# Took these old spark plugs out should i be concerned? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 13, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632 "2025-12-13T22:05:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![itouring2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@itouring2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/itouring2010)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/1 "2025-12-13T22:05:01Z")
old plugs had oil on them. i drove around with new spark plugs after replacement of these old plugs and did multiple stops and drove on highway. everything seems ok? i don’t notice anything wrong. ![IMG_4090](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/b/0bb98dbd75273190bfd4945c871f853be12af905.jpeg) ![IMG_4086](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/c/5c8cba885b1e4cc112215e573a77501e02c101ce.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:** [December 13, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/2 "2025-12-13T22:14:55Z")
The threads had oil on them. The important parts, the electrodes, don’t look block, but the second photo is hard to tell. Probably oil on the head from a small leak. If this cured the stumbling you’re good to go. But do look for a vacuum leak. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/3 "2025-12-13T22:26:10Z")
Your anodes are totally trash, If I remember from the 70’s bad ground connection in the ignition. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/4 "2025-12-13T23:01:18Z")
Spark plug tube seals leaking is my guess ---
**Author:** ![itouring2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@itouring2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/itouring2010)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 12:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/5 "2025-12-14T00:19:29Z")
there is a definite leak. the old spark plugs were drenched in oil. the first pic the oil came off the anodes cause it was sitting in the waste basket. can i drive this car or will this end up ruining the engine? ---
**Author:** ![itouring2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@itouring2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/itouring2010)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 12:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/6 "2025-12-14T00:22:10Z")
the oil came off because in the first pic i had it sitting in the waste basket and i wiped it off. funny thing is that my car drives just fine aside from occasional stuttering at idle. i think it needs the valve gasket replaced supposedly based on what i am reading. do people drive their cars like his without repair? i just want this car to last me till i win the lottery or atleast till 2028 and then maybe i will just buy another car finally. i want it to last me 2 or 3 more years. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 1:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/7 "2025-12-14T01:18:10Z")
The valve cover gasket is leaking. The valve cover gasket includes the small round gaskets or O-rings that go at the base of the spark plug tubes, and these are what is actually leaking, but you have to buy the whole set to get them. You have to remove the valve cover so if the rail gasket part was not leaking, it will when you remove the valve cover. Oil is an insulator so you should not have any misfires because oil gets on the base of the spark plug. It won’t get to the tips where the actual spark is supposed to occur. If it were me, I’d drive it as long as it runs fine and the rail gasket doesn’t start leaking a lot of oil. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 6:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/8 "2025-12-14T06:45:30Z")
Also, I heard that gapping spark plugs (or re-gapping moderately used ones) to spec is not necessary any more? ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 1:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/9 "2025-12-14T13:59:04Z")
My advice is to absolutely check and adjust gaps on new plugs. I have found a few over the years that were off coming out of the box so blindly trusting they are set correctly is something I never do. More modern plugs with Iridium tips last an incredibly long time with minimal wear. Plugs are often not that easy to access so if I decide to remove them, I just go ahead and replace them at that time. It’s a false economy for me to re-install used plugs that will likely require replacement soon after I get suspicious enough of them to pull them out. Normally, I won’t mess with them unless there is a problem detected by the engine control computer or I am doing some service that requires accessing the plug area and they have been installed for a long time by then. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/10 "2025-12-14T14:27:53Z")
Gap looks excessive. Can you measure old gap? You could have shown old/new plugs side by side for comparison. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/11 "2025-12-14T15:12:58Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Gap looks excessive. Can you measure old gap? You could have shown old/new plugs side by side for comparison. That’s absolutely unnecessary, imo We can all see the gap’s a mile wide We don’t need to see new plugs to know THOSE plugs in the picture are toast ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/12 "2025-12-14T18:55:51Z")
