Guys can you still drive your car with the spark plugs needing to be changed or do you risk breaking down completely. I am broke as a ugly hooker it will be another 2 weeks before I get the funds for some plugs and wires.

 

Bad plugs cause misfires.... the misfires cause the engine to run rich, because of the response of the O2 sensors to the unburned fuel/air that enters the exhaust. Running rich can cause you lost gas mileage, fouled plugs, melted cats, destroyed O2 sensors, and in severe cases, washing the lubrication off the cylinder walls. Plus the cars stinks and runs like crap.

A set of plugs it less than $16. You'll save that in your first 2 tanks of gas.

 

When I first bought my Camaro, the power output was horrible, my Grand Prix made it look bad. When I did my header install, I came to find that after 95K, the plugs were stock. I measured the gaps of all the plugs and they were in the .070" and .080" ranges. I dont even know how the car ran like that. As a result, it also took out the 02 sensors along with it. Needless to say, after a full tuneup (fresh plugs, wires, fuel filter, pcv valve,air filter recharge, front 02 sensors)along with the headers, it was an all new car. So basically, as stated so well above, a 15 dollar set of plugs can save you alot of dough and aggravation in the future.

 

Thanks guys for the info. Trust me , I am not cheap, just got laid off from my job. What plugs are you guys running. Someone said I need to have the autolite 106. Does it matter what type brand the wires are?

 

I run NGK-TR-55s with a custom set of wires from www.elitesparkplugs.com. I am very happy with the setup. However, there will be mixed opinions on what everyone is running.

 

One of the effect's is the spark from a misfire on a bad plug will back up in the opti and cause carbon tracking and possibly ruin the opti.
Spark gotta go somewhere.

 

Thanks for the info everyone! Have had so much car trouble recently its unreal.