My 2000 F 150 was running bad, really bad. Chugging, stalling, jerking, I mean bad. It hadn't been maintained at all. Watching your videos inspired me to try a couple of things myself. I changed plugs and plug wires and installed a new fuel filter. These three things have more than doubled my fuel economy and overall performance is great. I'm a believer in maintenance now, a changed man and I owe it all to you and these great, easy to understand and informative videos. Keep up the good work.
Hey Eric, Tanner here. I know you probably have 2500 other comments like this, but you sure know how to make a helpful video. I used, in particular, the spark plug section to help me with changing the spark plugs in my '95 Range Rover 4.0se. Now, I'm not a total idiot with cars but that doesn't mean I'm particularly mechanically inclined. Your channel has given me some solid confidence to tackle my vehicles mechanical needs. Anyways, back to the point. I switched out my spark plugs today and man, I sure can tell that my car is happier. A little surprise i found is that the starting of my car seems to have improved noticeably, which I was happy to see. The performance of the car itself also seems to have been improved. I suppose that's what happens when you get rid of 20 year old plugs, eh? Needless to say, I'm a happy guy! Anyway, thanks for the videos and for the confidence to pop my hood. Tomorrow I plan to flush my power steering fluid. Wish me luck!
Thanks for good tips Eric! I have a 1996 Mazda 323 (I believe it's called Mazda Protege there in the States). 1,5 liter 16 valve DOHC engine. I had some idle issues with it and significant decrease in power lately. Now I replaced the old fuel filter and cleaned the MAF- sensor. While taking the air intake housing off to get access to the fuel filter I found out that the housing had huge cracks in it, so unmeasured air was getting into the mix. Fixed it and now it runs smoothly.
One tip for installing spark plugs is to gently lower them with your socket wrench (or torque wrench and socket) and set the plug on the threads until its just about to catch but don't tighten it yet just turn the plug counter clockwise very slowly (like loosening it) and wait till you hear or feel a tiny "tink" and that's the very top of the thread of the spark plug dropping in line with the very top of the head's thread for the spark plug. Once you hear that tiny "tink" start tightening it to torque spec and you'll never cross up or bugger the threads since pretty much seems like most if not all heads on cars these days are aluminum. (not sure if I have ever seen any car without aluminum heads)
I do the same except I do not bother turning them left. I start tightening by hand right away but just use my fingertips so no real force is applied. Then spin them til snug and that is when the socket wrench comes into play for final tightening. Crush down the crush washer until snug and then maybe a 1/4 or 1/8 turn to be tight.
Hey Eric, being a Subaru Tech for ten yrs, the very first thing was to clean the throttle plates and yes, NGK are the plugs.. I even used them in my Chry LHS. GREAT video..
Dad always taught me if you've got a problem it's one of 3 things: Fuel-Air-Spark...of course this was before engine computers, but I suppose it still holds true to some degree today and has never left me unable to diagnose my problems.
Love the videos! I would disagree with you about gapping the spark plugs. (Remember I'm the guy with 3 engineering degrees, certified in engine, transmissions, and tune up by the time I was 16 and won the Pacific automobile award when I was 17. So I'm a real nerd. But I can always learn, and your videos are terrific.) The size of the gap is critical as it determines the energy released which is very critical. The reason that you may not like the autolight's is that each spark plug has a specific resistance which determines the current flow and therefore affects the energy released. This resistance combined with a spark app the spark app determines the total energy released. If you had issues with autolight's, you might try increasing the gap a little more than the specification which will deliver more energy. Spark plugs are actually very simple devices. However when I was researching this for my tuneup certification, I did note that the resistance varied amongst the different manufacturers. This is easily addressed by modifying the gap to make the total energy release per spec and increase performance.
Cleaning the MAF sensor on an older car can really help performance. I just cleaned the MAF sensor in my mom's 99 Outback (very similar to the one in the video) and the engine runs noticeably smoother.
Eric, Autolites don't belong in Fords any more than they belong in a Subaru. Fords have run Motorcraft since the 70s, when they sold Autolite to Allied Signal. Autolite is an aftermarket plug that has many specifications over many different car manufacturers. They're not OEM on anything I'm aware of. But I agree, NGK would have been a better plug than an Autolite.
Scotty Kilmer and Eric the Car Guy are the best to explain shit on RUclips. Only difference is that Eric is not annoying. I still like Scotty though, don't get me wrong.
I have watched so many videos for diagnostics and you have been the best for helping with describing the whole thing step by step and why to do so. I ended up subscribing to your channel and definitely recommend your videos to everyone.
1:25 I hate it when that happens. When something breaks and you have it checked, it works perfectly, its as though it's self-aware and does not want to be messed with.
Most of the mechanic only cares about earning money or not, not too much about sharing knowledge to everyone. Ur awesome, thank you so much. Love the old and new fuel filter pressure comparison !!!!!!
i noticed something about the spark plugs that you missed, they are blowing the compression pressure through the spark plug. you can tell by the brown witness marks going up the ceramic part of the plug after the metal part of the spark plug.
hi eric, After watching your videos all weekend I couldn't wait to pop the hood and check my spark plug gaps just to get my hands dirty. After a big LPG backfire and a cracked aluminium intake manifold on my buick 3800, the mechanic tells me it was caused by a cracked spark plug. I had always used a T-style spark wrench before but this was the first time using my new torque wrench. After a $1000 repair bill i've learnt that if the engine is clean, there's no need to stay dirty :)
Bosch or NGK Plugs are both good for foreign makes. Though NGK is a higher quality plug than Bosch. My favorite plug for my Chevy truck though is AC Delco
As usual, a great video. Thanks Eric. Only one suggestion, since you are working with the fuel system, keep a fire extinguisher handy. I'm sure you have several in the shop, but it might be worth mentioning for those of us whose shop is our driveway. :) Kinda like safety glasses, which by the way, yours rock!
Eric you are absolutely right about the ignition/spark plug stuff, Subarus run like crap unless the have the proper NGK plug and NGK or OEM wires. A lot of people have had misfires and poor performance that disappeared when they swapped out Bosch or whatever plugs for NGK. Great video.
