Iridium plugs to Copper?!?! Has anyone done this?

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Lolvoguy

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Recently I've been reading that the Copper plugs (the cheapest ones available) are an upgrade for those who are willing to change their plugs more often. Please see the link below

Apparently, the copper conducts the spark far better than Iridium, better performance and fuel economy improvements. It's downsides are it's lifespan is a fraction of the Iridium.

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/durat...lug-sticky.html

Has anyone tried going to Copper plugs? I honestly don't mind changing them out once a year, considering their low cost.

Anyone done this "upgrade" before?

thanks in advance
 
I did, since my carbed bike ZX9R kawa, fouled the Cr8eix and ruined them And the coils in a very short time ... So, in a carbed engine I use copper... Performance and fuel consumption is the same, too.
 
On an engine with easy access to the plugs,no problem.But on some of the front wheel drives.No way.I'd go for the longer service life.

Copper plugs will spark easier and some of the newer designs make them even more efficient.

good luck with your experiment.
 
Any recent vehicle that has an ignition system designed/tuned/whatever with iridium plugs in mind will probably not show any benefit in using anything BUT iridium plugs. It may even run worse. I wouldn't bother.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2583605

Bunch of misnomers and misunderstandings about spark plug construction and electrical conduction.

There's no iridium in the core of the plug.


Iridium costs over 500 dollars an ounce...the amount used in spark plugs has to be tiny, by default.
Same with platinum, it is almost 1000 dollars per ounce.
 
I long ago replaced the copper Bosch in my BMW airhead with the NGK platinum substitute. A thin wire electrode platinum fires at about the same voltage as a fat copper electrode.
 
The electrodes aren't copper, just the center electrode core, with ir plugs probably also having copper somewhere for heat transfer. Normal plugs electrodes are probably some nickel alloy.

As far as using 'cheap' plugs replaced more often vs. longer lived OEM premiums, it probably won't matter on most cars but without knowing how your particular car's engine management system reacts to potentially different resistance, firing voltage, etc., you are experimenting. Personally, I'd stick w/ OEM.

I now use fine wire plugs on my old vehicles, install them on my first maintenance cycle, and I will say that they along with quality wires and coil do idle better and did eliminate my TR6's slight hiccup on acceleration after much time spent on mixture, carb balancing, chasing vacuum leaks, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Are there are any spark plugs with copper electrodes?
So you define "electrode" for us.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Are there are any spark plugs with copper electrodes?
The short answer is copper plugs have a copper core with plating on the tip to prolong life.
 
Originally Posted By: urrlord
On an engine with easy access to the plugs,no problem.But on some of the front wheel drives.No way.I'd go for the longer service life.

Copper plugs will spark easier and some of the newer designs make them even more efficient.

good luck with your experiment.


Yeah, the plugs are very easy to access as you can imagine.
I'm interested mostly since my fuel economy isn't that great on this car and I'm pretty sure the originals have never been changed.

I've never purchased a plug so expensive in my life, so I'm weary of any performance gains from Iridium plugs, if it's only prolonged lifespan I can gain.

OT, my 86 325es performed WONDERFULLY when I changed them out for some cheapo NGK V-power plugs several years ago. I think those were just copper plugs too. The previous plugs were done so I guess anything would have been an improvement
 
Required voltages for iridium is always lower than copper plugs, whether it's idling, heavy throttle, the required Kv from the coil is less on iridium plugs than copper. Smaller electrode on iridium provides better ignition, fewer misfires. Wear is far less than copper
 
I don't know if you realize that many platinum and iridium plugs are also copper plugs. Copper refers to the main internal electrode material. The exposed tip is either nickel, platinum, or iridium -- never copper.

Copper is for conducting heat.

Plugs with platinum or iridium tips have much wider heat ranges. They are useful for the auto supply houses since don't have to stock a wide variety of plugs.
 
The electrode material is everything to due with durability and Iridium will last longer.

The heat range of a plug (heat conductivity) is adjusted by the length of the insulator cone around the electrode. Colder plugs have a shallower cone and on hotter ones the cone goes further down into the plug. The 50,000+ volts trying to make its way across the air gap could really care less what the material it is jumping across is as long as it is not a semiconductor or insulator atomically.

If you foul any set of plugs typically it is due to too much fuel and putting hotter plugs in is a wrong answer. Hotter plugs were always for keeping oil burners from fouling IMO. I hear a lot of misinformation out there.
 
The distance the voltage has to go in the plug is negligible. A few centimeters or an inch won't matter.

If it was feet of wire like high tension power lines copper is better and would matter
 
Originally Posted By: urrlord
On an engine with easy access to the plugs,no problem.But on some of the front wheel drives.No way.I'd go for the longer service life.

Copper plugs will spark easier and some of the newer designs make them even more efficient.

good luck with your experiment.


Amen brother! Just did my friend's 2003 Lexus ES300 over the w/e. Have to remove the air plenum to access rear bank. You would have to be a fool to use copper unless you were getting ready to unload the car.
 
At 300CForums.com we have told owners for years to choose your plug by how often you like to service the car or truck.

Cars, trucks, boats, etc. all have Iridiums in them here. The only thing that doesn't is my Briggs on the mower...
 
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