Carbon on spark plugs/running like dirt

[A2jettafreak]

hey guys.

im working crazy hours and realized my golf is running like crap after i decide to drive it. its a solid 8v digi. Basically a bone stock car other than recaros and cupkit.

took spark plugs out yesterday they were all black. put new ones in and on the drive to work, car smoked and barely drove. starts up fine and runs rough but barely moves no acceleration.

Any ideas?
its got 118k low mileage and didnt give me any issues before.

[PDXGTI8V 2.0]

sounds like a weak spark and too much fuel.....

which plugs did you use? The OEM Silvers are the best, followed closely by the Coppers.....

Is your air filter clogged up? this could cause some of the too much fuel problem.....

Have you tested your coil per the Bentley manual? It might not test spot on, but you should be in the ball park spec-wise....

How old are your sparkplug wires?

"after you decided to drive it"...meaning? the car been sitting unstarted and undriven for awhile?

[A2jettafreak]

I think i narrowed it down to a bad CTS. fml i swore it wasnt that but after i unplugged it car ran better and even the afterun fan switched on. im pretty sure its bad im going to buy a new one. and change the oil this weekend. '

[91JET16V]

You never said what kind of plugs you swapped in?

I had a very bad experience TWICE with non VW's, installing Autolites instead of NGk's. Didn't even realize what had happened the first time until years later when I did a basic tune up on girlfriends car and all of a sudden lack of power, drove like crap. Put the old horrible plugs back in, car ran fine. As a result I don't put Autolites in anything.

[A2jettafreak]

yeah i had copper bosch the basic ones. Its the only thing i run, i believe vws arent meant to have a hotter spark plug they just dont run right. from my experience at least.

I ordered a bunch of stuff from german auto parts so im hoping it gets here tomorow.

[A2jettafreak]

im thinking its a bad distributor.. everything but that has been changed.

new coolant temp sensor
new plugs.
new vacuum lines
new rotor
new cap.


and then the rotor and cap would wobble. im guessing its suppose to spin freely and not bind.