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Advice On Spark Plugs

  • Thread starter Thread starter marye
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marye

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Being a woman, I really need the help of this form very much. My problem first started with my gas milage droping from 23.+mpg to 18.-mpg. so my daughters mechanic put b Bosch spark plugs and a rotary in the gas milage droped to 14.7mpg. I had a computer check done on the car today, did not show anything. I was told by these mechanics that you can't put Bosch plugs in a corvette. Please tell me who is right? I don't want to hurt my daughters machanics feelings, so what should I do if do need differnt plugs. I have only had the car a few months and I am ready to take back my 78 annavers. one I gave my son I drove it 18 years never had these problems.

P.S. does any out there have a antena for the 88 it broke off last night some how.

Hope you can advise, Thanks MaryE
 
For what its worth, I replaced my plugs with Bosch platinum plugs, with no problem, on my '88.

Also, where are you getting your MPG reading from ???
.
 
Welcome to CAC!

Bosch spark plugs work just fine in a corvette. I just put Bosch Platinum +4 spark plugs in mine. They work great.

Did your daughter's mechanic replace the spark plug wires when he changed the plugs? Most of the time the wires will go bad long before the spark plugs. This is usually indicated by the engine "skipping"(running really rough & shaking) because the spark plug wire(s) aren't conducting the spark to the plug and not igniting the fuel/air charge in one or more of the cylinders.

If the wires are overlapped or touching they can also short out and the spark destined for the one cylinder can jump onto another cylinders wire. You can check for this by raising the hood and running the car in a darkened garage. You'll see sparks jumping around the wires.

If the engine is running smoothly but seems underpowered then you could have a restriction either in the engine air intake system or in the exhaust system.

If it's in the intake system you could have a stopped up air filter.

My car developed a problem like yours once after I ran over a large chunk of cement pavement from a pothole on I-75. It put a big dent in the exhaust pipe just before the catalytic converter. It severely restricted the flow of exhaust and choked the engine's performance. The y pipe had to be replaced to fix the problem.

Another thing that can happen is that the catalyst element in the 2 precatalytic converters or the main catalytic converter can get stopped up from running leaded gas or gasoline thats been contaminated by something else that reacts with the catalyst. Sometimes the catalyst will break loose, either due to age or an impact, from the inside the the converter and clog the exhaust pipe.

That's the most common stuff I know of that can cause you mileage to nosedive. Of course, a lead right foot will also cause poor mileage and speeding tickets.;)

Your problem could be something else. These are pretty complicated vehicles. I strongly suggest you find a reputable Corvette mechanic in your area. Dealership mechanics very rarely fall into this catagory. You can find one by asking around a local corvette club, in one of the corvette specific magazines, or right here in the CAC forums.

good luck!
 
I have run Bosch spark plugs in my 92, 94 & 96. No problems whatsoever.

I would check air filter first.

Save The Wave! :w
 
Spark plugs in my opinion are a joke.

He may have gaped them to wide.

Any spark plug will work in any motor,as long as the reach is right.
I just put chevron gas $294.9/10 a gallon in my 86 it pinged and the milage went down to 14 mph.
I drained it and put it in my ford,refilled with 76 union and its at 18 plus again.
 
Which Bosch plugs did he put in the car? If it's the +4's, those are already pre-gapped.

I ran +4's in my car for 2 years and they were pretty good.

How long has it been since the last tune up? A good tune up will really waken the car:

plugs
plug wires
distributor cap
distributor rotor
PCV
oil
oil filter
fuel filter
air filter
clean out the throttle body
 
Thanks for the reply,
I am getting my readings from the dash gages. I am also recording my milage when I fill up the gas tank. MaryE
 
I just replaced my plugs, distib cap and rotor, and cleaned the TB, and my mileage actually went UP a few MPG, from 15ish to 18ish. My good friend, who used to be a Chevy tech, said they didn't recomend running platinum plugs in a vehicle unless it came with them originally. He said the platinum plugs run hotter and can cause internal engine damage over time.
 

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