XC if your spark plugs are platinum or iridium and the threads are coated in a silver finish then there is no need to use anti-seize as they are already coated in a property that restricts them from being a pain in the ass the next time you take them out! lol
NGK plugs don't need anti-seize, they state this on their website, and the plugs are pre-gapped most of the time. You can check this with a feeler gauge.
Nick Leijenhorst Even if they are "pre-gapped", you should always check anyway. Also every engine requires a different gap, so the gap set by NGK may not be correct. Anti-seize is very important for aluminum heads to prevent thread galling and reduces the chance that you'll break the plugs during removal.
Any car that is boosted (Forced Air Induction) needs NGK plugs. Im a technician for a living, and I specialize in air induction, and performance cars. Also, it needs 91+ octane. Anything less is not sufficient. But, ETCG1 your amazing, when ever I'm questioning my self, I look at your video's to get clarification and tips. THANK YOU!
I actually have those spark plugs in my 94 toyota tercel and it runs ok but according to the manual it needs the NGK BPR5EY11( a.k.a. V-POWER ) plugs or equivalent that have a groove in the center electrode.
It's important to mention that factory plugs and wires usually have different resistance to what you'll get with AM plugs/wires. Always at least call the dealership for pricing too, because I've found some parts are actually cheaper at the dealership (eg. thermostat in '04 Liberty in my experience).
+AtibbsSPARTAN That doesn't make a bit of sense. Leaving your spark plugs at the wrong gap is going to be much more detrimental than double checking the factory gaps. Not sure how you'd harm them by checking.
+Ernesto Stopped doing that after week when working with NGK sparkplugs, they are gapped perfectly, so if the box was never opened, there is no reason to check it.
Eric. You are very right about spark plugs. I decided to take a look of my plugs and replace them. So searched what the original ones should have and bought 4 new ones. From NGK. Then removed old plugs and found that they were incorrect type, like in your case. And they were very old. I put NGK in and my car is like new. So smooth idle, shifting etc. Whole driving experience is completely different. Like driving new car. It was "thinking" each time before autoshifting, but now it doesnt. Smooth!
89 Suzuki Sidekick. 34k original miles. Ever since a clogged fuel filter blew out the pump and forced replacement, my car has NOT run the same. The idle is slightly higher and much rougher, and the RPMs kind of "float" from 1200 to 900 or so. It also revs higher if I have the blower motor or headlights on than if I dont. At 1200, it shakes. At 900 it makes a sort of spitting noise. It's also much slower than it was before. I know its just a 80hp engine but it seems to have lost a little. Ideas?
Hey Eric! What spark plugs would you recommend for LPG modified car. Car starts on gasoline and runs for some time until engine temperature goes high enough to change to LPG system. So car runs on LPG 90 % of time. LPG burning produces higher temperatures and has higher octane number so spark plug producers recommend different spark plugs, made for LPG. Ones that can resist higher temp and with smaller gap for the better ignition of LPG. Aparently LPG ignition calls for higher voltage so other parts of the car can suffer if the gap is not small enough. On the other hand some mechanics still go with the factory recommendation for spark plugs. But if you put LPG in, its not a factory set up anymore. So what is the best: 1. Original factory recomended, 2. Factory recommended with making the gap smaller, 3. Saprk plugs made for LPG, like NGK LPG2 (for my car Chevy Aveo 2007, 1.2, 53 kW, euro version) which has already smaller gap and better materials for high resistance to temp and much more expensive?
because of damage in shipping, those things bounce around in the boxes and can shorten the gap. depending on how ruff they were handled in shipping the gap can be changed drastically or not at all, it never hurts to check the gap and only takes a second anyway.
I am having perhaps a similar issue in 2007 Forester. I have no check engine light and historically the car sat for a year or 2 with dirty tank and blocked in tank filter as well as failed in tank strainers. I first changed filter, Strainer and put aftermarket pump, then I used POR15 tank process with second new filter and left side strainer, then new genuine fuel pump module (filter, strainer, pressure regulator, gauge and pump). Along the way I have cleaned injectors twice, new genuine plugs early in the game, air filter and throttle body cleaned several times. I am now leaning to dampers x 2 on fuel rails (they might be a mess based on original tank condition), Electronic throttle pedal (a friend had one that needed cleaning once) or wondering if the Cat has an intermittent blockage (can that happen?). There are times when the car runs very nice and than pretty much out of the blue performance reduces to about half. It never leaves me stranded and even gets up steep hills just relatively slow. If I floor it it does kick down and rev high but on upshift it looses power again. Before I resealed the airbox in the fender that box used to buzz a lot under power loss conditions. Any ideas?
I purchased a 99 Subabru Legacy L 2.2L -Sometimes its idles real low and dies -Sometimes it leaks from the sunroof -When driving at 80mph the RPMs are at 3000-3100, but it sounds as if the RPMs are lower than indicated Any thoughts on the approach?
thank god for this, I've had the same problem in a suzuki jimny , no check engine light and scanner fuel trims are not overly helping or other diagnostic from the scanner. Even the suzuki service centre has no clue
PO put autolites into my m3, JUNK, killed coilpacks. My Dodge Caravan used Champion stock, junk, stretched gaps and the isolator ceramic cracked. Put in NGK in both and wow!!! perfect.
air filters , dirty throttle body , clogged catalyst , restricted injectors , bad MAF sensors has the biggest hand in your current issue beside what have you mentioned , but mostly new cars now comes without fuelfilters because it usually placed aside to fuel pump inside fuel tank , i usually run a scan ( when no check engine light ) and pull all engine data live and compare o2sesnors amps , short, long fuel term , maf voltage , spark advanced , injector timing will make u understand !
Hi Eric! the best way to identify it's an engine problem or a transmission problem is by checking for fuel trims adaptations. +15% long term fuel trim = engine. No fuel trim = transmission. Keep going i really enjoy those videos!
