# Heads UP-ROCK AUTO-Wrong Spark Plugs !!!!



## SneakerFix (Jul 28, 2013)

KENSTV123 said:


> Finally got around to changing my spark plugs on my 1.4L cruze and after reading the recent post about the guys engine that blew up and the dealer said it's not covered under his warranty because he had the wrong spark plugs--I decided to check further into the Autolite XP3923 plugs rockauto lists--as of today-- for the 1.4L engine, turns out after looking on autolite's web site for the 1.4L turbo it takes a Autolite XP3922 for the 1.4L turbo and the Autolite XP3923 is for the non turbo 1.8L, called Autolite and they confirmed rockauto has the plugs switched AND even though the plug info says both the plugs are the same heat range they are NOT and the XP3923 plugs are a hotter plug and should NOT be used in the 1.4L turbo engine, he said it would only matter having the hotter sparkplug under wide open throttle---exactly what the new emission recall is about, further questioning him he says take a picture of rock autos WRONG spark plug listing--incase I DO blow my motor over the wrong plugs being in it !!! soooo you might want to check what plugs rockauto sold you--especially if your running a tune !! and I was not happy rockauto will only refund the price I paid for the WRONG spark plugs--their mistake-not mine--and I now have to pay to reship the right spark plugs !


If you paid with your CC just contact them and you won't have to pay the return shipping cost Also file a claim with the BBB


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

KENSTV123 said:


> after reading the recent post about the guys engine that blew up and the dealer said it's not covered under his warranty because he had the wrong spark plugs


Link please? I'd be curious as to how a wrong plug damages the engine. Too long a reach?


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/34-1-4l-turbo/91642-busted-melted-spark-plug.html
And you'll notice it's the 3923 autolites !!


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

In talking to the autolite guy he said he has heard of this failure-maybe the tip melts off and sticks in the valve seat, he said the only worry with the hotter plug would be at WOT-which I think our un-recall calibration over inriches at, I'm guessing the 1.4 is a zero destruct design if a valve sticks open ?
be nice if the OP answered as to the outcome with GM


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## SneakerFix (Jul 28, 2013)

KENSTV123 said:


> http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/34-1-4l-turbo/91642-busted-melted-spark-plug.html
> And you'll notice it's the 3923 autolites !!


That wasn't do to the plug after reading the post it was a valve issue. It's the right plug style just different heat range which won't hurt anything on a stock engine if it was a longer per shorter plug then you would have issues.


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

Yeah I thought the same except look at the missing plug tip and notice the concentrated spot of burn out on the valve, the guy did drive it for a prolonged time so who knows for sure !


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

I noticed a strange issue on rock auto a year ago, if you change model years for the Cruze you get different results for plugs listed that work for the 1.4T engine. Not sure if it still is this way but it does tell you to never trust any one source when looking for parts & at least attempt to verify part number compatibility somewhere else.


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## Beelzebubba (Apr 3, 2015)

Autolite plugs! from the makers of the Orange Can of Death!

I never liked Autolite plugs. I've sold tons of them. Used them on occasion. Don't like them.


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

Supposedly they are going to correct it but I'm sure they sold a lot of them, and the bottom line out of autolite was rock auto's mistake not theirs, it was shocking to me that I have to pay to ship the right plugs ! 
also the autolites don't look bad-nickel plated threads-no seize-and 6MM iridium tips, and note even though the autolite web info on each plug indicates same heat range the engineer guy at autolite said the XP3923 plug, sold by rock auto for the 1.4L turbo, is a hotter plug and should not be used in the 1.4--especially for warranty purposes


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

I like Rockauto, and order from them all the time, but I believe their Water Pump listing for the Cruze is wrong as well. For a long time they had the 1.8L pump listed under a 1.4L car. 

At least with a water pump you'd see the difference, I can see where a spark plug would be a little hard to tell.

