N_Jay

I see the Spark plugs are to be replaced every 32K miles.
Looks like the ones in the car may be the ones Audi put in at the 32K service (done at 25K miles). That would put 100K on them.

Or may have been done sometime between 55K and 80K during a period where the car got regular service by an Audi specialist (The Audi Shop Wilmington DE) but their receipts leave a lot to be desired. That would put between 25K and 70K on them.

OR . . . . They were don't with the timing belt, head gaskets etc., just a few thousand miles ago (and left off the receipt).

Given the car is running well, what is the symptom of old plugs, and . . .

What plugs are recommended for a 2.8 daily driver?

Prospeeder

I like NGK platinums. 32k is really for copper plugs. If you use platinum plugs 80-100k out of them. The 2.8 isn't very picky, coppers or platinum, even the 4 tip Bosch plugs work great.

BernieBenz

DFWAB!

N_Jay

I have had cars that when the plugs were the least bit worn would start missing, and I have had cars that ran just fine, to a point, and then would hardly start, and even a few that would run with plugs you thought should not work at all.

I just don't know where this engine falls, so I thought I would ask.

SloopJohnB@mac.com

Just use stock plugs at the recommended interval. Pull the easiest one up front and look at it. I like Bosch stock plugs on my 4.2 engines, but YMMV. Notwithstanding all the posts on use of antiseize, I use antiseize and under torque the plugs by 10%. Never stripped an aluminum head in 40 years, counting chevy aluminum heads and motorcycle heads.

N_Jay

Thanks.
I go back and forth on anti-seize. To many people don't understand the affect it has on torque. When we used plugs with crush washers, I did not worry much because the torque was just crushing the washer and was WAY below the yield-point of the threads.

With tapered seat plugs things get a lot trickier. 10% may be a good number, but hard to say. Probably a better way is to tighten to just a seating torque dry and see how many more degrees it turned going to specified torque. (do at least 3 or 4 plugs and average).
Then put in the anti-seize lubed plugs the same way. Torque to seat and turn XX degrees further.

In reality, the only time I needed anti-seize on plugs was old Fiat heads.
(I think the Italians mixed horse glue in with their aluminum._
and any non-ford with underserviced black (1970's) Autolite plugs!

Probably do Bosch Platinum, or maybe one of the dual tip type (seems the factory are dual tip.)

Glad to hear these are not finicky engines and they don't eat $50 plugs for lunch.

SloopJohnB@mac.com

LOL underserviced Ford heads…I once had a division chief with a 390V8 Ford engine in a station wagon that was acting up and I pulled the plugs for him to replace them…all seemed ok if a little worn at the center electrode except for the last plug on the passenger side near the firewall. Couldn't get my normal six point spark plug wrench on it…the car had 90K miles on it and it was the original plug!!! Seems the exhaust manifold was installed after the plug? and was too close to the plug to get the six point socket on! NOBODY had taken that old plug out in like 6 years. I had to use a thinwall 12point deep socket to get it out, and I had to hammer that down there!! Fortunately the new plugs were ⅝ rather than 13/16 so they were easily installed.

N_Jay

Seems that if you put those black autolite plugs in anything but a Ford, you had exactly the service interval to get them out before they become one with the head!

SloopJohnB@mac.com

Naah. Even then I used antiseize and had no problems with steel/iron.

wms004

They don't do well in Mustang Aluminum heads either. Here's one after 28k in my car.