Yep, good to put those ngk's in there....that #3 plug (@ 6:44) looked like it had some carbon tracks down the porcelain too...you probably already know to swap in a new set of wires if you find those carbon tracks.....
Hey Eric I had a similar like this with my 05 PT Cruiser GT and after a little research on the check engine light ECM code being triggered by the knock sensor but find out it was a bad cam positioning sensor which can cause a knock sensor to trigger a ECM code because the cam position sensor causing a advance in the the timing and a fuel ratio to turn rich causing a pinging noise that will trigger a knock sensor ECM code, And will cause your car to hesitate on acceleration.
i have the understanding of different spark plugs already i was hoping eric could make a video to help more people understand because he has a good way to represent that
Change the spark plugs and wires, if the problem persists i point to the ignition coil. Btw, on older model Opels there always were ALOT of problems with the EGR valves. Take an old licence plate, cut out the shape of the gasket for the EGR (outer shape, do not make a hole in it) and place it between. If the problem is still there it's not your EGR valve.
Air filter and fuel filter rarely give drivability problems unless they are really dirty/clogged/neglected for over X years. Many owner's manual tells you to change air filter at every 15,000 miles/X years, which for me is too long of an interval; I do mine at every oil change; 3,500 miles. Air filters are cheap and I only use genuine filter (in the case of Acura(Honda), they are oil-soaked and non-cleanable). Changing the fuel filter on some Acuras are PITA; integrated into the fuel pump.
What timing! Just the video I needed. We started the same route. I have an OPEL Vectra CC 2.0i cat. '93 model. With SplitFire sparkplugs. Chosen fronm the catalouge of SplitFire for the car. Now they say it lasts 75000miles. I havn't done that many, but they are 6 years old. We have checked them, and we think that they're in fine shape. They're some platinum plugs without electrodes. Anyway, we're getting a fuel pressure gauge, to do the next step. I think it will show something for us.....
the newer obd 2 scanners likw Genisys and Pegisys which i was trained to use have oscilloscopes in them that can record the wave data. they use those to diagnose many different components including the signal from the O2 sensors which can verify if the catlitc converter is working and so on. when troublshooting electrical faults on a computer controlled system a oscilloscope is one of the best and quickest ways solve the diagnose the problem.it may be an old tool but its not obsolete
when the pressure rose when you shut off the engine is know as the water hammer effect From Wikipedia "Water hammer (or, more generally, fluid hammer) is a pressure surge or wave caused when a fluid (usually a liquid but sometimes also a gas) in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly (momentum change). A water hammer commonly occurs when a valve closes suddenly at an end of a pipeline system, and a pressure wave propagates in the pipe. It is also called hydraulic shock." correct me if I'm wrong.
I have a 1974, Chevrolet Impala. It has a 350 engine in it. What spark plugs would best accommodate my car. Take into mind that it is all original, engine and everything, and yet it runs fantastic!
Eric, I don't know if this question is correct; If performing a tune up, changing the plugs, should the ignition coil be replace to? I have a WRX and its showing hesitation. I will do the checks you suggested.
@EricTheCarGuy My car has this same issue as well and I have new platinum bosch plugs in my ford. It only ever does it when in the morning when its really cold. I was thinking it could be a dirty inlet manifold, bad throttle position sensor or idle sensor,etc. Seems like a computer problem to me. I hope this helps and you get to the bottom of your problem.
Nt ot much of a Subaru fan but that fuel filter access is great .Hesitation is a bugger to diagnose , I have found your plug solution a good start ,However my second step is usually wires on the old cars without coil on plug .A bad insulation caused by oil deterioration will ground out the spark partially causing a slight miss .but these f=days there are so many ignition sensors that any one could cause hesitation even low battery voltage .With all the computers the car should know on its own
One thing I like about your videos is you're a proponent of dealer / factory parts. In my Chevys, if I put anything but AC Delco plugs, wires, and other tune up stuff on them, they run like garbage. And Toyota is VERY picky about their tune up parts, you gotta run Denso with them.
I've got an '01 cougar v6. its runs great while its cold with the needle barely moved but once it gets to "optimal" running temperatures it gets sluggish. There's no hesitation but the amount of acceleration drops by a noticeable amount.
Yes, you can shift an automatic without causing harm. It basically prevents the car from shifting above the selected gear. I mostly use it when driving in the mountains to help keep off the brakes.
Well, they can have various problems like with Mass Air flow sensors they can just be dirty and give false readings. O2 sensors will give either fixed rich or fixed lean signals and tend to become less accurate as they age. Some sensors like TPS and MAP tend to last forever and either work or don't work. The same is usually true with cam and crank sensors. Usually though it's pretty obvious if there's a problem with the sensor though it could also be the sensor's wiring too.
Yeah it is, those gear options are there for when you are driving in the mountains etc. You can always shift between 1st, 2nd, 3rd and drive with an automatic gearbox. The only thing that those options on the shifter do, is not go higher then that gear. Totally safe.
Good video, just one thing. Why not gap the plugs to the recommended spec? It only takes about 2 minutes and can make a noticeable difference. I have personally experienced regular NGK plugs up to .020 off the recommended spec, which as I'm sure you know can make a noticeable difference.
usually the key needs to be in the ignition and turned the run position for the pump to have any power or a signal to reach normal pressure in the fuel lines. there is pressure left over when you turn most fuel injected cars off allowing some fuel to squirt out when you remove a fuel line
Great video, i just got a honda fit with over 120k, and im trying to revive the lost hp only the oil, oil filter, and air filter (at regular intervals) have been replaced the entire life of the car.
Know where you stand do a compression check first Yes I agree swapping out plugs would be the next move How about changing the mass airflow sensor and inspecting injector nozzles too
NGK's are something. I had sputtering when I'd first take off. Whoever owned my car last had put in Denso plugs. I changed to NGK BPR6ES (for DSM's) and the sputtering and hesitation went away.
Very good video, had a similar issued with my nissan, it was a bad ignition wire for #2 cylinder, I did follow ur troubleshotting protocal, and solved the problem. Thank you.
