Tapping from spark lead 1997 Pathfinder

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A1218
Posts: 316
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:03 pm
Car: 1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE

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A random issue popped up this morning, I heard a clicking/tapping noise in the engine bay. When I put my hand on spark plug lead 3 and 5 near the plug I can feel the tapping, and it is only from those two leads. The plugs haven’t been in there long, maybe close to 2 years, less than 30k miles on it. Of course that does not mean something can go wrong. The Ngk leads are a little older, maybe 5 years and I did see some slight browning on the insulation near the boots (leads are blue). I didn’t notice anything odd on my 40 mile drive this morning however.


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mdmellott
Posts: 1149
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2019 3:32 pm
Car: '13 Kia Soul+ 2.0L AT
'02 Pathfinder SE 3.5L AT P/4WD
Location: SF Bay Area, CA

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I'm guessing that sound might be from a flash over spark, out of the boot on the plug. Check to be sure you have a good insulation coat of dielectric grease between the boot and the plug insulator body. It's been below freezing where you are in NY so the flexibility of the boots, without dielectric grease to seal against the plugs, may have gotten stiff and made a path for the spark to exit the boot. It's just a guess.

A1218
Posts: 316
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:03 pm
Car: 1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE

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It was actually doing it after driving, even when the engine bay was hot. You can definitively feel the tapping when touching the 3rd and 5th leads.

I’ll check to make sure the spark plug isn’t loose, if not, could be the lead or spark plug I assume.

A1218
Posts: 316
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:03 pm
Car: 1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE

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It was two loose spark plugs, weird that it happened.

A1218
Posts: 316
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:03 pm
Car: 1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE

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Any ideas as to why two spark plugs would randomly come loose after 1.5 year?

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VStar650CL
Technical Expert
Posts: 8449
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:25 pm
Car: 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL
2004 Nissan Altima 2.5 S

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You may have got some carbon or debris underneath the crush gaskets when they were installed. That can cause them to work loose when the debris itself crushes over time, leaving the gaskets insufficiently compressed.


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