Spark plugs and air filters and oil changes, oh my!

VTNomad · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 9:14 am

So I dropped my Jeep off at the dealership this morning for my 30,000 mile tune up. I requested they change the spark plugs, air filter, oil and to check my differential, transfer case and transmission fluids.

All the fluids were fine, they recommended me not to get a new air filter because mine was so clean. All the fluids were fine, the oil was changed. They also recommended not to change the spark plugs because they were double platinum and are only recommended to be changed every 90,000 miles. I'm still using the original plugs, but I was under the impression they were the standard copper core plugs. Can anybody confirm this? I've been very happy with my performance. I just got back from a 1,000 mile road trip and averaged 24.5 mpg (in a gasser!). I'll be putting 10,000 miles on in the next month and was hesitant to take it for service, but decided to anyway.

I feel like I've slipped into some strange type of alternate universe where one can go to a dealership and not get hosed. I'm completely weirded out.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 9:26 am

If the plugs are original equipment you should replace them by 30K miles. I try to do them around 25K because for those last 5K miles (the first time through) I noticed a drop in MPG and rough idle.

Nice to visit a dealer that wasn't a "dealer"

chetos · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 9:29 am

I changed my stock plugs @ 25000 mi and they needed it!!! I don't understand why you would have different????

Guest · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 10:00 am

Yeah, someone probably looked up something wrong in a book, rather than pulling a plug & observing.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 10:11 am

I have yet to see a double platinum or even regular platinum plug in a KJ. My 04 plugs were regular old NGKs.

riptricket · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 10:18 am

dang 10k miles in one month... that's a lot lol...

carroll952 · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 10:57 am

I just changed mine at 32k, and they definatly needed changing. I would change those before you put the 10k on. It's definatly a cheap enough thing to do.

Justin

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 2:27 pm

Did you buy your KJ brand new from a dealer? Stock plugs are NGK's and not double platinum. If you bought it new, your dealer's service techs are idiots and failed to take care of you. You had better check those plugs yourself and check your oil, see if you got a new oil filter, AND check your air filter. If you have no skills in this area, take it to an independent shop, ask a local LOST member to stop by, or take it to a different Jeep Dealer.

VTNomad · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 2:27 pm

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I usually do all the work myself, but I'm hard pressed on time and dropped it off at the dealership this morning. I'm going to pick it up in an hour or so and I'll grill the guy as to what they did. I just found out I have a few extra days and will change them myself.

10,000 miles is a lot, but I just looked at my itenerary and it looks like closer to two months. My gas and expenses are paid for (plus $0.445 per mile). I start a new job in Durango, that's 2,000 miles from home. I'll be driving between Phoenix, Albequerque and Durango several times a week. Then I've got a two and a half week vaction coming up (first vacation in over two years). I plan on driving to the Grand Canyon, over to Yosimite, up to Crater Lake and Mount Ranier. Then I'll hit Banff and Glacier, back down through Yellowstone and then back to Durango to work some more. Then 2000 miles home.

This is going to kill my 12,500 miles a year average.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 3:03 pm

Something smells fishy at the dealership for sure. Not sure maybe the tech was lazy today and didnt need to make any money :lol:

I would really check things myself to make sure. Also 12,500, man that is like 4 or 5 months of my normal driving, must be nice. I put more than that on the Harley every year. :wink:

VTNomad · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 4:24 pm

Just got home and pulled my plugs, and they are they are the double platinums. They look nearly new so I'm going to stick with them. I have no idea how they go there, must have been gremlins.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 4:56 pm

VTNomad wrote:

Just got home and pulled my plugs, and they are they are the double platinums. They look nearly new so I'm going to stick with them. I have no idea how they go there, must have been gremlins.

Did you buy your Jeep new?

chetos · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 5:41 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

VTNomad wrote:

Just got home and pulled my plugs, and they are they are the double platinums. They look nearly new so I'm going to stick with them. I have no idea how they go there, must have been gremlins.

Did you buy your Jeep new?

That's what I was thinking. Maybe the other owner (if it was used) changed them for 2x plats...

VTNomad · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 6:07 pm

Yup, bought it new. The only time I've had it to the dealership was for the ball joint recall. I've done all the maintenance myself. I've been out of town for several months, but my wife hasn't driven it enough to warrant getting the oil changed. The only place they could have came from is the factory.

Couldn't find any marking of a brand or number or anything to ID them.

carroll952 · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 6:37 pm

VTNomad wrote:

Yup, bought it new. The only time I've had it to the dealership was for the ball joint recall. I've done all the maintenance myself. I've been out of town for several months, but my wife hasn't driven it enough to warrant getting the oil changed. The only place they could have came from is the factory.

Couldn't find any marking of a brand or number or anything to ID them.

That's unusual. Mine were clearly labeled on the side.

Just like the ones in this pic.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2007 8:10 pm

Yep......those are what my plugs looked like also...except dirtier and worn out when I saw them.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Thu May 03, 2007 1:49 pm

I wonder if the double platinum plugs contribute to your better fuel economy? I don’t know too many KJ owners who have reported fuel economy gains that you have reported. I wonder if DCX designed a platinum plug during that year or make and model. Perhaps due to the high cost of platinum plugs, DCX may have dropped that line of plugs to save production costs. How do you know they are platinum plugs if there isn’t any marking on the plugs? I’ll contact the dealership to see if I can order platinum plugs for our 3.7L. Thanks for the post!

VTNomad · **Posted:** Thu May 03, 2007 2:45 pm

You can tell platinum plugs by looking for small platinum discs on the firing surface. If there there are discs on both sides of the gap it a double platinum design. You can tell platinum by it's high resistance to corrosion.

VTNomad · **Posted:** Thu May 03, 2007 2:50 pm

This is what my plugs looked like, but without the markings.

carroll952 · **Posted:** Thu May 03, 2007 3:00 pm

VTNomad wrote:

This is what my plugs looked like, but without the markings.

They probably aren't NGK's that came standard with the Liberty's. You said they were pretty clean? Mine after 32K looked well used.

Spark plugs and air filters and oil changes, oh my!

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