# Spark plugs. alternator, water pump?



## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

I have remote start installed on my car, and its supposed to start with the push of a button but lately it would attempt, then it wouldnt, id have to push the button again and then it would barely start.
Today i didnt use the remote start, and noticed that as i started, it went chug .....chug...chug..chug ghughguhg then it started. 
Do i need new spark plugs, or am i gonn wake up one day and its not gonna start cuz of a bad alternator, or a water pump or something?


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Try replacing the spark plugs with new NGKs if they are more than a year old. Also check the cap and rotor if the contacts appear burned or crusty replace those too. This maybe a good time for a new Nissan fuel filter and a good fuel system cleaner with a tank of premium fuel.
I took a look at your car and it is very nice... I bet you don't take that "S" curve very quick if there is more than one leaf on the ground now, huh.?.

Troy


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

lol thank you, and i get scared everytime i approach a tight turn like that.

NGK or bosch platinums?


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Definitely the stock NGKs.

Troy


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

is therea website that sells them?


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

try www.ngk.com

Troy


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

IX iridium, double platinum, iridium plug? which one?


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## gotRoot (Aug 13, 2004)

Teh00Alty said:


> IX iridium, double platinum, iridium plug? which one?


Actually, I purchased a set of IX Iridiums last September as I needed to also do a slight tune up. I got a stock dist cap, rotor and NGK wires plus the IX Iridiums. The Iridiums were just ok and I even dropped a mile or so in my gas MPGs. Lately with the cold weather here in Jersey, my car was idling really roughly while in park as well. I went to my local mechanic a couple of weeks ago about the issue and he recommended I switch spark plugs to the VPower (NGK BKR5E-11) copper plugs and I figured it wouldn't hurt anything trying them out. So the next day, I installed them and since then they have been working wonderfully. Actually, they work just like when I first got my 2000 GXE roughly 70k miles ago. The starts in the morning are not rough anymore, it feels more nimble in accelerating and my milage has even improved roughly a few MPGs.

According to my mechanic, there have been some issues in many other cars with the Iridium plugs NGK offers. Feel free to try them out, but if you notice any rough idling and lowered MPGs, try perhaps some of their platinum plugs or even the coppers.

Good luck!


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

I like the standard NGKs or the V-power also because for $2.25/ea. you can't go wrong. Also it is not so bad to replace them once a year as a preventative measure. I have noticed that exotic plugs (and even platinum) just sound impressive as well as being expensive where the stock plugs perform better. I think in the high performance applicatons with turbo, nitrous, or hi-comp
engines the iridium plugs are more useful but in a daily driver just overkill.


Troy


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

since when do spark plugs make a sound?
or do you mean as in it sounds impressive if you say you have them.
if i want to jsut get better gas mileage, efficency, whathaveyou?, which ones do i get. I also want the car to start faster, aka with the push of a button.


root, i overlooked ur reply, but i just read it right now. Thanks A LOT for the advice(and the model number too), i will def try those. 
Also is it necessary to get a new cap or whatever?


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

look there ^^^


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

The sound is when you tell your friends about having them.
The cap and rotor is something that should be replaced if the contacts inside appear pitted, burned, or worn.

Troy


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

i got the vpower plugs, but for the wires, they dont say NGK anywhere on them. 
Standard OePlus performance. 
And it says theyre professional wires.
Does it matter?


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## gotRoot (Aug 13, 2004)

Teh00Alty said:


> since when do spark plugs make a sound?
> or do you mean as in it sounds impressive if you say you have them.
> if i want to jsut get better gas mileage, efficency, whathaveyou?, which ones do i get. I also want the car to start faster, aka with the push of a button.
> 
> ...


Not a prob...

Actually, with mine, i did wind up buy the rotor and distributor cap because I did not know the last time they were changed so I figured I would be safer than sorry. Plus, the OEM dist cap and rotors only ran me like an extra 25 bucks or so, so it wasn't a big deal.

If you're unsure as to when your distributor cap and rotors were changed, I'd change them as well since they're very cheap and you have a time table as to when it was swapped out for new parts. I wound up getting my dist cap and rotors from this place:

http://www.courtesyparts.com/L30_tuneup.html

Actually, I've gotten all of my Nissan parts from them and they have good prices and ship quick. You figure for the peace of mind, around 25 bucks for the Nissan parts, is definitely worth it.

I did pick up the plug and wires from this place however. Just use the form along the top left to get to your car's make and model. I think in total, the plugs and wires ran me close to 50 and I got them a couple of days later.


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## gotRoot (Aug 13, 2004)

Teh00Alty said:


> i got the vpower plugs, but for the wires, they dont say NGK anywhere on them.
> Standard OePlus performance.
> And it says theyre professional wires.
> Does it matter?


I would guess yes, but I am not an auto mechanic so I can not say for sure. I'd imagine if you picked them up at a reputable spot, they would be ok.


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

ok i put in the plugs yesterday, and it still takes a while to start. isnt it supposed to start instantly at the turn of the key?


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Did you inspect the cap and rotor?

Troy


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

no where are those?


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## gotRoot (Aug 13, 2004)

Teh00Alty said:


> no where are those?


Well, the distributor cap is what you attached the other end of the spark plug wires to. Be *very* careful you take down the order of the wires and the position of the cap before you take it off though or else you're pretty much screwed. When you remove the distributor cap, you will see the rotor beneath it.

Couldn't sluggish starts also be attributed to a faulty alternator as well? Or perhaps a weak battery?


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## Teh00Alty (Jan 21, 2005)

i asked a mechanic, he said it was prolly a weak battery. Also, when the car is on, and i push my chair up (electric), or turn the heat on, or push windows up or down(electric), the lights dim n shit.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Clean the battery terminals with a terminal cleaner and by soaking the terminals in a cup full of Coca Cola. The carbonate water will neutralize the acid and the cola will the clean metal. Then apply a thin coat of grease or petroleum jelly, or if you have the felt pads under the terminals apply a few drops of motor oil to them. This battery service should help a little with the power issues.

Troy


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