lost my smooth idle after new plugs and O2 sensor
 

as the title says i just had a shop install a new set of plugs and an O2 sensor on my NA 88. The shop I took it to doesn't work on rotarys but I assumed the work would be simple for them. I purchased the spark plugs and O2 sensor on my own to make sure the correct parts were going in. The problem is not my idle is not as steady as it use to be. It was smooooooth, now it's a little rough and seems to almost missfire causing the idle to dip. Is it possible they put the plugs in the wrong holes. How bad would it run if the leading plugs were in the trailing spots or if the leading on the same housing and the trailing on the other. Got the car smogs and passed with no problems. The tester even said it was the cleanest running non LEV car he had tested in a while. Seems to make as much power as it did before the work.

What kind of spark plugs did you buy? If the answer is anything other than NGK BUR7EQ and 9EQ, then you messed up.

i got NGK BUR7EQ(p) and 9EQ(p), the platinum ones. i knew what to get. i even know what order to put them in. my fear is the shop didnt know what order to put them in. if they are in wrong, will that cause the issues i am having? im assuming the car will still run but doesnt it run bad when they are wrong?

I guess it's possible, but I'd doubt it. There could be a ripped spark plug boot or one of your spark plug wires is ripped internally. Why not check yourself? The 9's go in the trailing holes (top) and the 7's go in the leading holes (bottom). Also check that the wires are on the right plugs, then pop each wire off at the plugs and see if there's dielectric grease in them (should be) and if there's any evidence of burning.

thats the problem! they are flipped. the 7s are up top and the 9s on the bottom.

Probably don't go back to that workshop. I'm sure even on the box for the spark plugs it says L and T on them.

ya never going there again. there is a rotary shop in my area but, they are alway several days out for work and don't open on the weekends. just so every one knows, spark plug in the wrong spots, and just a single hi flow cat on rb headers will still pass CA smog with no problems

Rule of thumb: if you can do it yourself,do not take it to a shop.
Horror stories of guys losing their oil pan plug,come to mind!
BUT!,If you like throwing money away,I will change your oil if you pay for my plane ticket!..2 tickets to Disney World............................................. ..........................................And a Pony!

Switching the L & T plugs around should not change the idle behavior. For example I used BUR9EQ all round and it worked fine. Now I do use NGK BUE all round, not designed for the rotary but its available and cheap and works just fine. I would say it even ran better than with the BUR7/9EQ s.(The motor is now in for a rebuild due to bad oil control rings but thats another topic) But back to your issue I guess the shop did mess something else up while they worked on your car.

Thats crazy but not crazy, usually the youngins get the ez task like changing oil and plugs. As I just changed my plugs today I saw the L or T on the plugs so it is kinda hard to screw up unless you can't see the markings on the engine. But I've always changed my plugs 1 at a time.

Lesson learned

The conclusion to my plug problems... The shop that installed them incorrectly also cross threaded one of the leading plugs. It was only half way in and sideways :'(