I've gotten wrong parts from them, a wholesale clearance fuel regulator. They refunded the part and shipping, costing me nothing dollar wise. However, the car was not drivable and they wouldn't help on shipping if I ordered another part. I couldn't afford next day air, car was not drivable. 

Their mistake did end up costing me time and money. I had a car I couldn't drive, and ended up paying significantly higher to get the part locally.

I couldn't wait any longer.


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

Yeah rock auto did at least do the refund today but still sucks that I have to pay to ship the right parts, guess it's better to check first on the part # elsewhere, their prices are good but I also noticed when I tried to order a fan belt and air cleaner with the right plugs the shipping was going to be from 2 different warehouse's--with me paying for both AND no option otherwise--just re ordered the plugs so they missed out on more sales over their policy's !


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## iedgar10 (Sep 25, 2014)

This is TOO weird. Today I checked my plugs because I noticed my car was a bit sluggish. I thought that maybe it was because my gaps had widened past the .035 mark since I had left them at ~.032 as per the other forums. I noticed 

A)my gap size actually SHRUNK cylinder 1 @ .024 cylinder 2 @.028 while 3+4 were about .032 
B) the tip on one of the plugs had warped a slight amount and was in a diagonal position (not the iridium tip but the tiny tip protruding from the arm. 
C) for some reason, my magnetic spark plug socket would not hold on to the spark plug and the spark plug would keep falling out...I don't recall having this issue when putting them in 

I got my xp3923 from Oreily and they confirmed it as OEM equivalent....


I was just about to make a post about shrinking spark plug gaps.



second edit: from reading the difference between the XP3923 vs XP3922 is heat range. If we aren't "supposed" to use different heat ranges for warranty purposes, why are people recommending *BKR8EIX vs BKR7EIX that come stock??

*3rd edit: factory = NGK IR IFR7X7G

4th edit: here is picture of xp3923 after about 4k miles- not sure if you can tell but the tip on the arm is bent/melted slightly sideways.


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

iedgar10 said:


> This is TOO weird. Today I checked my plugs because I noticed my car was a bit sluggish. I thought that maybe it was because my gaps had widened past the .035 mark since I had left them at ~.032 as per the other forums. I noticed
> 
> A)my gap size actually SHRUNK cylinder 1 @ .024 cylinder 2 @.028 while 3+4 were about .032
> B) the tip on one of the plugs had warped a slight amount and was in a diagonal position (not the iridium tip but the tiny tip protruding from the arm.
> ...


Couple of the 4 new XP3923's are like that so probably was that way putting them in, I was going to straighten mine, also found a loose ball of metal right where the iridium tips are fused on, the autolites are not great plugs for sure and the XP3922's are the correct plugs for the 1.4L, I just ordered the ACDELCO 41-121 from rock auto, they are iridium made by NGK and 8 of them landed after the $2 rebate each makes them about $3.50 each, not going to worry about a denied warranty over
maybe the wrong plugs !!


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## KENSTV123 (Sep 21, 2014)

OK to put a final end to this-I received the ACdelco 41-121 plugs today and checking them out they are indeed NGK IFR7X7G as others have posted, in comparing the 
ACdelco 41-121 to the autolite XP3923--which the autolite guy said was a hotter plug than the autolite XP3922 called for in the 1.4L turbo--I see that actually the AC plug appears to be hotter with a larger insulator gap to the outer metal thread and smaller insulator diameter, I think that makes it a hotter plug ?
the depth of the tip is the same on both and iridium diameter is the same at .6mm but quality wise the NGK is more refined with a perfectly concentric welded iridium tip where the autolite tip is not even centered correctly, the autolite plug does have nickel plated threads where the AC/NGK plug has just electro plated galvanized threads past that the NGK plugs are far better and more precise in construction-japan vs mexico-no surprise there-so after looking them both over under magnification I'd say the AC/NGK are the best iridium plug, and I'm not sure how the autolite guy defines a hotter plug but now have OEM plugs so no potential warranty problems--


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