This week was the Volvo's turn. According to the Carfax, these were replaced in November 2022 at 184K. We're now at 209K. I normally wouldn't replace so soon but I pulled a couple and they didn't look great. New plugs installed were NGK Ruthenium LFR6AHX-S 94122. This is the 3.2 non turbo so I was a little surprised how lousy they looked.
Another weekend, another spark plug job
- Thread starter jayjr1105
- Start date
You changed them at 25k. What is the recommended interval?
In your photo, going L to R, are plugs #2 and 4 exhibiting 'blowby' (the brown creeping up from the hex)?
edit: Perhaps, "structural blow-through" (between the metal shell and ceramic element) is a better made-up term?
Also, does Volvo have a spark plug set for your engine?
I ask because Volvo offers their 3-prong plug in a 5 plug package for the non-turbo "white engines".
I embraced the simplicity.
The turbo engines had scores of plug options.
In your photo, going L to R, are plugs #2 and 4 exhibiting 'blowby' (the brown creeping up from the hex)?
edit: Perhaps, "structural blow-through" (between the metal shell and ceramic element) is a better made-up term?
Also, does Volvo have a spark plug set for your engine?
I ask because Volvo offers their 3-prong plug in a 5 plug package for the non-turbo "white engines".
I embraced the simplicity.
The turbo engines had scores of plug options.
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Only 25k on them and they don't look that good 
The Iridium IX is said to last 40-60k, while the Laser iridium is supposed to be good for 100k+ because the latter has a platinum ground, while the IX has a nickel ground.
And of course, possible risk of counterfeits, depending on who installed them
The Iridium IX is said to last 40-60k, while the Laser iridium is supposed to be good for 100k+ because the latter has a platinum ground, while the IX has a nickel ground.
And of course, possible risk of counterfeits, depending on who installed them
Those plugs are pretty darn worn for 25k….
Also who knows if the carfax is accurate to what really happened.. Agree they don't look great if that mileage is correct. Copper NGK's would have made it that long no problem.. Those plugs you put in should be good for 100k.
The carfax is several pages and very detailed. For the first 6 or so years of the vehicle, it was serviced at the dealer, the remaining 5+ years was an independent "Volvo" shop that I haven't been too impressed with. I think they cut corners with low end replacement parts. I had to replace the radiator fan controller last year and the new genuine one weighed twice as much as the one I pulled out. Clearly a counterfeit/fake. I would not be surprised if these plugs were amazon/ebay purchased as well. The one thing I noticed since the new plugs are in is that throttle response is noticeably better.
I've been slowly babying this car back to higher standards and I feel it's starting to reward me. It burned a lot of oil at first but has slowed down since I've run some seafoam before oil changes plus using higher quality PUP with some Rislone.
Those plugs look like 100K or fakes. 25K is a joke, one way or another.
Those plugs look like 100K or fakes. 25K is a joke, one way or another.
Plugs performed as I would have expected. These are the wrong plugs for the application. Iridium IX plugs are not high ignitability plugs, and neither do they have the platinum pad on the ground electrode.
This ^^^^^
I wouldnt rule out those being fakes. My son's Mazda 3 starting blowing coils. First cyl 4, then a few weeks later cyl 3. About a month later, the new coil in cyl 4 went bad. Thats when Einstein me decided I didnt have a coil issue, I had a plug issue. I pulled the NGK Iridiums and they didnt look much better than the ones in the picture here. And the gaps had all opened up 0.010 inch in about 20k miles, way way more than a legitimate Iridium plug should have. Just as an experiment I replaced them with the cheapest, copper NGK that Autozone's site recommended. I figure if someone is going to counterfeit a part, its not going to be the $6 cheapy plug, its going to be the $18 rich person plug. Its been fine for six months now. Go figure.
Either carfax was wrong - or those weren’t NGKs. FWIW - I only use Volvo plugs, bought from FCP Euro - and they last quite a while.
What exactly are Volvo plugs? I'm sure Volvo doesn't make plugs but buys from an OEM and rebrands them.
I am sure that they do - but the supply chain is guaranteed, there are no fakes, and the quality is assured, along with fit, heat range and electrode type. I suspect that they are NGK, but there are no markings on them that I can see.
I service a lot of Volvos - and I have not had your experience with short plug life.
Waste-spark ignition?
I agree there's a near zero chance you'll get fakes but seems like they are nearly $19 a plug vs $8 a plug for NGK Rutheniums from rockauto which I assume would also be a very low chance of fakes. I'd assume you're getting a better deal than retail $19 a plug. I've actually emailed NGK with the plug lot # just to confirm they are authentic.
On the topic of you servicing Volvo's, what's your opinion on the PCV trap job? No engine codes or issues but I assume it's never been done. Can I get away with just the $25 diaphragm or should I do the whole thing for $230?
No. It’s individual coil on plug. Nothing shared like older designs.
Because labor is typically the largest part of the job, I tend to replace everything with a kit. Really depends on how the car has been maintained.
On my 2004 V70R, the previous owner changed the oil every 5000 miles with mobil one.
That entire system was clean as a whistle.
On some of the other cars, that had been maintained by the book, the entire system needed to be replaced.
It looks like there’s about a $15 price difference between a set of six OEM Volvo, at about $15 apiece, or genuine Denso at about $12 apiece.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-spark-plug-s80-xc60-xc70-xc90-s60-31286359
