report: my jeep had OEM NGK plugs!

[meep]

Did the plugs on my 3.7 last night. 31k miles. Had champion plats in-hand because "everyone knows" jeeps like champions, right?

Out come NGK ZFR6F-11G. Huh. all still had .045-.046 gap in them. spec is .043 IIRC. If I'd known NGK was suitable, I woulda bought upper-end NGK's... IMO better plugs than champion.

Other things I noticed:
Cute little TB. Looked smaller than the 2.2L subaru I used to drive. Despite all the jeep lore that the EGR gums these things up pretty badly, Clean. Needed no cleaning at 30,000 miles.

oem plugs came out at waay different tightness. some just came out, others had to be grr'd on. right bank tighter than left. so much for assembly QC.

No noticeable change in performance. sounds like there is a little less rumble. But that's it. and that's being picky.

So all, in all, new (?) info. jeep stock plug was ngk.

M

Meep

 

[tig1]

Were they Irridium or standard?

 

[hounddog]

The only Chrysler's using Iridium or platinum are the Durango and Caliper hybrid.The rest of the line up has NGK standards.

 

[meep]

it looks like copper with what's left of a v-groove on the electrode. manual calls for 30,000 change.

posting on jeep forum, the 3.7's seem to be coming with champion (primarily), autolite, and ngk (now).

There are plenty of first-hand accounts of the jeep V8s (mostly the double-plug hemi) fussing with non-copper plugs, and the knowledge gets applied to other jeep engines as well. the 3.7 is regarded as less picky but most diehards stick with champion copper. In the 5.7 there seems to be some real truth to doing so. in the 3.7, apparently it's not as big a deal.

But, it will likely raise some die-hard jeepers' eyebrows to know that mine was stock NGK.

M

 

[eljefino]

Yeah everything's made in Japan now.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: hounddog
The only Chrysler's using Iridium or platinum are the Durango and Caliper hybrid.The rest of the line up has NGK standards.


Oooops. Forgot that every 6.1 ever made has NGK platinum/Iridium hybrids!

 

[rslifkin]

The Jeeps like Champion thing primarily refers to the 4.0, which often runs like [censored] with anything but the cheapest copper plugs.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: meep
There are plenty of first-hand accounts of the jeep V8s (mostly the double-plug hemi) fussing with non-copper plugs, and the knowledge gets applied to other jeep engines as well. the 3.7 is regarded as less picky but most diehards stick with champion copper. In the 5.7 there seems to be some real truth to doing so. in the 3.7, apparently it's not as big a deal.


Sorry, but the Hemis all run fine on ANY normal plug design. The [censored] about copper started with MDS cylinder deactivation and it's total baloney. Choose your plug by how long you want to go between servicing.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: hounddog
The only Chrysler's using Iridium or platinum are the Durango and Caliper hybrid.The rest of the line up has NGK standards.


The 5.7L HEMI engine comes stock with Champion copper cores. The new 4.7L( 08+ )with the 16 plugs uses Bosch plugs top( Nickle Yttrium )and bottom( Iridium ).

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: meep
There are plenty of first-hand accounts of the jeep V8s (mostly the double-plug hemi) fussing with non-copper plugs, and the knowledge gets applied to other jeep engines as well. the 3.7 is regarded as less picky but most diehards stick with champion copper. In the 5.7 there seems to be some real truth to doing so. in the 3.7, apparently it's not as big a deal.


Sorry, but the Hemis all run fine on ANY normal plug design. The [censored] about copper started with MDS cylinder deactivation and it's total baloney. Choose your plug by how long you want to go between servicing.


There actually have been a lot of people talking about problems with Platinum plugs in the 5.7L and long before MDS came out. Everything from CEL's to buring holes in the pistons( Bosch +4's ). Lots of info on that back in 04-05 when I was on the HEMI forums with my 04 Ram. Not saying it is super common but I have read enough personal accounts to think there is at least something to it. Enough to make me avoid Platinum plugs in a HEMI.

I am due for a plug change in about 10K on my 08 Ram w/ 5.7L. I am trying to decide between using copper cores( NGK 5306 - I will NEVER EVER use C-r-a-pions )or stepping up to Iridium plugs to avoid the hassle of plug changes every 30K. If changing plugs on a HEMI Ram wasn't such a nightmare I would stay with copper cores. I am paying to have it done though and at $200-$250 a pop labor I am seriously considering the longer service life Iridiums.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

+1. ALL plugs are copper. The firing end may be Inconel( tough stainless steel) or plat or Ir. the GND may be StSt or plat pill. I would only imagine a plug not working if its a bosch plat (odd incorrect design) or the Resistor was wrong value or non-res plug used. BTW, in the past decade, USA made NGK ( v-power) have been some of the WORST plugs I've ever serviced. STD Champ, Std Bosch and std Nippon Denso (as K20 PRU-11) have been very good. Any Ir plugs have been exceptional on Coil-on-Plug ignitors.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
+1. ALL plugs are copper. The firing end may be Inconel( tough stainless steel) or plat or Ir. the GND may be StSt or plat pill. I would only imagine a plug not working if its a bosch plat (odd incorrect design) or the Resistor was wrong value or non-res plug used. BTW, in the past decade, USA made NGK ( v-power) have been some of the WORST plugs I've ever serviced. STD Champ, Std Bosch and std Nippon Denso (as K20 PRU-11) have been very good. Any Ir plugs have been exceptional on Coil-on-Plug ignitors.


