Warning on Spark Plugs 1.4 TSI CAVE VRS, (& CTHE)'check the spark plugs!'

[newbie69]

Here's mine today when I removed them for compression test, 11,000 km on them currently. I think they can comfortably go to 20K (km) ?

 

[Jabozuma]

Those are one of the healthiest plugs I've seen in a while. Very good combustion, no evidence of oil being burnt in the combustion chamber, good timing advance, plugs nor overheating, running ever so slightly rich but this is normal in twinchargers.

You got a very good engine! Enjoy

 

If you you want to see plugs from the oil burning engine (pnly pot 1 doesn't use !) with pots 2&3 overheating a little bit look below, from my motor (Nov '12 CTHE)

 

[vxh26]

It would be interesting to know why there issuch a difference in the state of the plugs in your two engines (newbie69 and Jabozuma)?

[Ootohere]

One suggestion being.

 

Newbie69 has a Standard CAVE which was all good, and is running a very good Stage 1 Map.

 

Jabozuma has a First built CTHE all Standard still running the Factory MAP which he has not had an Update on.

His is behaving as some Standard CAVE and Early & later CTHE do.

[sharkrider]

Here's mine today when I removed them for compression test, 11,000 km on them currently. I think they can comfortably go to 20K (km) ?

 

good plugs, you should be happy with taht

[newbie69]

The thing is my engine is, and always has been, drinking a bit of oil. How much? Well, when I'm torturing it with ultra-short and cold commutes, that is 80% of the time unfortunately, then it's about 300ml/1000km. As a matter of fact today I had to top up with almost 800ml since I did my oil change early December and 2700 km ago, but that's the worst period of the year for it. When I did 6.000km in 2 months last summer, the consumption was down to something like 50ml/1000km, hadn't even moved during the first 2K. But it's always been consistent and never approaching the VW limits. I say this because there are others out there with a much better (lower) consumption than mine.

 

That been said, I also agree the plugs look very good, much better than I expected them to, epsecially after such a winter. Unless the fact that I'm getting it ~100C oil temp once every 1-2 weeks for some good 30 minutes is what's keeping things clean...

[vxh26]

<snip> I'm getting ~100C oil temp once every 1-2 weeks for some good 30 minutes is what's keeping things clean...

How in the name of God do you manage to get the oil up to 100ºC in Sweden?

[newbie69]

How in the name of God do you manage to get the oil up to 100ºC in Sweden?

 

I'll be sounding like George but have you ever pushed a twin-charger and monitored how the oil behaves? It's much easier than you think. Also, it's southern Sweden, but still easy to hit 100 with 2-4 C outside temp.  

[Ootohere]

Yes , if vxh26 was to maybe go drive one he would see how easy it is to get the usual indicated oil temp of 92-96*oC to 100+ oC.

 

Something he might never experience, but hopefully he will pop along to the Santa Pod meet and he can get to see under the hood 

of some Fabia vRS.

[Jabozuma]

I must admit I do give mine a bit of an exercise from time to time but not nearly as often and for as long as I'd like to...

However if your's using oil it does not look like it gets burned in the cylinders as there is no evidence of it on the plugs. The ground electrodes are no as smooth as they should be ideally but it is nothing like my or sharky's plugs, well cacked with oil burning ash deposits.

My one is using but in 35k miles I put perhaps 4 litres of oil in all together as top ups so 0.1l / 100 miles. I'd have had to put in 5 times as much to be "an oil user" according to that comical manual lol

[sharkrider]

yeah, mine have ash deposits, but I only put in 1 litre every 4k or so (4,000 miles!) so maybe less than newbies!

[vRSgone]

Did those VK20 come set at 0.4mm ? 

They are not recommended are they, just the ones that ECP list and supply.

One of the Australian members said he uses them.

 

The Denso i use and have recommended are the SKJ20CR~A4  *3371*  

 

the VK20 must be ok, but not at 0.4mm gap

 

Getting my car ready for the Santa Pod meet.

 

All very confusing this spark plug business. Talking to Denso after sales Technical this morning, they say the recommended iridium plug for the CTHE engined vRS is the IK20L, which is different  to part numbers mentioned on this forum, and different to the ones George mentions - SKJ20CR~A4  *3371*  .

Can anybody say for sure which ones I should get, bearing in mind I'm running a Bluespark tuning box.

Or am I better sticking with NGK?

[Ootohere]

Where they able to supply the IK20L (5358) or tell you a supplier that can.?