The plugs that came out were wrong anyway… The gap for both the 2.0l and 2.5l are both 0.52", I didn’t check the 2.3l turbo, don’t remember anything about the OP having a turbo in the past… The oil in the tubes can/will swell the COP boots and cause them to arc against the tube instead of the spark plug, I have seen it burn up coils… I recommend replacing the valve cover gasket with tube seals… ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/13 "2025-12-14T20:16:28Z")
> [@TwinTurbo](#): > > My advice is to absolutely check and adjust gaps on new plugs. I have found a few over the years that were off coming out of the box so blindly trusting they are set correctly is something I never do. Thank you. That echoes my sentiment exactly, although I had said it I would have been flamed here. By the way, the ‘advice’ that I ‘didn’t need to gap the plugs, they’re already preset at the factory’ came from the cashier at a car parts place. Gut instinct told me they were wrong. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/14 "2025-12-14T20:25:48Z")
@ChrisTheTireWhisperer You get “flamed” because of the WAY you say things🤔 I strongly advise you to start OWNING your inappropriate behavior Progress is impossible until you start acknowledging mistakes, imo ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/15 "2025-12-15T00:07:52Z")
> [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](#): > > I heard that gapping spark plugs (or re-gapping moderately used ones) to spec is not necessary any more? The word out there now is that checking and regapping spark plugs done incorrectly can damage the platinum or iridium tips and lead to a misfire that wasn’t there before. So, if you do choose to do so, check the gap with a wire-type gauge. If the spark plug gap is out of spec, replace the spark plug. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/b/6/b6e75047d5ef784ec139cc0716df4308134b8b40.png) > [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](#): > > the ‘advice’ that I ‘didn’t need to gap the plugs, they’re already preset at the factory’ If a brand new spark plug of the appropriate part number fails the above inspection, it is defective and should be replaced under warranty. But there are people who use Autolite spark plugs in everything… ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/16 "2025-12-15T00:19:47Z")
My Honda 2010 Accord 4cyl gap spec is 0.044”/1.1mm, towards the low end of the range in your provided illustration. So is that counter person correct in saying I don’t need to touch the gap? ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/17 "2025-12-15T00:33:19Z")
> [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](#): > > So is that counter person correct in saying I don’t need to touch the gap? I dunno. Where were you buying them? What kind of plugs were they? What I posted was a cut and paste directly from a Mazda Factory Service Manual. It clearly states to check the gap and replace the plugs if out of spec. If you were buying the part number specified in the manual from the dealer it was manufactured at the proper gap. If it was damaged in shipping or otherwise faulty, it should be replaced. If you’re using plain copper-core spark plugs, gap to your heart’s content. Platinum, sure. But iridium? You can damage the iridium tip if you pry against it to open up the gap. So were the plugs out of spec and if so, which way? ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/18 "2025-12-15T00:42:44Z")
I’m recalling an experience from 25 years ago, on a Ford I drove at that time. Back then I would replace everything on a car - spark plugs, tires, air filters, etc - on a yearly basis. Simply because I didn’t know any better at that time. It might have been at Autozone or another big boxer. At least they asked me the usual (Make, year, model, trim, engine) before selling me the plugs. I also purchased a gapper (a disc type by the way), and that is when the counter person said, “oh they’re pre-gapped, you can just put them in”. As I do with tires, I believe in checking everything before it goes in a car, so for spark plugs, that means checking the gap. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/19 "2025-12-15T13:16:04Z")
> [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](#): > > By the way, the ‘advice’ that I ‘didn’t need to gap the plugs, they’re already preset at the factory’ came from the cashier at a car parts place. I ALWAYS check the gap. More then once I found one or more of the plugs not at the right gap. ■■\*t happens. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632/20 "2025-12-15T13:42:17Z")
> [@asemaster](#): > > You can damage the iridium tip if you pry against it to open up the gap It’s a bad practice to pry on the center electrode of any spark plug IMHO. The gapping tool should only engage with the ground strap to adjust the gap. Yes, an Iridium electrode is very brittle and can be damaged by pressing against it but to say you should return the plug because it is out of spec is extreme. Learning how to properly gap plugs would be a better solution. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/took-these-old-spark-plugs-out-should-i-be-concerned/204632.md?page=2)