My S4 does not start.. and i was wondering if its the fault of the spark plugs? i removed them.. and they dont seem to screw right in when i put them back. the only problem is i didnt take notice to see if the were like that to begin with! help!?

 

Not sure what that statement means. Can you elaborate? Do they bind when you attempt to screw them in as if they are cross threaded? Or do they screw in just fine but don't bottom out on the gasket? Are these old or new plugs?

If the plugs are not new, clean the threads and apply a very little bit of anti-seize compond to the threads before screwing them into the block. If the plugs do not bottom out on the gaskets, chances are you are trying to install the wrong plugs or the plug(s) are cross threaded. Make sure you have the correct plugs according to the owners manual or factory service manual. Examine the threads to determine if cross threading is the problem.

 

sorry about the confusion, i just screwed the plugs in quite tightly, but they dont seem to meet the rotor housing, or bottom out on the gasket (i think we're talking about the same thing). theres about a .5cm gap. should i just keep screwing ? im afraid to break something

 

Let's hope your spark plugs holes are not stripped out... But you could be losing compression if the spark plugs aren't in all the way.

 

That's a pretty big gap! I'm assuming you have the recommended plugs? If not, the threaded part of the plug may be longer than the recommended plugs and the tip of it may be bottoming out inside on the housing. If you are certain that the plug is not bottoming out on the outer housing surface and crushing the gasket, I would not recommend tightening it any more until you determine the cause.

Try this. Remove the plug and inspect the gasket to see if it has been noticably flattened. (Compare with a new plug gasket.) If it has been flattened, the plug is properly seating. Just reinstall the plug and torque to spec. If it has not been flattened, there definitely is something preventing the plug from fully seating and you will need to determine the problem before proceding. It could be something as simple as gummed-up threads near the bottom of the hole that are resisting the tightening.

Try running a proper-sized tap or an old plug into the hole, using it to carefully clean up the threads. Put a little solvent on the tap or plug threads to help remove the gummy stuff. Go easy on the solvent. Advance a little, take out the tap/plug and add more solvent and repeat the process until you reach the end of the gummed-up region.