Work* in the way the engine runs using platinum over iridium. Its always best to stick with what the manufacture uses. There is some engines out there that are picky on what they can use. For example if you take a GM car with the 2.4L twincam and throw in some generic plugs you will most likely have a misfire when the engine is under load. This engine works best with A/c Delco Platinum type plugs. Oh and the gimmick ones called splitfire do not do a thing either. I hope this helps.
My dad's 06 Honda Accord has a real bad hesitation upon take off, nearly stalled a couple of times. Tomorrow a new air filter, and new spark plugs go in. Hopefully that fixes everything.
As far as the spark plugs, I had the same issue...I had Autolite plugs in a Mitsubishi (from the previous owner) and it wasn't performing as it should (partially because they were also corroded)...once I changed over to NGK plugs, the difference was almost night and day
My question would be. If the autolight plugs are okay for Ford, and the NKG's are good for Subaru. What about Bosh Platinum +4? I use those in all my vehicles and never have issues.
heres a different approach are you familiar with ocilloscopes? depending on resistance an other factor there is a specific wave pattern to each spark plug and plug wire if two diiferent companies plugs were compared by the wave pattern you could prove they were simular enough if the pattern matched between the two if the pattern didnt match they clearly wont work the same. you could also use same brand and part number to see if it simular enough great for fine tuning
This problem may also be caused by worn throttle position sensor on throttle housing. If you remember carburettors, they had throttle enrichment devices which pumped more fuel in as you put your foot on the gas. Injection systems do the same thing. The ECU knows you are putting your foot on the gas through the throttle position sensor.
I recently purchased a 2003 grand am with a 2.2l ecotec with 147000 miles and noticed a far below average mpg of 18 *mostly commuting miles in sub 45 mph speeds* but ran fine as far as I could tell. decided to just replace the spark plugs... The electrodes on two of the four were pretty much gone. How I didn't have misfiring or hard starting is a mystery to me.
it could be pcv or egr valve either one. take pcv out and shake it. if you can hear a loud tick then its still decent. if not its covered in oil. also check the hose coming off the pcv. sometimes they get rips in em.
The effects of that can range from HP loss to burning a hole in your piston. ALWAYS stick to the recommended heat range unless you have a turbo application or you run the engine on LPG (liquified propane gas)
NGK or Denso. Always check & verify gap on all plugs when out of the box if possible or allowed to. Also always change the spark plugs every year even iridiums. Check your engine belt/chain, a loose pulley, clogged dirty fuel filter or fuel pump, fuel injectors?
Tell you what, if one of your cylinders is out, you'll know about it! I had one of the spark plugs go out in my 8-cylinder Dakota, and it was just a DOG when it was running on 7. I mean, it was seriously slower than the V6 Dakotas I've driven. It hesitated, sputtered a lot, and shook a lot at idle. I replaced the bad spark plug, and I went from what felt like 100hp maybe, to the full 250. I then replaced the other 7 to keep things consistent (and to have better plugs).
Eric, Thank you very much. I have an Audi A6. It wouldn't pass emissions. It was misfiring and running lean. So I changed the spark plug and the coil but I brought autolites and in stalled them and the car shook really bad and I was wondering wth??? so I decided to look at the how too on youtube and came across your video. That next morning I couldn't wait to get the ngk's....I put them in and my car run like a sewing machine... Thank you sir.
Man its 2020 and I will always go back to your videos to educate my self on cars
… 2023..
My 2000 F 150 was running bad, really bad. Chugging, stalling, jerking, I mean bad. It hadn't been maintained at all. Watching your videos inspired me to try a couple of things myself. I changed plugs and plug wires and installed a new fuel filter. These three things have more than doubled my fuel economy and overall performance is great. I'm a believer in maintenance now, a changed man and I owe it all to you and these great, easy to understand and informative videos. Keep up the good work.
Hey Eric, Tanner here.
I know you probably have 2500 other comments like this, but you sure know how to make a helpful video. I used, in particular, the spark plug section to help me with changing the spark plugs in my '95 Range Rover 4.0se. Now, I'm not a total idiot with cars but that doesn't mean I'm particularly mechanically inclined. Your channel has given me some solid confidence to tackle my vehicles mechanical needs. Anyways, back to the point. I switched out my spark plugs today and man, I sure can tell that my car is happier. A little surprise i found is that the starting of my car seems to have improved noticeably, which I was happy to see. The performance of the car itself also seems to have been improved. I suppose that's what happens when you get rid of 20 year old plugs, eh? Needless to say, I'm a happy guy!
Anyway, thanks for the videos and for the confidence to pop my hood. Tomorrow I plan to flush my power steering fluid. Wish me luck!
Thanks for good tips Eric! I have a 1996 Mazda 323 (I believe it's called Mazda Protege there in the States). 1,5 liter 16 valve DOHC engine. I had some idle issues with it and significant decrease in power lately. Now I replaced the old fuel filter and cleaned the MAF- sensor. While taking the air intake housing off to get access to the fuel filter I found out that the housing had huge cracks in it, so unmeasured air was getting into the mix. Fixed it and now it runs smoothly.
One tip for installing spark plugs is to gently lower them with your socket wrench (or torque wrench and socket) and set the plug on the threads until its just about to catch but don't tighten it yet just turn the plug counter clockwise very slowly (like loosening it) and wait till you hear or feel a tiny "tink" and that's the very top of the thread of the spark plug dropping in line with the very top of the head's thread for the spark plug. Once you hear that tiny "tink" start tightening it to torque spec and you'll never cross up or bugger the threads since pretty much seems like most if not all heads on cars these days are aluminum. (not sure if I have ever seen any car without aluminum heads)
Tyler Finvold thank you! I do the same thing never stripped or crossthreaded a sparkplug because of it
Interesting... Thank you!
I usually use a piece of hose. Works a lot better.
I do the same except I do not bother turning them left. I start tightening by hand right away but just use my fingertips so no real force is applied. Then spin them til snug and that is when the socket wrench comes into play for final tightening. Crush down the crush washer until snug and then maybe a 1/4 or 1/8 turn to be tight.
