Bosch platinum 4 plugs not good

[jeffery7614]

First off I am new to the board and this is my first post so I would like to say hello to everyone. I am in Salt Lake City Utah I have had my boxster for 10 months and already have had a few bad events with it. Onto todays tale. I purchased a new set of spark plugs from AutoZone. The bosch Platinum 4. They said r3 on the plugs which I thought was strange but the salesman told me that didn't mean the heat range. I went home installed plugs and the car purred like a kitten. I thought every thing was ok until I drove to work today when my check engine light came on and started flashing the car started sputtering. it was shaking pretty bad at one of the stoplights it acted like it was only running on 4-5 cylinders. I knew it had to be the plugs I stopped by the porsche dealership on the way home and got the correct beru plugs. I swapped the plugs and now everything is fine. the bosch plugs were very black, a lot of carbon build up I am sure they are not the coerect heat range for the car. I only drove the car 3 days probably 300 miles or so with all the holiday travel. I took the bosch plugs back and they refunded my money. I would not recommend using the platinum 4 bosch plugs unless you are sure they are the correct heat range don't trust what AutoZone has listed in their computer. By the way the only reason I changed the plugs in the first place was maintenace there was no problems prior to the plug change. I also changed out the V belt.

[djantlive]

I'd recommend using the factory specified plug. I thought 986 OE plugs are Bosch +2 or +4.

Make sure the plugs are tighten correctly and the wires are snug.

[Jinster]

What was the EXACT model number of those plugs, Jeff?

[natzee]

My car has been running on Bosch platinum 4 for 7 months and so far thing seems to be okay for me. I bought them from performance product web site.

-Nat

[por911]

Just buy the Porsche ones, they are not that pricey at all. Get the factory Beru plug, has excellent results in our 01

Part# 999 170 207 91

Remember, Porsches and Autozone don't mix well together. :cheers:

[Tool Pants]

I did a google search and went to the Bosch site and there is very little info on the Platinum +4 plug. I can't even find the heat range for the #4417 plug. The heat range for the oem plug is 7 for the 2.5 and 6 for the 2.7/3.2, but most part companies on the net list the 4417 for all engines. Can't figue out if it matters or if this is a case of one plug fits all. When the 2.5 first came out it had 6 but then a few months later Porsche switched to 7.

I searched on the pelican board and came up with this info. The actual Bosch part number for the 4417 is 0 288 510 195 07P. I guess the 7 in both part numbers is heat range 7. I bet this is what Jeff used as someone on the pelican board said R3 187 is on the insulator of this plug. I then found mention of a 4418 plug which I guess is heat range 8. Was not able to find out if there is such a thing as a heat range 6 when I searched under 4416. I need an internet detective.

The US Bosch site lists 4417 for the 2.5 and 2.7. For the 3.2 it lists the oem Super line plug which is a conventional nickel/copper FGR6KQC, but does not list the 4417.

If you want to use the oem plugs you do not have to buy them from Porsche. The Beru for the 2.5 is 14FR7LDU, and for the 2.7/3.2 it is 14FGR6KQU. The Bosch for the 2.5 is FR7LDC4, and for the 2.7/3.2 it is FGR6KQC.

The box and plug on the left is for a 2.5 and on the right for a 2.7/3.2. These happen to be Beru plugs. Porsche only has 2 part numbers, for the 2.5 and for the 3.2. There is no separate part numbers for Bosch or Beru. You get whatever brand is in the box, but all the replacement plugs purchased from Porsche I have seen were Beru. My 2.5 came with Bosch and I replaced them with Beru at 30k miles, and noticed no difference between brands other than one is made in Germany and the other in France.

[mytoy944]

I was with you all until the "Porsches and Autozone don't mix well"

Hmmmm do I sell my boxster, or do I quite my job with Autozone???????????????????????? :unsure:

[aak5454]

I spent a good bit of time looking into spark plugs on the web and was not able to find much about the true difference between the OEM plugs and the Platinum 2 and +4 (Bosch 4303 and 4417, respectively). I did find that many, many places are selling the Bosch Platinums for the Boxster as well as if you go to the Bosch USA website itself it also list them in their selection guide.

Previously, I have used Bosch Pt plugs in place of std Cu electrode plugs in my Honda for many, many years without issue. I seem to recall that Pt electrode plugs came out in the early 90's so maybe Porsche opt'ed to use Cu electrode plugs in the build of the first Boxsters since at that time (mid-90's) they were relatively new and untested (in Porsche engineers' view; just a guess).

So, I opt'ed for the 4303 Platinum 2 instead of ponying up a few more bucks for the OEM ones. My car is a '97 Boxster with 88k miles. Hopefully I don't end up on the side of the road like Jeffrey. I wonder if some of the reports of fouling and poor running is due to other issues such as leakage on the cables, etc and the Pt plugs are less tolerant of sub-optimal operational conditions (just speculation on my part)

[scherb]

I was with you all until the "Porsches and Autozone don't mix well"

Hmmmm do I sell my boxster, or do I quite my job with Autozone???????????????????????? :unsure:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would say you get a computer at your work (all autozone branches) that has a link to this Forum... you have people join and contribute... people would then have the KNOWLEDGE of renntech... as normally Autozone employees dont know that much on Porsches. :D

[mytoy944]

QUOTE(mytoy944 @ Dec 1 2004, 08:04 PM)

I was with you all until the "Porsches and Autozone don't mix well"

Hmmmm do I sell my boxster, or do I quite my job with Autozone????????????????????????

I would say you get a computer at your work (all autozone branches) that has a link to this Forum... you have people join and contribute... people would then have the KNOWLEDGE of renntech... as normally Autozone employees dont know that much on Porsches.

I hate admit it, but you are absolutely right! I work nights at AZ and am a Subaru Parts Manager during the day. So at least once a week, I go into Autozone, only to find a frustrated STI or Porsche owner, waiting to speak to the "expert". If only they knew!!!! hehe

:thumbup:

[Stefan]

I installed Platinum +4 plugs in my 1999 Boxster (w/65k miles) about a month and a half ago and have had no problems at all. I also bought mine at Performance Products.

[ar38070]

I have had the 4417's in my 98 for 26K miles and no problems that I am aware of. I track my car 30-40 days a year so the plugs see a lot of high rpm work. They will be coming out in the near future (56k on the car now) so I will post pictures then.