My recent engine purchase looks fine from the surface but on pulling the coils out I find this. I've not had chance to comp test it yet but what's the prognosis do we think?

Engine supplied as working fine and with guarantee but I'll never get to claim it due to being a long way off running. Just wondering whether to raise it I guess!


Plug 'ole. Audi ABZ engine by j.buckle, on Flickr


ABZ coils, one faulty? by j.buckle, on Flickr


Plug hole in head by j.buckle, on Flickr

that doesn't look too good, could be simple water ingress into the cavity take the plus out and look at it and compare with the others. Got to say though they are a cracking engine with a turbo. just sold my 1.8 20 valve turbo 200bhp after a remap. The coilpacks are reknown for their failure

Could just be a loose plug, but get it out and shine a torch into all the bores to have a looksie.

Plugs out tomorrow I think. I'm hoping it's just an old injury from a blowing plug but all alloy engine with uneven firing/gas leakage is always worrying. Problem is I've no starter at the moment to crank it over either

Considered turboing it but I think I'll just get it running N/A for now, think I'll have more than I can handle anyway!

I've got 7 other cyls, can't I manage without one?
Should have bought that borescope that was in aldi a month or so back!

[Edited on 24/11/11 by coyoteboy]

Could be just a loose plug, (check the plug and head threads when plug removed).

OR , it could be that the seal(s) between the metal plug thread body and the ceramic body have failed. It does happen occasionally, I (the garage of which I was the manager) fitted a new set of plugs on a Peugeot once, it ran fine until it warmed up thoroughly on the customers 20mile journey home, at which point it promptly blew off one of the plug leads and gave the engine a misfire. Initially I blamed the fitter not tightening the plug of fitting the plug lead properly. When It did it a few hours later (again) I took a new set of plugs and fitted them, never heard from the customer again, until the next service.

I hope you're right. Completely unknown history on the engine means it could have been an issue that got fixed, or it could still be an issue, might have been the reason the car was binned etc. Full diagnostics will have me sleeping better! Cheers. I've never seen a plug blow through but I could believe it quite easily, thanks for letting me know of the possibility.

[Edited on 25/11/11 by coyoteboy]

Plugs, 1-8. No real indication of the problem item but looks like they've never been changed.


plug1 by j.buckle, on Flickr

plug2 by j.buckle, on Flickr

plug3 by j.buckle, on Flickr

plug4 by j.buckle, on Flickr

plug5 by j.buckle, on Flickr

plug6 by j.buckle, on Flickr

plug7 by j.buckle, on Flickr

plug8 by j.buckle, on Flickr

Curious green deposits on some. Nasty looking oil on others but possibly 80K's worth of oil deposits just never removed. Valves look shiny clean and nice.

Could just be the coil overheating then.