Hey Eric, being a Subaru Tech for ten yrs, the very first thing was to clean the throttle plates and yes, NGK are the plugs.. I even used them in my Chry LHS. GREAT video..
Dad always taught me if you've got a problem it's one of 3 things: Fuel-Air-Spark...of course this was before engine computers, but I suppose it still holds true to some degree today and has never left me unable to diagnose my problems.
Love the videos! I would disagree with you about gapping the spark plugs. (Remember I'm the guy with 3 engineering degrees, certified in engine, transmissions, and tune up by the time I was 16 and won the Pacific automobile award when I was 17. So I'm a real nerd. But I can always learn, and your videos are terrific.) The size of the gap is critical as it determines the energy released which is very critical. The reason that you may not like the autolight's is that each spark plug has a specific resistance which determines the current flow and therefore affects the energy released. This resistance combined with a spark app the spark app determines the total energy released. If you had issues with autolight's, you might try increasing the gap a little more than the specification which will deliver more energy. Spark plugs are actually very simple devices. However when I was researching this for my tuneup certification, I did note that the resistance varied amongst the different manufacturers. This is easily addressed by modifying the gap to make the total energy release per spec and increase performance.
The most annoying kind of car repair: "I fixed some things...but nothing seems to be any better".
I agree, ignition performance issues take a whole other level of patience especially when the car isn't running right and time constraints apply.
Jealous of that fuel filter location. In my 06 Sti its attached to the fuel pump in the tank and is a huge pain to change
+Lucien Gauvin My cousin got the same car and he asked me to changed it i feel your pain.
01 Dodge Durango also has the fuel filter in the tank...I'm not going to mess with it as long as no problem arises requiring the replacement!
there is 2 one on the pump one in line
Just like me ,,with a hyundai getz
have you cleaned the mass air flow censor ? it totally helps my car
Cleaning the MAF sensor on an older car can really help performance. I just cleaned the MAF sensor in my mom's 99 Outback (very similar to the one in the video) and the engine runs noticeably smoother.
Eric, Autolites don't belong in Fords any more than they belong in a Subaru. Fords have run Motorcraft since the 70s, when they sold Autolite to Allied Signal. Autolite is an aftermarket plug that has many specifications over many different car manufacturers. They're not OEM on anything I'm aware of. But I agree, NGK would have been a better plug than an Autolite.
Do your home work Motorcraft spark plugs are made by Autolite.
True story✔
Scotty Kilmer and Eric the Car Guy are the best to explain shit on RUclips. Only difference is that Eric is not annoying. I still like Scotty though, don't get me wrong.
transmission vs. engine = stall test. If stall RPM is too high, transmission. If stall RPM is too low, engine.
I have watched so many videos for diagnostics and you have been the best for helping with describing the whole thing step by step and why to do so. I ended up subscribing to your channel and definitely recommend your videos to everyone.
clean the headlights, it will add +5hp
put in led bulbs and your get a extra 55 hp :)0, add wipers on the headlights and your beat every car in the world , oh yea lol
Smoked light covers, 600 HP to the wheels!
nope - the car just looks faster.
Liam Rowe and a K&N sticker on the body. Forgot about that one.
Wow this is great info, plz tell me more!
1:25 I hate it when that happens. When something breaks and you have it checked, it works perfectly, its as though it's self-aware and does not want to be messed with.
Hey. What is your vote on marvel mystery oil for rough idle?
Most of the mechanic only cares about earning money or not, not too much about sharing knowledge to everyone.
Ur awesome, thank you so much.
Love the old and new fuel filter pressure comparison !!!!!!
very educative..yu hav educated me alot..thank yu ericthecarguy
Thanks man. I've had the same issues. Changing my sparks back to the NGK today and if that doesn't work then my filter.
i noticed something about the spark plugs that you missed, they are blowing the compression pressure through the spark plug.
you can tell by the brown witness marks going up the ceramic part of the plug after the metal part of the spark plug.
it happens to all spark plugs eventually, heat, vibration and pressure causes the seal to break down.
If that is the case then the center part would be loose right ?
hi eric,
After watching your videos all weekend I couldn't wait to pop the hood and check my spark plug gaps just to get my hands dirty.
After a big LPG backfire and a cracked aluminium intake manifold on my buick 3800, the mechanic tells me it was caused by a cracked spark plug. I had always used a T-style spark wrench before but this was the first time using my new torque wrench.
After a $1000 repair bill i've learnt that if the engine is clean, there's no need to stay dirty :)
You should probably takeoff the greasy gloves before you get it the car and touch everything! Just a thought..
Good luck getting those plugs in and out! I changed them on a '98 Outback of mine and the rear two are a PAIN.
NGK or Bosch spark plugs work the best for foreign cars.
Bosch has been straight Garbage and overrated by experience, NGKs in other hand are amazing
midos67 Bosch is trash.
Bosch or NGK Plugs are both good for foreign makes. Though NGK is a higher quality plug than Bosch. My favorite plug for my Chevy truck though is AC Delco
I would hope so AC Delco is OEM for GM vehicles
My Chevy Truck is a GM vehicle
As usual, a great video. Thanks Eric. Only one suggestion, since you are working with the fuel system, keep a fire extinguisher handy. I'm sure you have several in the shop, but it might be worth mentioning for those of us whose shop is our driveway. :) Kinda like safety glasses, which by the way, yours rock!
It shocked me how new spark plugs make a HUGE difference in performance.
Its like he says, they pretty much build the engine around the spark plugs (or at least their detonation model).
ya if you don't have any spark it won't burn any fuel
Keys879 just like we built the A-10 around a Gatling gun
Eric you are absolutely right about the ignition/spark plug stuff, Subarus run like crap unless the have the proper NGK plug and NGK or OEM wires. A lot of people have had misfires and poor performance that disappeared when they swapped out Bosch or whatever plugs for NGK. Great video.
You should always gap the plugs, makes a difference in how well the plug fires. Don't forget anti-seize.
yea anti- seize too bad others dont use it makes changing the plugs or any other parts a dream!!!!!!!!!!!!
