Spark Plug life
 

2015 A8L 4.0T, 32K , miles... I do all my own work and I know the manual says that the spark plugs should be changed at 35K miles, but that really seems like it's way too early. I think my '69 mustang did that... Electronic ignition pushed it to 50 ~60K miles and my 2002 Lexus was over 100K.

Has anyone kept them in for 50-60K or longer and noticed any issues at all? Or done your own and see how they look at 35K? This is my first Audi and I've had it 3 years now, relatively trouble free, (except for the damn rotors that are as soft as the pads)... So I'm wondering how much are they trying to soak you for every ounce of maintenance money they can and how much is really necessary.

Thanks!

Nope.

Look at newest service schedule. Your 69 Mustang was normally aspirated and no smog beyond a rocker ball $1 PCV valve, though it was probably more like 6,000 miles unless it had early electronic ignition. Too early for even copper cores as new--used to do my 67 Chysler 383 plugs like every 5K and back two ran cold and fouled more. Millennium Lexus was definitely normally aspirated and probably Iridium plugs-- which are longer lived (commonly 100K in Toyota and Chrysler minivans) but not necessarily tops for spark performance.

More telling: Audi USA moved the interval DOWN for the 2019 model year on the V8's. I just saw this for first time last week and meant to post. Now every 30,000 miles. (Used to be every 40K after first interval.) Never mind there is no V8 in the USA sold currently, but it is on the table as at least a placeholder. See bottom of p2, here: https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...-Year-2019.pdf

I wouldn't roll dice with a turbo high performance motor. One broken electrode alongside high boost and pressures and highly tuned ignition and cam set up, and whole motor can be toast. I have seen the pictures with the owner crying on a Golf R--which as a high power 2.0T is essentially half an S8 4.0T.

Thanks! no doubt this is a high performance motor and I imagine this is a bit hard on the plugs... Thanks again!

my check engine light came on recently because if a failed spark plug after 30K miles (2013 4.0T). So the remaining 7 are up for replacement ass soon as a warmer day hits one of these weekends...