Manager Forum

For a number of years now, I have been getting Chrysler vehicles that had been in another garage for no-start, engine misfire, etc. After replacing the plugs and wires, the engine has a strange idle and erratic performance. There may or may not be a CEl on. But the fix often is to go to the dealer, get the OEM spark Plugs an replace the ones the last garage just installed. Case in point. A 1995 Avenger with a 2.0L engine and an auto transmission came in from another garage in town. Very rough idle and erratic power level. No codes, fuel pressure within specs, timing belt right on. The only thing I did was take a set of brand new Bosch Double Platinum spark plugs out and install the dealer supplied spark plug and the engine runs great. Still has a slightly rough idle but I am blaming intake valve deposits as the fault. Otherwise it runs very well. What is different about the OEM plugs and why do they work so much better than others? I am trying to understand the logic behind this pattern as I have seen it mostly on the four cylinder engines.

We ONLY put Champion is Chryslers

Ive never ran into this but thanks for the heads up.

Same here, Champions in Chryslers!!

Rich wrote:We ONLY put Champion is Chryslers

I basically agree. But what is the reason that Champions work better than the others? Has anyone got that figured out? Someone will ask what does it matter but this fellow today was asking that question, why the lower priced Champion plugs I put in worked better than them pricey Bosch ones he got at Wally World.

Tim Martin wrote:

Rich wrote:We ONLY put Champion is Chryslers

I basically agree. But what is the reason that Champions work better than the others? Has anyone got that figured out? Someone will ask what does it matter but this fellow today was asking that question, why the lower priced Champion plugs I put in worked better than them pricey Bosch ones he got at Wally World.

This is kinda unrelated but I have seen more problems with Bosch plugs that any other brand.

Chrysler gets Champion. G.M. gets AC Delco. Asian gets Denso. German European get Bosch. Saab gets NGK. Volvo gets Denso. Ford, Mercury gets Autolite. Peugeot, Opel and Renault get scrapped.

I use NGK in about all of them. BUT it seems a lot of cars that come in with Bosch run poor. It seems the DIY stores really push Bosch.

steven kiser wrote:Chrysler gets Champion. G.M. gets AC Delco. Asian gets Denso. German European get Bosch. Saab gets NGK. Volvo gets Denso. Ford, Mercury gets Autolite. Peugeot, Opel and Renault get scrapped.

Gotta love Steves planning. Especially the last 3 brands.

I don't use bosch on anything. But on some Toyotas we see half ngk and half denso ? I have (knock on wood) any issue with autolite on chryslers

Jeff @ Able Auto wrote:It seems the DIY stores really push Bosch.

Hmmmmmm, I wonder why? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Had an 05 ford pick up that we put Bosch in, back in the day, and it came in the next day with mil on with mis-fire codes and engine skipping. We replaced the plugs with motorcraft and problem was solved. I have been a FIRM believer in oem plugs since then. It wasnt the first time ive seen that either.

I know Autolite is supposed to be Motorcraft, but on Fords I only use Motorcraft. Oem on all spark plugs. I have had to many problems with Bosch or others in wrong apps. had a customer bring me champions to put in his 05 F150, because they were new design and better than OEM, well a month later he was back with a misfire, it was plugs, he said it can't be they are new. I told him remember you brought me those champions, put in Motorcraft and problem gone!

Ok. I appreciate the input here but no one is saying why don't certain brands seem to work in certain vehicles? My question still is, an I am not trying to find fault with what anyone said, but my question still is "Why don't Bosch plugs work in Chrysler products?" "Why do Motorcraft work better in the Fords than other brands?" What makes the difference? I don't know and I am trying to figure it out. Maybe it cannot be determined at our level.

Tim Martin wrote:Ok. I appreciate the input here but no one is saying why don't certain brands seem to work in certain vehicles? My question still is, an I am not trying to find fault with what anyone said, but my question still is "Why done Bosch plugs work in Chrysler products?" "Why do Motorcraft work better in the Fords than other brands?" What makes the difference? I don't know and I am trying to figure it out. Maybe it cannot be determined at our level.

I don't know. I have actually never ran into it being a problem. We have never used bosch. We do use ngk or denso in Toyotas that have duel electrodes. If they do not we use autolite with no issues. Otherwise so far (knock on wood) we use autolite for everything.

Tim I am still trying to figure out why the hair growing out my ears is longer than the hair on my head....

Jeff @ Able Auto wrote:Tim I am still trying to figure out why the hair growing out my ears is longer than the hair on my head....

Makes 2 of us doing that.

The world may never know. Just like the number of licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop. I can only guess that the plugs bosch makes for other makers are "not" to oe spec, even though they say they are. The answer is probably above my pay grade.

If you all would like, please send me a check (a good one) for $25,000.00 and I will research this.

Hey! its cheaper than the government would pay!

The most reasonable explanation I heard was that the heat ranges were offset enough to cause issues.