Hi all. I was just browsing for spark plugs for my Kia. I don't need any, just looking around. It seems Denso is the OEM and they come with a .032 gap. Every other plug that fits comes with a .040-.044 gap range. Why the difference?
Spark plug gap?
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Originally Posted By: Urshurak776
Hi all. I was just browsing for spark plugs for my Kia. I don't need any, just looking around. It seems Denso is the OEM and they come with a .032 gap. Every other plug that fits comes with a .040-.044 gap range. Why the difference?
Use the gap the maker requires. One can always open up a .032 to .044 which seems to be a standard for new ignition systems.
Hi all. I was just browsing for spark plugs for my Kia. I don't need any, just looking around. It seems Denso is the OEM and they come with a .032 gap. Every other plug that fits comes with a .040-.044 gap range. Why the difference?
Use the gap the maker requires. One can always open up a .032 to .044 which seems to be a standard for new ignition systems.
I agree. I just need to find out what Kia specifies. Believe it or not, its not in the manual....
If the gap is specd at 1.0-1.1mm buy the plug that is designed to that gap. Don't heel up gnd straps(electrodes) that causes higher misfire counts.
What type are the originals? Simple copper? Platinum? Single or double?
What type are the replacements? If they are iridium, it could explain why a wider gap is specified.
What type are the replacements? If they are iridium, it could explain why a wider gap is specified.
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
If the gap is specd at 1.0-1.1mm buy the plug that is designed to that gap. Don't heel up gnd straps(electrodes) that causes higher misfire counts.
Based on my 100's of thousands of miles with Camrys running NGK single electrode Platinum plugs which are gaped at .032 from the factory and which I regap to .044, I call [censored] on that. The only time I have eve seen a misfire code is from a loose plug wire.
If the gap is specd at 1.0-1.1mm buy the plug that is designed to that gap. Don't heel up gnd straps(electrodes) that causes higher misfire counts.
Based on my 100's of thousands of miles with Camrys running NGK single electrode Platinum plugs which are gaped at .032 from the factory and which I regap to .044, I call [censored] on that. The only time I have eve seen a misfire code is from a loose plug wire.
Is it on a sticker under the hood?
Originals are iridium. Denso I believe, but some people are saying NGK. Ice storm in Charlotte right now, but I will check under hood for sticker. Thanks for all the replys.
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
If the gap is specd at 1.0-1.1mm buy the plug that is designed to that gap. Don't heel up gnd straps(electrodes) that causes higher misfire counts.
Based on my 100's of thousands of miles with Camrys running NGK single electrode Platinum plugs which are gaped at .032 from the factory and which I regap to .044, I call [censored] on that. The only time I have eve seen a misfire code is from a loose plug wire.
Remind me not to let you tune up my wifes car
BTW I said misfire counts not code. How do you even know if a Camry is running right, they are so abysmal?
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
If the gap is specd at 1.0-1.1mm buy the plug that is designed to that gap. Don't heel up gnd straps(electrodes) that causes higher misfire counts.
Based on my 100's of thousands of miles with Camrys running NGK single electrode Platinum plugs which are gaped at .032 from the factory and which I regap to .044, I call [censored] on that. The only time I have eve seen a misfire code is from a loose plug wire.
Remind me not to let you tune up my wifes car
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NGK say OE on 14 kia rio 1.6 is:
SILZKR6B10E
Ir plug with .04" gap
SILZKR6B10E
Ir plug with .04" gap
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
If the gap is specd at 1.0-1.1mm buy the plug that is designed to that gap. Don't heel up gnd straps(electrodes) that causes higher misfire counts.
How does opening up the gap on a plug cause any higher misfire counts than running a plug that came pre-gapped at that size? That makes no sense at all, provided you're not ham-fisted and damaging the plug in the process.
If the gap is specd at 1.0-1.1mm buy the plug that is designed to that gap. Don't heel up gnd straps(electrodes) that causes higher misfire counts.
How does opening up the gap on a plug cause any higher misfire counts than running a plug that came pre-gapped at that size? That makes no sense at all, provided you're not ham-fisted and damaging the plug in the process.
This is what it says:
Denso Spark Iridium Long Life ZXU20HCR8 Spark Plugs
Notes: Gap 0.032, DENSO is O.E. Manufacturer / Iridium Long Life Plug - Patented Iridium Alloy Plug (90% Ir) with Platinum Ground Strap
Denso Spark Iridium Long Life ZXU20HCR8 Spark Plugs
Notes: Gap 0.032, DENSO is O.E. Manufacturer / Iridium Long Life Plug - Patented Iridium Alloy Plug (90% Ir) with Platinum Ground Strap
Let's start out with this: KIA and Hyundai have a 100k warantee.
Coils are in essence a device to create a short circuit. They are designed this way, but are also designed to operate in a certain range, more specifically the resistance of jumping the gap.
Coil over plug coils are less robust than a single coil of past systems. They can afford this due to the high redundancy of the cop design. under compression the resistance is also increased.
