# Do my spark plugs need to be changed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 13, 2019, 9:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667 "2019-09-13T09:25:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Danielle\_Baccinelli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@Danielle\_Baccinelli](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Danielle_Baccinelli)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 9:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/1 "2019-09-13T09:25:27Z")
Do these spark plugs need to be changed? Having difficulty telling. ![20190913_102540](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/7/6/768b46e752873b03c9a65150adc803d92e4eb1de.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 9:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/2 "2019-09-13T09:41:16Z")
I’d change them according to the owners manual recommend interval. Use exactly the same brand and model number that came with the car new. You can’t tell by looks. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 10:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/3 "2019-09-13T10:26:13Z")
My opinion, if you go to the effort of removing them, install new ones. But, why were they removed ? ---
**Author:** ![Danielle\_Baccinelli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@Danielle\_Baccinelli](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Danielle_Baccinelli)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 11:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/4 "2019-09-13T11:24:17Z")
![20190913_102446](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/d/dd8afdc696169faab201127f98853d0c767384b1.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/5 "2019-09-13T12:15:26Z")
2 of those have a bit more oil deposits on them than the other 2. Might be a good idea to check your oil level regularly. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/6 "2019-09-13T14:19:04Z")
Yep, now that they are out, put in new ones that exactly match original equipment. ---
**Author:** ![Danielle\_Baccinelli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@Danielle\_Baccinelli](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Danielle_Baccinelli)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/7 "2019-09-13T14:32:15Z")
They were taken out because my car was shaking at idle and while driving. Thought it could be the spark plugs ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/8 "2019-09-13T14:48:56Z")
The only way to completely eliminate plugs as a potential problem is to replace them. Knowing the make model year miles would really help us. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/9 "2019-09-13T15:21:36Z")
> [@Purebred](#): > > My opinion, if you go to the effort of removing them, install new ones. Exactly. I’ve never gone through the trouble of removing plugs to inspect them. If I thought there was a problem with the plugs - I’d just remove and replace. Plugs are cheap…my time isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![vipergg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@vipergg](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vipergg)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/10 "2019-09-13T20:06:38Z")
If you have them out replace them . If you dont need the car , order them from Rock Auto . Even most iridium plugs are less than $8 a piece . The Champion iridiums im getting for our van are $4.61 a piece . Change them and you shouldnt have to worry about the plugs for 100K miles . Most guys dont look at them before the scheduled interval because they have made it such a PIA to get at them . ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-my-spark-plugs-need-to-be-changed/148667/11 "2019-09-14T04:06:59Z")
Did the plugs cure the shaking at idle though? Just clarifying things a bit. And as stated, you cannot tell by looking whether or not a plug is good. It may look brand new and yet misfire while under a load.