That was a very common problem on air cooled VWs... I am anal about using anti seize compound on the spark plug threads and not cross threading or or over torquing the plugs.... Over heating and detonation was the cause on VWs much of the time.. That wouldn't likely be what is happening on a Fit unless there was a code thrown that would have surely set off the CEL.

 

My 67 Beetle was the only car I ever had to coil a plug into.

I'm restoring my old [1970] Dual turntable for my son-in-law's Christmas present. Digging around I came up with the 'Instruction and Maintenance Manual' for that old bug. They warn about cross threading the plugs and say to '... tighten them firmly, but not over tight.' HA

 

Well, in VW's defense, those cars are so light that if you try to over-tighten the plugs you run the risk of flipping the car over.

 

If you didn't mind tearing down the engine about once a week or every 10 days, you could pull wheelies when shifting to 2nd..My beetle was as fast as my Fit up to 110 MPH at which time a rod bearing or 2 would spin or it would drop a valve If there was a a car like the old Beetle with a simple water cooled rear boxer engine without all of the crap that they pack into cars today and up dated brakes and suspension I'll bet they would sell like condoms outside a military base on Friday night.... A slightly worked over Goldwing motorcycle engine would be a great engine but a transmission with a real reverse and 6 or 8 forward speeds. The stock Goldwing has close to twice the power of the most powerful air cooled Beetles... Goldwings don't break either and as smooth running as an electric motor.

 

Got the insert now I just need the tool, some red lock tite, I'm trying not to pull the motor so a video boroscope and a couple of mirrors will hopefully do the trick

 

So I did it! No problems still have a misfire code going to my buddys house tomorrow to clear the codes because for some reasome disconnecting the battery for 6 hrs while I do the work isn't long enough to clear it, no engine roughness going to let it sit tonight

 

Do not change your plugs for anything else buy stock ones.
This engine is not a performance motor, it's a peppy economy engine.
Why put IK22s in this engine? keep your money, it's not called for this.
When people start messing with their OEM stuff, then you have issues!!!!!!!!!1

 

As cold as it is where you live I would expect to have some problems with colder heat range plugs... I had problems on a BMW K100 with colder plugs but only in very cold weather but part of the reason may have been that the engine control unit wasn't sophisticated enough to adjust ignition timing and fuel ratio to benefit from the use of the colder plug, at the time the top of the line platinum plugs fouled more easily or that the fuel down here wasn't the same kind of blend that is used up north.... I have the coolant line that connects to the throttle body to warm it disconnected because it is warming the intake air temperature... In a cold environment doing so would cause major carbon buildup on the valves and pistons and that can be bad enough in time to do more than just cause ping and the ECU pulling timing to eliminate the ping.. On the old Beetles it was a common practice to block the flow of exhaust through the pipe that ran along the intake manifold. It was a proven way to make more power by allowing more ignition advance but the carbon buildup would become so great that the added weight of it would cause the connecting rod caps to stretch and the rod bearings to spin or actually throw a rod... I would do things much differently if I lived in an environment that gets as cold as it does in Canada.. As a matter of fact I think I will go out and reroute the coolant hoses back through the throttle body.... I have noticed a drop in fuel mileage and that could be part of the problem along with larger heavier wheels and tires... We have only had one night with a hard freeze but it will not be long before It occurs more frequently.... I'll wait a little longer before I pull the plugs to see how they are faring.+

 

yep, you would mess the engine running colder plugs in colder weather,
run a can of sea form in your vehicle, use that tank completely before your change your oil.
cleans the carbon build up.

colder plugs are only needed on a heavily moded engine.
they will not increase your HP or mpg, that' s just BS marketing crap.
read the fine print, they would only increase your mpg or fuel economy if yuor engine is moded.