XC if your spark plugs are platinum or iridium and the threads are coated in a silver finish then there is no need to use anti-seize as they are already coated in a property that restricts them from being a pain in the ass the next time you take them out! lol
NGK plugs don't need anti-seize, they state this on their website, and the plugs are pre-gapped most of the time. You can check this with a feeler gauge.
Nick Leijenhorst Even if they are "pre-gapped", you should always check anyway. Also every engine requires a different gap, so the gap set by NGK may not be correct. Anti-seize is very important for aluminum heads to prevent thread galling and reduces the chance that you'll break the plugs during removal.
XC
NGK don't require anti-seize or gapping. Just make sure you get the correct spark plug no. for your car and they'll be fine.
watching cars being serviced and servicing cars give's me some stress relieve. it really does. I don't know my self why.
Love those dirty latex gloves. Those mean hard work. Stay dirty!
@Mr Hansen 🤔🗡️
Any car that is boosted (Forced Air Induction) needs NGK plugs. Im a technician for a living, and I specialize in air induction, and performance cars. Also, it needs 91+ octane. Anything less is not sufficient. But, ETCG1 your amazing, when ever I'm questioning my self, I look at your video's to get clarification and tips. THANK YOU!
wtf is that thing hanging off the back of his head
Pony Tail 😇 my little pony my little pony. ..
super duper lol
I actually have those spark plugs in my 94 toyota tercel and it runs ok but according to the manual it needs the NGK BPR5EY11( a.k.a. V-POWER ) plugs or equivalent that have a groove in the center electrode.
that pony tail tho ...
Pony tail -- Man bun-- ??? LOL...MAYBE A LITTLE FEMININE?????
It's important to mention that factory plugs and wires usually have different resistance to what you'll get with AM plugs/wires. Always at least call the dealership for pricing too, because I've found some parts are actually cheaper at the dealership (eg. thermostat in '04 Liberty in my experience).
always check your gap on your new spark plugs. why be lazy
+Ernesto
By checking the gaps on modern spark plugs with gap tools you actually harm the spark plug itself
+AtibbsSPARTAN That doesn't make a bit of sense. Leaving your spark plugs at the wrong gap is going to be much more detrimental than double checking the factory gaps. Not sure how you'd harm them by checking.
+Ernesto Stopped doing that after week when working with NGK sparkplugs, they are gapped perfectly, so if the box was never opened, there is no reason to check it.
NGK, Denso spark plugs come in pre gapped. You are not supposed to gap them. I use Denso spark plugs on my camry. So I know.
It does make sense,You don't fuck with the gap on iridium's.
Eric. You are very right about spark plugs. I decided to take a look of my plugs and replace them. So searched what the original ones should have and bought 4 new ones. From NGK. Then removed old plugs and found that they were incorrect type, like in your case. And they were very old. I put NGK in and my car is like new. So smooth idle, shifting etc. Whole driving experience is completely different. Like driving new car.
It was "thinking" each time before autoshifting, but now it doesnt. Smooth!
autolite plugs suck all around.
I don't know what part of your ass you pulled that out of but I would not ever use fram spark plugs on an (92-98) i6 motor.
89 Suzuki Sidekick. 34k original miles. Ever since a clogged fuel filter blew out the pump and forced replacement, my car has NOT run the same. The idle is slightly higher and much rougher, and the RPMs kind of "float" from 1200 to 900 or so. It also revs higher if I have the blower motor or headlights on than if I dont. At 1200, it shakes. At 900 it makes a sort of spitting noise. It's also much slower than it was before. I know its just a 80hp engine but it seems to have lost a little. Ideas?
turbo lag LOL
Hey Eric! What spark plugs would you recommend for LPG modified car. Car starts on gasoline and runs for some time until engine temperature goes high enough to change to LPG system. So car runs on LPG 90 % of time. LPG burning produces higher temperatures and has higher octane number so spark plug producers recommend different spark plugs, made for LPG. Ones that can resist higher temp and with smaller gap for the better ignition of LPG. Aparently LPG ignition calls for higher voltage so other parts of the car can suffer if the gap is not small enough. On the other hand some mechanics still go with the factory recommendation for spark plugs. But if you put LPG in, its not a factory set up anymore. So what is the best: 1. Original factory recomended, 2. Factory recommended with making the gap smaller, 3. Saprk plugs made for LPG, like NGK LPG2 (for my car Chevy Aveo 2007, 1.2, 53 kW, euro version) which has already smaller gap and better materials for high resistance to temp and much more expensive?
Hmmmm so putting NGKs on my Mercedes was probably a bad idea eh...
Lol! I've learned Japanese cars like Japanese plugs (Denso or NGK) American cars like American plugs (Champion, Autolite) and for German, idk, Bosch?
spookypunky Bosch are for European cars.
That's what I figured
wait so you have to use american made plugs for american vehicles??
fargeeks nah i run ngk in my chevy it runs great ngk is a good brand
because of damage in shipping, those things bounce around in the boxes and can shorten the gap. depending on how ruff they were handled in shipping the gap can be changed drastically or not at all, it never hurts to check the gap and only takes a second anyway.
dude... lose the pony tail
MrThatsYe why should he?
Stop saying "dude"
thinking the same thing...
MrThatsYe l
I am having perhaps a similar issue in 2007 Forester. I have no check engine light and historically the car sat for a year or 2 with dirty tank and blocked in tank filter as well as failed in tank strainers. I first changed filter, Strainer and put aftermarket pump, then I used POR15 tank process with second new filter and left side strainer, then new genuine fuel pump module (filter, strainer, pressure regulator, gauge and pump). Along the way I have cleaned injectors twice, new genuine plugs early in the game, air filter and throttle body cleaned several times. I am now leaning to dampers x 2 on fuel rails (they might be a mess based on original tank condition), Electronic throttle pedal (a friend had one that needed cleaning once) or wondering if the Cat has an intermittent blockage (can that happen?). There are times when the car runs very nice and than pretty much out of the blue performance reduces to about half. It never leaves me stranded and even gets up steep hills just relatively slow. If I floor it it does kick down and rev high but on upshift it looses power again. Before I resealed the airbox in the fender that box used to buzz a lot under power loss conditions. Any ideas?