 

If they know what the CTHE 1.4 TSI / TFSI 132-136 kw Engine running a tuning box is, 

then they should be the people that know.

 

EDIT.

I see Opie Oils do them at £8.78 each.

&

http://sparkplugs.co.uk/denso-iridium-spark-plug-ik20l

£7.19

(much cheapness)

Not having a CTHE on a Tuning Box i will stick with the ones i know are 

good at 210 + BHP in a CAVE.

Edited 7 April, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[andy3270]

 SKJ20CR~A4 *3371* or Denso Spark Plug SKJ20CR-A8 stock code 3371 is there a difference between the A4 and A8 bit I found these on spark plugs uk .

[Ootohere]

These in the Pic work,

but you best take the advice from a Professional Tuner or Technician, because it is too risky taking advice online.

A manufacturers Technical Department surely can get it right with which are correct for your usage.

[walterwilson85]

Little update on myissfire issue with bluespark tuning box... After visiting bluespark today and trying various settings they identified it wasn't the box at fault. they suggested I checked the plug gaps. I removed them they were gapped at 1.1 which is the denso vk20. I gapped them to 0.6 and it's running great.

[vRSgone]

Little update on myissfire issue with bluespark tuning box... After visiting bluespark today and trying various settings they identified it wasn't the box at fault. they suggested I checked the plug gaps. I removed them they were gapped at 1.1 which is the denso vk20. I gapped them to 0.6 and it's running great.

 

Good to hear it wasn't the Bluespark I was beginning to get worried about mine. I'm changing my plugs after only 17000 miles - just in case. But still can't decide which ones to go for, conflicting messages all around. As mentioned earlier Denso recommend the IK20L, which are different to yours (VK20) which are different to Georges (9SKJ20CR~A4 3371). But what is the difference?

In the absence of any better explanation I think I'll go with Georges choice - I can always blame him then if I hole a piston.

[Jabozuma]

1.1 is an one mighty gap lol - 0.6 is a bit too far, you will be losing too much bottom end. Try 0.8, should be spot on.

[walterwilson85]

So far so good. Was a bit tricky gapping them but got there in the end. Only thing I have noticed is the idle is very so slightly different as in not as smooth but no missfires and the thing flYs. the gap was massive befoRe to what it should be or there abouts.

[Ootohere]

I know you are joking on blaming George if you hole a piston,

but as it is standard engines with OEM plugs hole pistons & burn valves

so direct any blame in the direction of Volkswagen that designed and built the engines and produced 

the service schedule / guidelines and have not updated those.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/335451-hole-in-piston

 

http://revotechnik.com/support/technical/14tsi-twincharger-engine-issues

 

Do not take advice from me on what spark plugs to use,

i just say what works for me and others without any problems or issues.

You make up your own mind obviously what you fit.

Edited 7 April, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[Ootohere]

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/327074-miss-fire-now-its-eaten-its-spark-plugs

[vRSgone]

I know you are joking on blaming George if you hole a piston,

but as it is standard engines with OEM plugs hole pistons & burn valves

so direct any blame in the direction of Volkswagen that designed and built the engines and produced 

the service schedule / guidelines and have not updated those.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/335451-hole-in-piston

 

http://revotechnik.com/support/technical/14tsi-twincharger-engine-issues

 

Do not take advice from me on what spark plugs to use,

i just say what works for me and others without any problems or issues.

You make up your own mind obviously what you fit.

 

George, you know you are God on this forum as far as technical issues with the vRS goes. Few on here know the engine better than you & you have campaigned tirelessly on our behalf. If you recommend Denso 9SKJ20CR~A4 3371, then that's good enough for me. And yes I was joking about blaming you if my engine blows up.

 

Anybody who takes an engine outside of its rated parameters is taking a calculated risk - especially one still under warranty, but at the end of the day its only a car.

 

As Morse used to say "nothing matters very much, and in the end nothing really matters at all" Hey hoh

[Gumby]

Had my original OEM plugs replaced today- ~20,000 miles, 3 years old and moderate oil usage.

Looks to me like a combination of Oil and carbon fouling?

Never had any misfires that I've noticed, occasional lumpy idle but generally performed as expected.  Initial impressions on the new plugs are slightly smoother and more willing to go!

 

[Ootohere]

Not bad.

If you have a feeler gauge check what those taken out are now at.

[Jabozuma]

Second from the left is the worst, I;d check compression on that pot first and then do a blow down test