i would email them frequently and provide pictures.

 

bomb threat? chemical warfare? maybe even a phone call from a parent I just don't know.

 

guess ill have to tear the engine down so i can get pics of the seals

 

geez... i guess i should take these warnings seriously and switch to NGK's as well.
Does anyone know where I can buy them online online? (better yet if I can get a good deal)

 

tell napa to order them
they can, and it shouldnt take any time
(mine get shipped from memphis, so they should there fast)

 

I took pics, they arent easy to see, but if you look hard you can tell
front rotor:

 

rear rotor:

 

WTF?! Im running them in my daily driver. Is it possible they were boxed wrong? Do they have the correct number on the plug itself?

 

yup
right number on the plug

 

Ok for everyone's information, Autolite. Ok that explains it all.

 

do you think that it could be localized detonation?

 

did the plugs have a washer on them? if washer was missing the plug could have been threaded all the way into the combustion chamber. and only on the leading plugs, since trailing hole in the rotor housing is very small and plug tip cannot protude.

can we see pics of the plugs? they'd have to be pretty beat up to physically break a steel apex seal.

mabye they put the right part number on the wrong plug?

 

they dont look too bad
and the right # is on all the plugs themselves
I used the washer

the marks are small, but ill try to get a pic somtime

 

If you hope to win against Napa you may have to take them to court. It's not like they'll simply own up to it and say "here, Joe--- have a new engine, compliments of Napa!" (especially if your name isn't Joe).

But to have any hope in hell of winning you'll need to have a mechanic (somebody with credibility and proven engine knowledge) tear down the engine and inspect the remaining apex seals. Then that same mechanic would have to tell the judge that "yes, the plugs did this. You can see the nicks in the remaining apex seals in exactly the same location as the damage to the ones that were completely trashed. They line up exactly where the spark plugs are installed in the housing."

The cost of a removal and initial teardown shouldn't be any more than about 4 hours' labor, and if you win you get to recoup this cost. But the judge may pro-rate the claim if your engine had a couple hundred thousand miles on it and award you only part of the cost of a new or rebuilt engine.

 

When I got my 85 GSL last summer it had the Autolites in it. I drove it for awhile but when I got around to a tune up, I changed them out for the japanese plugs. Didn't notice a difference.

I've put on 16,000, currently the engine's at 156,00 and going very strong (yes!!).

Ray

 

I remember I newly installed autolite from Checker Auto when my motor blew as well. It's the same thing... one apex missing a middle chunk in the rear rotor, and I also used it for backup.

 

I wonder if they have a quality control problem in the mfg of these plugs?

 

maybe

 

there arent any local shops
guess ill have to do it myself and document the teardown

 

they dont seem too beat up, so im less sure that they hit

 

Get a micrometer or some dial calipers or what ever you need to inspect the dimensions of the suspected crap plugs with some known good ones. I'm not really sure but any difference of more than .050 from thread shoulder to the end may be suspect.

 

Hey Guys,

Well if anyone wants to see the plugs, I found them and pics of them at sparkplugs.com

http://www.sparkplugs.com/more_info.asp?AAIA=&pid=8146

I don't know, but I'd have taken one look at them and said "screw you, I'm going to get some NGKs"

Jon

 

NGKs WOO!!!!

 

well man, we have discussing this throuought the evening. i think the plugs and perhaps a little detonation has cused your engine failure. i will NEVER use autolites again. the screwed up my engine and now yours...

 

Call the Autolite customer support number.

I used to work in a service department (computers) and got a lot of things for my clients.