I purchased a 99 Subabru Legacy L 2.2L
-Sometimes its idles real low and dies
-Sometimes it leaks from the sunroof
-When driving at 80mph the RPMs are at 3000-3100, but it sounds as if the RPMs are lower than indicated
Any thoughts on the approach?
thank god for this, I've had the same problem in a suzuki jimny , no check engine light and scanner fuel trims are not overly helping or other diagnostic from the scanner. Even the suzuki service centre has no clue
Love the side by side comparison slides! Let's cut the old filter open now and examine its condition!
PO put autolites into my m3, JUNK, killed coilpacks. My Dodge Caravan used Champion stock, junk, stretched gaps and the isolator ceramic cracked. Put in NGK in both and wow!!! perfect.
air filters , dirty throttle body , clogged catalyst , restricted injectors , bad MAF sensors has the biggest hand in your current issue beside what have you mentioned , but mostly new cars now comes without fuelfilters because it usually placed aside to fuel pump inside fuel tank , i usually run a scan ( when no check engine light ) and pull all engine data live and compare o2sesnors amps , short, long fuel term , maf voltage , spark advanced , injector timing will make u understand !
Hi Eric! the best way to identify it's an engine problem or a transmission problem is by checking for fuel trims adaptations. +15% long term fuel trim = engine. No fuel trim = transmission. Keep going i really enjoy those videos!
I hope that COMPLETELY fixes the problem. I'm anxious to hear results after a week of driving :)
Totally understandable then. I'm happy you're okay. Keep sight of what you gained back and have an awesome life sir.
Yep, good to put those ngk's in there....that #3 plug (@ 6:44) looked like it had some carbon tracks down the porcelain too...you probably already know to swap in a new set of wires if you find those carbon tracks.....
Hey Eric I had a similar like this with my 05 PT Cruiser GT and after a little research on the check engine light ECM code being triggered by the knock sensor but find out it was a bad cam positioning sensor which can cause a knock sensor to trigger a ECM code because the cam position sensor causing a advance in the the timing and a fuel ratio to turn rich causing a pinging noise that will trigger a knock sensor ECM code, And will cause your car to hesitate on acceleration.
You should look into pressure differenal gauge, comes in handy for checking pressures across filters... among other systems.
Good stuff man...I'm checking these things tomorrow. I just put in Autolite plugs into my car, I'm going to double check if they should be in there.
i have the understanding of different spark plugs already i was hoping eric could make a video to help more people understand because he has a good way to represent that
Change the spark plugs and wires, if the problem persists i point to the ignition coil. Btw, on older model Opels there always were ALOT of problems with the EGR valves. Take an old licence plate, cut out the shape of the gasket for the EGR (outer shape, do not make a hole in it) and place it between. If the problem is still there it's not your EGR valve.
I replaced plugs and coils on my '05 Falcon yesterday. Runs beautifully now and sounds better.
Air filter and fuel filter rarely give drivability problems unless they are really dirty/clogged/neglected for over X years. Many owner's manual tells you to change air filter at every 15,000 miles/X years, which for me is too long of an interval; I do mine at every oil change; 3,500 miles. Air filters are cheap and I only use genuine filter (in the case of Acura(Honda), they are oil-soaked and non-cleanable). Changing the fuel filter on some Acuras are PITA; integrated into the fuel pump.
What timing! Just the video I needed. We started the same route. I have an OPEL Vectra CC 2.0i cat. '93 model. With SplitFire sparkplugs. Chosen fronm the catalouge of SplitFire for the car. Now they say it lasts 75000miles. I havn't done that many, but they are 6 years old. We have checked them, and we think that they're in fine shape. They're some platinum plugs without electrodes. Anyway, we're getting a fuel pressure gauge, to do the next step. I think it will show something for us.....
the newer obd 2 scanners likw Genisys and Pegisys which i was trained to use have oscilloscopes in them that can record the wave data. they use those to diagnose many different components including the signal from the O2 sensors which can verify if the catlitc converter is working and so on. when troublshooting electrical faults on a computer controlled system a oscilloscope is one of the best and quickest ways solve the diagnose the problem.it may be an old tool but its not obsolete
when the pressure rose when you shut off the engine is know as the water hammer effect
From Wikipedia
"Water hammer (or, more generally, fluid hammer) is a pressure surge or wave caused when a fluid (usually a liquid but sometimes also a gas) in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly (momentum change). A water hammer commonly occurs when a valve closes suddenly at an end of a pipeline system, and a pressure wave propagates in the pipe. It is also called hydraulic shock."
correct me if I'm wrong.
had this in my bmw , hesitation was tiny split in air intake when engine first moves takes in unmetered air
I have a 1974, Chevrolet Impala. It has a 350 engine in it. What spark plugs would best accommodate my car. Take into mind that it is all original, engine and everything, and yet it runs fantastic!
Eric, I don't know if this question is correct; If performing a tune up, changing the plugs, should the ignition coil be replace to? I have a WRX and its showing hesitation. I will do the checks you suggested.
@EricTheCarGuy My car has this same issue as well and I have new platinum bosch plugs in my ford. It only ever does it when in the morning when its really cold. I was thinking it could be a dirty inlet manifold, bad throttle position sensor or idle sensor,etc. Seems like a computer problem to me. I hope this helps and you get to the bottom of your problem.
Nt
ot much of a Subaru fan but that fuel filter access is great .Hesitation is a bugger to diagnose , I have found your plug solution a good start ,However my second step is usually wires on the old cars without coil on plug .A bad insulation caused by oil deterioration will ground out the spark partially causing a slight miss .but these f=days there are so many ignition sensors that any one could cause hesitation even low battery voltage .With all the computers the car should know on its own
One thing I like about your videos is you're a proponent of dealer / factory parts. In my Chevys, if I put anything but AC Delco plugs, wires, and other tune up stuff on them, they run like garbage. And Toyota is VERY picky about their tune up parts, you gotta run Denso with them.
