6 2.9. I am annoyed in the extreme that I have used your premium platinum spark plugs BKR5EKUP and am now faced with a total engine strip down as the plug has failed and the thread and cathode sections are stuck in the cylinder head of the engine. The car has always been regularly serviced and the plugs fitted to the correct torque settings by myself as a trained mechanical engineer with many years experience, so the fault does not lie with the method of fitment or removal. I have never experienced such a fundamental failure of a spark plug and my day to day vehicle is now unusable due to a service item that I am astounded has failed in such a way. The cost to rectify this problem will be astronomical and at the very minimum require a complete cylinder head removal and refitting before the method of removing the remaining spark plug is considered. I would appreciate your comments on this failure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 2 Posted August 31, 2005 Did you not mention that your car has been supercharged? I'm sure that they'd have some kind of get out clause that if your car has been modified from the original specifications, any kind of warranty they would offer on such an item would be null and void... I mean obviously you don't want to say that but its only fair that they get the fullest picture possible about why their plugs might have failed in this way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
H8RRA 0 Posted August 31, 2005 don't see the relevance Jim - why give them an excuse to wriggle out of responsibility? The car runs std temperature, std compression etc... don't see this as an exucse for plugs failing - theres lots of charged vr's around - if this was commomplace and people had to replace heads each time a spark plug cx/service was due, i don't think we'd be charging them so readily - i honestly believe its irrelevant and unacceptable for the plugs to fail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted August 31, 2005 can you not get it out with a reverse tap? I'd have thought that it'd come out pretty easily and in one piece judging by what's missing from that pic? Reminds me of why I only use Bosch plugs though... :| Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 2 Posted August 31, 2005 don't see the relevance Jim Fair enough.. just, once again, highlighting my total lack of knowledge when it comes to the under the bonnet type stuff! :( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coolrado 0 Posted August 31, 2005 can you not get it out with a reverse tap? I'd have thought that it'd come out pretty easily and in one piece judging by what's missing from that pic? Reminds me of why I only use Bosch plugs though... :| yeah it looks like all the ceramic is still attatched so the only bit left in should be the thread with the side electrode which should come out quite easilly with a decent reverse tap, then if you are worried about any tiny fragments in the cylinder connect a hoover to a small piece of pipe and jiggle it round through the plug hole. a friend of my dads used a vetinary endoscope (spelling?) to inspect the bores on his after a similar thing happened Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dazzyvr6 0 Posted August 31, 2005 may be easier on the 8v engine but on a vr6 it would be pretty tricky to do,theres not a lot of room and they are a fair bit deeper down Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted August 31, 2005 dazzyvr6, I've had to do similar on a valver which are pretty much as deep as the VRs plugs... It's got to be worth a go to save taking the head off though, hasn't it? :? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dazzyvr6 0 Posted August 31, 2005 note i said tricky to do..didnt say it wasnt possible Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coolrado 0 Posted August 31, 2005 it was done on a ford pube (probe) where the plugs are quite deep down, he just used an extension shaft on the reverse tap, you can usually find a multi-point socket that will fit the square drive on the reverse tap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
H8RRA 0 Posted August 31, 2005 i've been trying to source a local supplier fro a decent reverse tap this afternoon - my concern is that they tend to expand inside the remaining material but its certainly worht a try - anyone any idea where i can get a suitable tap in Sunderland/Newcastle/South Shields area?? - cal me on 07830 451901 or text as its getting late in the day... cheers chaps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted August 31, 2005 Tooltrade in Team valley or Machine mart in Bencham bank (Gateshed) sell 'em according to my mate... 8) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
