So we brought this bolster in for its scheduled major service running perfectly. Then we removed the ignitors and saw this:

 

Rust never sleeps!

 

Excellent photo to prompt those who deffer maintenance !
Imagine what would have happened when this engine was driven in the rain !

 

Looks bad. Is bad. But stuff happens.

Absent misfires and the associated error codes that would prompt a check of the plugs and coils the SOP is when doing the plugs to inspect the coils and if any show signs of degradation to replace them. Obviously these are in need of replacement. In fact I have to wonder how long the plugs have been in the car? Hard to believe those coils reached that level of bad since the plugs were last changed.

 

so we installed new along with the plugs. This is why Boxsters become unreliable, lack of owner induced maintenance.