I've got an '01 cougar v6. its runs great while its cold with the needle barely moved but once it gets to "optimal" running temperatures it gets sluggish. There's no hesitation but the amount of acceleration drops by a noticeable amount.
Yes, you can shift an automatic without causing harm. It basically prevents the car from shifting above the selected gear. I mostly use it when driving in the mountains to help keep off the brakes.
Well, they can have various problems like with Mass Air flow sensors they can just be dirty and give false readings. O2 sensors will give either fixed rich or fixed lean signals and tend to become less accurate as they age. Some sensors like TPS and MAP tend to last forever and either work or don't work. The same is usually true with cam and crank sensors. Usually though it's pretty obvious if there's a problem with the sensor though it could also be the sensor's wiring too.
Yeah it is, those gear options are there for when you are driving in the mountains etc. You can always shift between 1st, 2nd, 3rd and drive with an automatic gearbox. The only thing that those options on the shifter do, is not go higher then that gear. Totally safe.
I had Autolite plugs in my Toyota PU. I switched to NGK and it made a big difference.
Good video, just one thing. Why not gap the plugs to the recommended spec? It only takes about 2 minutes and can make a noticeable difference. I have personally experienced regular NGK plugs up to .020 off the recommended spec, which as I'm sure you know can make a noticeable difference.
usually the key needs to be in the ignition and turned the run position for the pump to have any power or a signal to reach normal pressure in the fuel lines. there is pressure left over when you turn most fuel injected cars off allowing some fuel to squirt out when you remove a fuel line
Great video, i just got a honda fit with over 120k, and im trying to revive the lost hp only the oil, oil filter, and air filter (at regular intervals) have been replaced the entire life of the car.
Amazing how much the shop has changed since these Subaru videos
Know where you stand do a compression check first
Yes I agree swapping out plugs would be the next move
How about changing the mass airflow sensor and inspecting injector nozzles too
2002 Chevy astro van 6cylinder hisatation
Better to diagnose a problem than throw money and parts at it
NGK's are something. I had sputtering when I'd first take off. Whoever owned my car last had put in Denso plugs. I changed to NGK BPR6ES (for DSM's) and the sputtering and hesitation went away.
The difference can be seen even in video. Good job Eric.
Very good video, had a similar issued with my nissan, it was a bad ignition wire for #2 cylinder, I did follow ur troubleshotting protocal, and solved the problem.
Thank you.
Work* in the way the engine runs using platinum over iridium.
Its always best to stick with what the manufacture uses. There is some engines out there that are picky on what they can use. For example if you take a GM car with the 2.4L twincam and throw in some generic plugs you will most likely have a misfire when the engine is under load. This engine works best with A/c Delco Platinum type plugs. Oh and the gimmick ones called splitfire do not do a thing either. I hope this helps.
My dad's 06 Honda Accord has a real bad hesitation upon take off, nearly stalled a couple of times. Tomorrow a new air filter, and new spark plugs go in. Hopefully that fixes everything.
As far as the spark plugs, I had the same issue...I had Autolite plugs in a Mitsubishi (from the previous owner) and it wasn't performing as it should (partially because they were also corroded)...once I changed over to NGK plugs, the difference was almost night and day
I agree that it's very important to use the manufacturer's plug recommendations. In my case it was the engine builder who spec'd the plug & gap.
My question would be. If the autolight plugs are okay for Ford, and the NKG's are good for Subaru. What about Bosh Platinum +4? I use those in all my vehicles and never have issues.
heres a different approach are you familiar with ocilloscopes? depending on resistance an other factor there is a specific wave pattern to each spark plug and plug wire if two diiferent companies plugs were compared by the wave pattern you could prove they were simular enough if the pattern matched between the two if the pattern didnt match they clearly wont work the same. you could also use same brand and part number to see if it simular enough great for fine tuning
This problem may also be caused by worn throttle position sensor on throttle housing. If you remember carburettors, they had throttle enrichment devices which pumped more fuel in as you put your foot on the gas. Injection systems do the same thing. The ECU knows you are putting your foot on the gas through the throttle position sensor.
+Nick Hill use an analog meter to check for faulty TPS
I recently purchased a 2003 grand am with a 2.2l ecotec with 147000 miles and noticed a far below average mpg of 18 *mostly commuting miles in sub 45 mph speeds* but ran fine as far as I could tell. decided to just replace the spark plugs... The electrodes on two of the four were pretty much gone. How I didn't have misfiring or hard starting is a mystery to me.
it could be pcv or egr valve either one. take pcv out and shake it. if you can hear a loud tick then its still decent. if not its covered in oil. also check the hose coming off the pcv. sometimes they get rips in em.
Nice vid, Can you do a video on how to clean your fuel injectors?
The effects of that can range from HP loss to burning a hole in your piston. ALWAYS stick to the recommended heat range unless you have a turbo application or you run the engine on LPG (liquified propane gas)
NGK or Denso. Always check & verify gap on all plugs when out of the box if possible or allowed to.
Also always change the spark plugs every year even iridiums.
Check your engine belt/chain, a loose pulley, clogged dirty fuel filter or fuel pump, fuel injectors?
Tell you what, if one of your cylinders is out, you'll know about it! I had one of the spark plugs go out in my 8-cylinder Dakota, and it was just a DOG when it was running on 7. I mean, it was seriously slower than the V6 Dakotas I've driven. It hesitated, sputtered a lot, and shook a lot at idle. I replaced the bad spark plug, and I went from what felt like 100hp maybe, to the full 250. I then replaced the other 7 to keep things consistent (and to have better plugs).
Eric, Thank you very much. I have an Audi A6. It wouldn't pass emissions. It was misfiring and running lean. So I changed the spark plug and the coil but I brought autolites and in stalled them and the car shook really bad and I was wondering wth??? so I decided to look at the how too on youtube and came across your video. That next morning I couldn't wait to get the ngk's....I put them in and my car run like a sewing machine... Thank you sir.