Overhaulin'

Can sparks plugs cause a car to need a new engine?

I have a 2000 Saturn LS1 with a 2.2 Ecotec...The car ran fine up until I changed the spark plugs..The reason for changing them was because I was drivin 1900 miles and thought I might change them to be on the safe side. Now my car uses no wires because it's a direct injection. It has an ignition coil and module. Anyway, I took the old ones out, put new ones in and at first the car took longer to start and when it did it was noisy (kinda like a light hammering sound) and it idled terrible, shaking and what not. I bought a new coil and module which was $300 and nothing..After that it wouldn't start. Towed it to the dealer and they said there was no compression in cylinder 2 and 45% in cylinder 4...They ruled out a blown head gasket and they said it could be a valve stuck open but won't know unless the went in the engine...They just told me to get a new motor..Now I've never heard of spark plugs damaging engines like that..Any advice? I need a second opinion.

Public Comments

1. it will not be the spark plugs if they were the correct spark plugs. if they were too long damage is possible. only other thing i can think of that is related is if something fell into open spark plug hole when plug was out
2. If you accidental dropped something down the spark plug hole when you were changing them, that could be enough to damage the valev- because the piston would come up with the debris and slap it into the valve. Or, maybe you mixed up the wires when you put them back on. If you can rule those out, then it's just coincidence.
3. If they did a compression test and you have none in two and less than half in for than you do have some major problems, but the only way a spark plug would do that is if they were too long and the pistons or valves were smacking into it somehow - which could be the noise you heard. It was probably the valves hitting the plugs, or you dropped something in there while changing them. You are pretty definitely gonna need new valves and maybe a new head depending on the damage. It could have messed up the pistons or cylinder walls - which would require more parts to repair. It should be something able to be fixed, so you shouldn't need a whole new block as long as the cylinder walls weren't damaged, and you may even be able to hone it if the damage was minor enough. You shouldn't need a new engine, BUT it might be cheaper just to get a new one instead of paying labor to take apart your motor, diagnose what is wrong, have the head sent somewhere to be fixed or get a new head, and put it all back together again. There are a lot of those motors laying around in scrapyards and such...That is something to consider. It may be more cost effective to just get a new motor.
4. Long throat spark plugs could have knocked a hole through the pistons. (if you used the wrong ones)
5. It's not the plugs mate. It's you. The description you give and the misuse of terminology tell me you did something to bugger it. Like install long reach plugs that damaged your piston.