Quote:
Originally Posted by Texholdem
I bought the car 2 weeks ago on impulse. Last tune up according to records 01/22/09 with Cat replacement. O2 sensor replaced in 2004. Can it fail again?
I am not sure about spark plugs, bought them (Bosch 7927) from auto zone and checked on Bosch website that they fit my car.
Distributor cap & rotor R&R 2005; air filter just replaced last week after purchase.
What troubles me is that on my 1996 E320 at least I can plug an OBDII scanner in and get some clues, but pre-1992 cars don't have that nice feature.
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Okay, the plugs you bought are the copper cored super plus. Not the best, but they're the right ones at the very least. Cap and rotor are due in for replacement right about now if they were last replaced 5 years ago. What kind of "tune up" did the car get on 1/22/09 if they didn't replace the cap and rotor? They can certainly effect your emissions performance by transmitting a weaker spark than necessary for super efficient combustion. Air filter is a good start. You can rule out your cat converter being the issue here, as if it's a new replacement, then it's highly unlikely it would fail so soon. O2 sensor's usually last around 50k miles or so. In my opinion, with it's age in mind, I'd replace it. They don't get replaced in such intervals that they should be skimped over on maintenance. When they fail, they either do it gracefully, or they die.
What I am suggesting you do, since you've just purchased the car, give the car a FULL tune up. This will let YOU establish a baseline on the car that you will know and not a baseline established by 5 year old records. From what I've read and experienced, all that's required to return acceptable emissions, is a full on tune up. A real tune up, not just the plugs.
Just an FYI, there really are only three types of *acceptable* plugs for your car. They're the following:
NGK - BP6EFS
Denso - T20EP-U
Bosch - F8DC4
The Bosch plugs you have are technically the same as the F8DC4 plugs. Aside from the fact that the ones you bought have a Yttrium electrode.