 

 

You pay the same price for the IK22 as you would for the Honda recommended Denzo plug.. So it is just a small power gain but it's free.. I have never had my car dyno tested but my Scan Gauge shows more ignition advance with the colder plugs.. It also shows more ignition advance when using premium fuel... The only part of the engine that is running cooler is the combustion chamber... The only car I haven't put colder plugs in is my wife's 2009 Forester.. It will be getting colder heat range plugs when the plugs are changed...... I may be in a situation where I will go one step colder if DSM talks me into changing to a smaller pulley and some other tricks to my supercharger...

 

That's exactly right. It's only a waste of money if you're changing them on a brand new car. Plugs are a maintenance item and, when it comes time to change them, there's no reason not to go one heat range colder provided you live in warm or moderate climates. I paid considerably less for the IK22's from eBay than you can find the factory plugs for and the car now runs better.

Also, my factory plugs at 53,000 miles showed substantail signs of running too lean and too hot. That is common for modern cars, but gives more reason for changing often and with a heat range colder.

 

I am wondering if that's the cause of bad coil packs too. Its a shame there is no tuner available to rich-en it up in the mid range. Would a fuel regulator help with that problem by raising the fuel pressure so more fuel would be available? I remember having one on my sons B16 engine when we ran a 50 HP shot of Nitrous. I miss that motor, it revved to 9000 rpms.

 

These modern cars are designed to run lean and "lean is mean" when it comes to power production. The one step colder plug should solve the high combustion chamber temp. That is why they produce slightly more power.

As for the coil pack failures, that sadly seams to be common on every modern car. I blame it on poor manufacturing. There are aftermarket coil packs available for other cars that last much longer than the OEM ones. VW, Ford, GM, etc have all had their fair share of coil related problems. Coils are probably the most replaced engine component on modern cars.

 

Knock on wood no coil problems ever with all my cars. I will try the colder plugs in my car. Most of my driving is Highway at 70 mph so that should help even though I have no problems.

Did you have the intake and exhaust on before you adjusted the valves and changed the plugs? Premium allows more timing advance in the mid range to produce more torque. Its denser in general compared to regular which allows more fuel to use at the same injector pulse and then it hits the o2 and it shows a perceived rich condition so fuel is pulled out and that is where your savings is. More torque using less gas.

 

I can't honestly say whether the plugs, valve adjustment, K&N, HFP muffler or a combo of any/all of them is to thank for my increased power and mileage. My wife and son were out of town which afforded me the opportunity to work on the car so everything was done at the same time. Not good for analytical analysis of parts, but fit my schedule.

 

It worked and in the long run saving you money with a better running car. There is still Torque left on the table and DSM helped me understand a few things that I understood before but I had it backwards. This is what you did by changing all those parts to a small degree. http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/cor...004/16E_04.pdf.

 

This issue happened to me yesterday. I drive a honda specifically because they shouldn't have a problem like this. 105k miles on a 2009 fit, factory spark plug ejected itself and took the threads in the head with it. I called a dealership and they said that this can't happen. Well. It did.

Would I have any luck calling Honda directly? Or is 105k just too far out of warranty?

I haven't been prompted by the meter to change the plugs yet but I was going to have it done anyway at next oil change.

 

So I bought a 2007 used honda fit and I think the same thing happened to my car... Forgive me I am NOT a person who is mechanically inclined, just wanting to save my car and looking for help wherever I can get it! Mechanic told me that a spark plug blew and burnt out the threading... tells me he needs to get a new helicoil but cant find one and if he cant then my only option is to buy a new engine (as the cost would be the same as trying to manufacture/machine in the threads due to the location). Wondering where you got your replacement helicoil, what the difference is between helicoil and timesert and if you have any advice for me? Any help is appreciated.

 

Yikes. I had the exact same experience, the difference being the mechanic knew where to buy the Helicoil. The operation cost $513 out the door, and a week later I traded in the car.

Besides. The oil started smelling like gas so who knows what is going on in there. He said they never removed the heads. So how do they drill it out and remove all the metal filings? I cringe.

I didn't have them price a used engine, but a new cylinder head was over $5000 with parts and labor. More than the whole car was worth.

Good luck. Someone has to know the size of the helicoil.