Originally Posted By: dk1604
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Having bought a set of NGK Laser Platinums, I was under the impression that the line specifically meant it was a double platinum. However, I noticed that there's a lot of talk that they're not with the OEM plugs for a base Impreza. I bought those for my wife's Civic, and they've been fine even though I couldn't get the crush washers to crush and my attempts to use a torque wrench were foiled because it always seemed way too loose. In the end I just tightened them "good and tight" and they haven't shot into the hood yet.
I know where you are coming from about the Laser Platinums. When I removed my original plugs I was fully expecting to see platinum pucks on the ground electrodes. When I didn't see them I was wondering if the pucks had fallen off. (Still wonder that actually...) For torquing new plugs on, I don't wrench enough to have calibrated wrists and sometimes it's tough to maneuver the torque wrench into position so I have just been using the turn angle method. So far it has worked alright and I don't need to worry about anti-seize throwing off the torque settings.
Now, in appreciation for everyone's input, for your entertainment here are photos of the original plugs that the car came with from the factory: NGK FR5AP-11 after roughly 55K kilometers (also about 4 years). You can actually see a similar wear pattern to what the G-Power plugs have. It's just not as obvious since the center electrode has a thicker "pedestal".
First the center electrodes:
No platinum pucks
:
And finally the back of the ground straps:
Honestly I'd say it looks fine. Maybe a little erosion off the edge, but they're not the "thin wire" type that seems to cause all sorts of problems because the wire gets too hot and erodes almost completely away even when they claim the metal can take the heat. The center electrode can "round off" a little and still function perfectly.
And when I was mentioning my wife's Civic, the OEM plugs are either NGK or Denso double platinums, as were the replacements I bought. Of course the Civic is a breeze to change plugs other than my difficulty with torquing the plugs.
And I won't even try to change the plugs on my WRX. I kind of fell into having a shop do it for me because I was having problems including a check engine light and squealing brakes (actually the pad material was completely gone because I ignored it and I needed a new rotor as a result). I felt way overcharged for labor. However, I have an expert Subaru mechanic who can do it from his home for cheap. He works at a dealer service department but does work on the side at home. If I brought him plugs, I think he'd charge me $20 for the labor, when the book rate would be something like 1.5 hours at $100/hr. Some of the work he's done was downright cheap, like installing an aftermarket radiator (I brought in) and two worn belts (he got OEM) for $130. A shop would have dinged me for at least $300 in labor, plus the cost of parts.
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Having bought a set of NGK Laser Platinums, I was under the impression that the line specifically meant it was a double platinum. However, I noticed that there's a lot of talk that they're not with the OEM plugs for a base Impreza. I bought those for my wife's Civic, and they've been fine even though I couldn't get the crush washers to crush and my attempts to use a torque wrench were foiled because it always seemed way too loose. In the end I just tightened them "good and tight" and they haven't shot into the hood yet.
I know where you are coming from about the Laser Platinums. When I removed my original plugs I was fully expecting to see platinum pucks on the ground electrodes. When I didn't see them I was wondering if the pucks had fallen off. (Still wonder that actually...) For torquing new plugs on, I don't wrench enough to have calibrated wrists and sometimes it's tough to maneuver the torque wrench into position so I have just been using the turn angle method. So far it has worked alright and I don't need to worry about anti-seize throwing off the torque settings.
Now, in appreciation for everyone's input, for your entertainment here are photos of the original plugs that the car came with from the factory: NGK FR5AP-11 after roughly 55K kilometers (also about 4 years). You can actually see a similar wear pattern to what the G-Power plugs have. It's just not as obvious since the center electrode has a thicker "pedestal".
First the center electrodes:
No platinum pucks
And finally the back of the ground straps:
Honestly I'd say it looks fine. Maybe a little erosion off the edge, but they're not the "thin wire" type that seems to cause all sorts of problems because the wire gets too hot and erodes almost completely away even when they claim the metal can take the heat. The center electrode can "round off" a little and still function perfectly.
And when I was mentioning my wife's Civic, the OEM plugs are either NGK or Denso double platinums, as were the replacements I bought. Of course the Civic is a breeze to change plugs other than my difficulty with torquing the plugs.
And I won't even try to change the plugs on my WRX. I kind of fell into having a shop do it for me because I was having problems including a check engine light and squealing brakes (actually the pad material was completely gone because I ignored it and I needed a new rotor as a result). I felt way overcharged for labor. However, I have an expert Subaru mechanic who can do it from his home for cheap. He works at a dealer service department but does work on the side at home. If I brought him plugs, I think he'd charge me $20 for the labor, when the book rate would be something like 1.5 hours at $100/hr. Some of the work he's done was downright cheap, like installing an aftermarket radiator (I brought in) and two worn belts (he got OEM) for $130. A shop would have dinged me for at least $300 in labor, plus the cost of parts.