Wow. One of the most popular plugs out there with a great reputation from users in automotive, marine, and motorcycle applications. Hands down the NGK 5306 V-Power is the most popular replacement plug for the 5.7L HEMI I can tell you that.

It is always amazing to me the way different people have such varying opinions on things. ARCO's NGK plug assesment, and praise of Champion, is the complete and total polar opposite of my experience and we even live pretty close I guess.

Not saying he is wrong or anything just amazes me that he says NGK = bad and Champion = good.

 

[hounddog]

Lots of people post on the Dodge forum that they DON"T have any issues with Iridium or Platiumn plugs.Its only the tip thats got precious metals for longer wear.I'm going with Denso Iridium long wearing in a few thousand more miles on my Hemi.I called NGK tech assistance about only COPPER plugs etc.working on the Hemis and they said they saw no reason for ONLY those to work and had not seen any issues using Platiumn and so on.Champions are good in lots of Briggs engines.

 

[caravanmike]

they use the ngk in the 3.7L (v-power)

and they use the champion plug in the 4.7L

why? maybe the heat range of the two different plugs is slightly different?

i put the stock ngk back in my liberty because i don't want to mess with heat ranges being slightly off with and aftermarket brand, causing carbon build up!

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: hounddog
The only Chrysler's using Iridium or platinum are the Durango and Caliper hybrid.The rest of the line up has NGK standards.


The 3.3/3.8 engines in the minivans (and new Wrangler I assume) have Champion dual-plat plugs. I don't know what the newer 3.5/4.0 uses.

 

[Hokiefyd]

The NGK V-power plugs are also a popular replacement in the Dodge 3.9/5.2/5.9 engines. I have 8 of these in my Dakota as we speak.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI

Wow. One of the most popular plugs out there with a great reputation from users in automotive, marine, and motorcycle applications. Hands down the NGK 5306 V-Power is the most popular replacement plug for the 5.7L HEMI I can tell you that.

It is always amazing to me the way different people have such varying opinions on things. ARCO's NGK plug assesment, and praise of Champion, is the complete and total polar opposite of my experience and we even live pretty close I guess.

Not saying he is wrong or anything just amazes me that he says NGK = bad and Champion = good.
As a foreign engine tech I changed out thousands of plugs and typ see heavy ground erosion on the NGK "coppers" but 10K more service capable with Champions ((real ones not chinese fakes you buy everywhere). Most of my exp on NGK was with Asian apps, like BKR6E-11 or BPR6E-11. Ive Tried to run NGK V-power (USA Made) but that was in the mid 90's when auto co were having a hard time coping with tightening emissions, OBDII and ever prevalent leaky pre-cat exhausts. Then, most V-power ran 1/2 step hotter (by design?)than a similar champ, Autolite or ND and hotter in the 2 or 3 apps I tried them (one a 4.3 chevy W/T). Currently I would not know how a V-power plug (green ink) runs, as I gave up on them decade ago. Nippon Denso (toyota's OEM choice in the day) were always MUCH better for longevity and build. The new Ir plugs by NGK or ND are the cats meow, but mainly for weak coil system using Denso coil-on-plug with those individual tiny, thumb sized, current limited coils on each plug (and NO high tension wires, thanfully). Still, after all said, having a correct heat range in the "sweet spot" required by the engine and tune from "whomever brand" would be the MOST critical aspect of a plug - as long as the reach and termination are dimensionally correct (and gap too

 

[MrCritical]

Seen NGK's as OEM plugs in many GM 5.3 trucks as well....

 

[SteveSRT8]

yep, the factory plugs are now made by NGK. And they last well in excess of 100k miles in our fleet vehicles.

May be the cheapest plug ever sold!

 

[goodtimes]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: hounddog
The only Chrysler's using Iridium or platinum are the Durango and Caliper hybrid.The rest of the line up has NGK standards.


The 3.3/3.8 engines in the minivans (and new Wrangler I assume) have Champion dual-plat plugs. I don't know what the newer 3.5/4.0 uses.


98 Chrysler minivan 3.8 v6. Champion double plat from factory. That's 13 years ago. Most cars tell exactly what plug to use on the inside of the hood. I look for those when I go to buy, plus made in USA. I would think by 011 no car would use standard plugs from the factory. I doubt they do.