The science behind precisely ionizing the o2 molecules at 180-200 psi for milliseconds at a time, accurately and Repetitively, to strike a plasma arc, is amazing.
Anyway as the gap goes up the distance values go up. The resistance unable to become an electrical short becomes heat energy. Too long run like that and the copper windings and epoxy potting breakdown. Thus sometimes costing you $400 in coils when you need to do a tune up at 100k.
Back to that warantee, kia/hundai dont spec a tune up interval, so its in their best intrests to design a system that lasts at least that long.
I will be doing my tune ups at 80k on my soul, because from what ive seen the last 20k of plug life (in a 100k system) seems to be the worst on the coils, more so than the previous 80
Coils are in essence a device to create a short circuit. They are designed this way, but are also designed to operate in a certain range, more specifically the resistance of jumping the gap.
Coil over plug coils are less robust than a single coil of past systems. They can afford this due to the high redundancy of the cop design. under compression the resistance is also increased.
The science behind precisely ionizing the o2 molecules at 180-200 psi for milliseconds at a time, accurately and Repetitively, to strike a plasma arc, is amazing.
Anyway as the gap goes up the distance values go up. The resistance unable to become an electrical short becomes heat energy. Too long run like that and the copper windings and epoxy potting breakdown. Thus sometimes costing you $400 in coils when you need to do a tune up at 100k.
Back to that warantee, kia/hundai dont spec a tune up interval, so its in their best intrests to design a system that lasts at least that long.
I will be doing my tune ups at 80k on my soul, because from what ive seen the last 20k of plug life (in a 100k system) seems to be the worst on the coils, more so than the previous 80
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Originally Posted By: Urshurak776
This is what it says:
Denso Spark Iridium Long Life ZXU20HCR8 Spark Plugs
Notes: Gap 0.032, DENSO is O.E. Manufacturer / Iridium Long Life Plug - Patented Iridium Alloy Plug (90% Ir) with Platinum Ground Strap
I wonder if Denso has something which ends in 11? That is the gap in mm. It is a mystery as to why the manufacturer selected a plug which does not match the engine required gap.
Does anybody believe there is a little device on the car manufacturing line which changes the gap of the spark plug before installing it in the engine? There is just no way Kia changes the spark plug gap before it gets installed in their engine. That is just not going to happen on an assembly line.
My advice? Select the OEM recommended spark plug which already has the correct gap or get the exact spark plug which was installed by OEM.
Just to hammer the point again; auto manufacturer does NOT change the gap of the brand new plug before installing it in a brand new engine. You too don't have to do it.
This is what it says:
Denso Spark Iridium Long Life ZXU20HCR8 Spark Plugs
Notes: Gap 0.032, DENSO is O.E. Manufacturer / Iridium Long Life Plug - Patented Iridium Alloy Plug (90% Ir) with Platinum Ground Strap
I wonder if Denso has something which ends in 11? That is the gap in mm. It is a mystery as to why the manufacturer selected a plug which does not match the engine required gap.
Does anybody believe there is a little device on the car manufacturing line which changes the gap of the spark plug before installing it in the engine? There is just no way Kia changes the spark plug gap before it gets installed in their engine. That is just not going to happen on an assembly line.
My advice? Select the OEM recommended spark plug which already has the correct gap or get the exact spark plug which was installed by OEM.
Just to hammer the point again; auto manufacturer does NOT change the gap of the brand new plug before installing it in a brand new engine. You too don't have to do it.
Good advice Vikas. Thanks again everyone.
Gap seems to be selected based on how capable a given coil/ignition system of delivering a reliable spark over a given gap.
That said, muscle car V8 guys have been upping the gap (say .044 to .055 on copper plugs) for eons when upgrading to a more powerful coil and better wires, etc.
They wouldn't do it if it weren't reliable and delivered some performance aspect, but that said it's likely a different game for newer vehicles using individual coils.
That said, muscle car V8 guys have been upping the gap (say .044 to .055 on copper plugs) for eons when upgrading to a more powerful coil and better wires, etc.
They wouldn't do it if it weren't reliable and delivered some performance aspect, but that said it's likely a different game for newer vehicles using individual coils.
Generally, bigger gap is better (within reason), but there's a limit to what a given coil setup can fire in a given engine. And you don't want to run the gaps right on the ragged edge, as that will often mean re-gapping every few thousand miles to account for wear.
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
On my Gen Coupe turbo the spec is ~.043, but from the factory they come at around .028. It runs best at ~.033. New OE plugs come pre gapped to the .043.
Do you want to explain this against what I asserted before? Are you claiming factory got "special" spark plugs or a little person on the assembly line changed the gap?
>
On my Gen Coupe turbo the spec is ~.043, but from the factory they come at around .028. It runs best at ~.033. New OE plugs come pre gapped to the .043.
Do you want to explain this against what I asserted before? Are you claiming factory got "special" spark plugs or a little person on the assembly line changed the gap?
>
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