Spark Plug R&R on PT Cruiser

Bosh makes good plugs. They pretty much invented the plat plug back in the
60's [a very expensive multi point plug for exotic vehicles]. Their single
tipped plat plug is a decent low cost item. Their double, triple and quad
plat plugs are pure marketing krap; intended to sell plugs to the
technically ignorant. Instead they should have marketed dual plat and other
technically correct and advanced plugs such as those from Champion and
several Asian vendors. Their spin has hurt their reputation badly. For
Chrysler products the OEM style dual plugs are long lasting and reasonably
priced.

Richard.

 

could'ya forward the tsb and others you have (for the pt cruiser) to my
email address thanks

I am a member of many pt related forums and would share the info

 

Why? Bosch (as a whole) makes some great stuff, and some real stinkers.
Lately, more stinkers than great.

The hair-thin center electrode recedes below the surrounding ceramic,
leaving a tiny crater that then gets fouled by any errant fleck of
carbon that comes along, killing the plug.

No, because they firmly believe that their way of building a center
electrode is better.

Unfortunately, yes. :-/

 

Thanks for the information. I just installed the Bosch, so it will be
interesting to see how long they last. I will be sure to write to the forum
with the new data once it is available.

It's interesting that one person noted the single electrode was all you
needed; he mentioned that the multi-electrode versions were for the
technically challenged. I an an engineer with over 25 years of experience.
The reason I bought the Bosch plugs is that was the only choice at my local
Kragen's. I reasoned that the multi-point platinum plugs do not need any
gap setting. In fact, when I looked at them, there didn't appear to be any
way to gap them. Can you gap these plugs?

Thanks again,

- Russ

 

You're going to be doing the job a second time, and it's going to
be in the near future...

Then you should fully understand what was stated.

That's what Bosch would have you believe.
There are a few things to consider;
There is a definite relationship between the number of air and
fuel molecules between the gaps and whether or not the mixture
will be ignited.
The larger the gap, the higher the load will be on the ignition
secondary.

I would also point out that the four ground electrode design of
the +4 plugs severely shrouds the point where the secondary arc
occurs and combustion begins to take place, so;
if you throw these Bosch plugs as hard as you can into a trash
barrel, the gap will then be set perfectly.

 

Yes, I have. They are running on their name and putting more money
into advertising than quality control. I've thrown away more Bosch
platinum plugs with less than 20,000Km on them than I can remember -
and lots with less than 10,000Km.
In two cases the vehicles had just been tuned up before leaving for a
trip, and the engines started running like crap within 100 miles. One
went from Rhode Island through florida to Texas and back to florida -
stopping at every Winnebago dealer they came to - and spending close
to $1000 on various repairs and diagnosis that made no difference.
They stumbled into a campground ahead of me, and I offered to take a
look at it. (Winni LeSharo with Renault engine). I pulled the plugs,
took one look at them and said "let's get into town before the
autoparts stores close". Put in a set of ACs and it ran like a charm.
Got a note from them when they got back home - they decided to keep
the camper, which they had sworn they would get rid of as soon as (if)
it got them home.

The other one was almost an identical situation.

Had earlier put a set in my '89 Aerostar 3.0 and took them back out
and returned them after they developped a miss in just a couple weeks
- and swore I'd never install another one.

 

HAsn't been my experience. My experience has been the insulator/shell
seal leaks, and the combustion products that leak out make a
conductive path up the insulator to the HT connection. THIS shorts out
the plug in short order.
On virtually every one I've had a problem with - and there've been a
pile of them - the insulator was brown at the base.

 

mornin'

Had/have a misfire problem on an '05, particularly on throttle after overrun
and very poor cold running and the dealer, Hatfields in Sheffield UK changed
the plugs twice before admiting that the original spec plugs were crap and
then fitting NGK's.
Where does this "half an hour" job time come from (ok, I know really) I've
had to leave the car for a day at least and the last time for three days
while they try to change the plugs!
Thing is, the problem still occurs so maybe it ain't just the plugs, has
there been a firmware upgrade for the engine ecu? but we're getting sick of
taking the car back to them with warranty work that it can stay as it is
'till we get rid of it.

Send me the tsb as well please if you have the time

ta

m

 

Hi Russell,

PT with Bosch sparks? Can You tell me which model you are driving and the
type of sparks? Over here in Germany I can find Bosch sparks for my 2.0
limited ...

 

Hello Hans,

We have a 2001 Limited Edition PT Cruiser with the 2.4 liter 4 cylinder with
150 hp.

The spark plugs are the Bosch Platinum 2, Part No. 4314.

- Russ in Santa Barbara

 

we say at our shop with bosch plugs the job gets done twice
i see them all the time fouling out and setting lites

 

rll wrote:

Hi Russ,

Ah ... ok, the 2.4 was first introduced to the german market with the turbo,
I think in 2003.

Uhoh ... platinum. I remember when Bosch brought those to the market, they
really failed.