The best spark plugs

[ShootingStar]

6-8 Hours to change the spark plugs??!! Sounds like some of those automotive engineers that are on CRACK!

Or maybe it's all part of the job security program for mechanics. NOW I unnerstan why the high mileage, high priced platinum's, etc. are so popular. I use the $1.50 NGK's and change 'em often but my Honda Civic takes no more than 10 minutes, and the Acura Integra, about 12. That little wire cover on the Vtec motor REALLY slows me down!

[ September 06, 2002, 06:40 PM: Message edited by: ShootingStar ]

 

[Patman]

That's what I love about my wife's Civic, I can do all four plugs on that car in under ten minutes no problem. It's so easy that I end up changing her plugs every spring, even if she barely puts 10k a year on the car lately.

 

[VaderSS]

The AC platinums in my Impala were pulled out at 42k and looked near new. I had a vibration problem that I thought might be plugs or wires. I noticed no difference after putting the Autolites in with Accel Extreme 9000+ wires. My recent analysis showed 17% nitration with 12k on the plugs and 4100 miles on the M1 5W30. If I had it to do over again, I'd of left the stock wires and plugs in.

It's not the plugs that are so bad. With practise, you can do them in an hour or less, but the wires are a nightmare.

[ September 06, 2002, 09:54 AM: Message edited by: VaderSS ]

 

[jason07-1zzfe]

I have 60k on a 00 Jimmy. Original plugs. Last anaysis had 17% nitration. I'm leaning to believe the 100k claim. At least cars that aren't driven very hard.

Now my car is another story. I eat those baby's for breakfast in less than 15k miles. That's with OE Bosch coppers. The electrode is totally rounded off by then and I lose high rpm power. I guess 6500rpm every day will do that to ya. BMW specs a 30k change interval, there is no way I could make that.

 

[UncleS2]

Long life spark plugs? I finally pulled the *Factory* Champion copper cores from my Neon, but only on general principles. The car still started & ran great, & was getting the best gas mileage ever at the time. The mileage? 89,988 miles.

Plain ol' Champions. P/N RC9YC. They're still in the carport closet, & they'd probably run OK if re-installed.

 

[joee12]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:
That's what I love about my wife's Civic, I can do all four plugs on that car in under ten minutes no problem. It's so easy that I end up changing her plugs every spring, even if she barely puts 10k a year on the car lately.

---

Don't you love it, my wife's Integra is the same way, it is the easiest engine to work on. The nice thing is that Acura has an emissions recall on all 96 and 97 Integras. At 75,000 miles I get new factory plugs(NGK), wires, cap, rotor, PCV valve, diagnostic and oil change(Honda/Mobil oil), which will save me a bunch on those parts. The car is currently at 72,000.

 

[joee12]

Sorry I got a little

there. My favorite plugs are NGK. -Joe

[ September 07, 2002, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: joee12 ]

 

[Ed]

I had a VW fastback (1600TL) and NGK plugs were noticeably better than the the OEM Bosch plugs. Car ran better and plugs lasted longer.

My 79 Toyota P.U. ran well with OEM Denso plugs, maybe a little better than NGK, Bosch platinum (single electrode) works noticeably better than either in this vehicle.

My Grand Cherokee likes the OEM Champions better than any other I've tried so far.

There is no best, it depends on the particular vehicle.

 

[Chris]

NGK's only. Spun a Champion in two and that was the end of the cheap ones. Jap bikes love them too!

 

[dragboat]

I use the Motorcraft in the race motors because of the strength of them,A/C Delco in all other cars and NGK in the Bikes.

The Bosch Platinums don't seem to last long in a warmed up Chevy motor same with the Champions,but just my experience there,others may have better results

 

[jjbula]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:
I end up changing her plugs every spring, even if she barely puts 10k a year on the car lately.

---

Patman--what do you do with all the plugs you get tired of? Maybe you should build a lamp or something out of them.

Thanks everyone. My Windstar does seem to have a little more power than before. It idled and ran well before the new plugs, but they had huge gaps upon inspection.

My exhaust is less stinky now too. (I'm almost as bad as those oil sniffers

)

 

[MolaKule]

Just replaced the plugs in the Nissan. Those suckers are down at the bottom of 10" well
in the heads. Easy to get to and remove, though.

Gap wa 0.045" and gapped new ones to 0.044". Les surging now at high RPM

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by jjbula:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:
I end up changing her plugs every spring, even if she barely puts 10k a year on the car lately.

---

Patman--what do you do with all the plugs you get tired of? Maybe you should build a lamp or something out of them.

---

Hehe, that's a great idea! I'm such a packrat that I've got a garage full of old spark plugs! I don't know why I save them, especially since I don't label them or anything, so it would be hard to figure out ten years from now what I pulled them out of (especially since my LS1, my GTP and my LT1 all used the same plugs)

 

[Steve_RI]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MolaKule:
Just replaced the plugs in the Nissan. Those suckers are down at the bottom of 10" well
in the heads. Easy to get to and remove, though.

Gap wa 0.045" and gapped new ones to 0.044". Les surging now at high RPM

---

Well, my Nissan (V6 VG30i) is a PITA to change the plugs. The wells are deep and the back two on the V6 are a nightmare to get at. I clean those wells out really good with compressed air before I take the plugs out.

 

[Soma07]

Patman:

8hrs! I dont know what you do for a living but now im pretty sure you're not a mechanic

But seriously it only took me ~2hrs the first time with the stock manifolds. 1,3,5,7 are all pretty easy from underneath the car. Pull the alternator off for 2, its still a PITA but every bit helps. 4 isnt bad, 6 and 8 can be tricky unless you have really skinny arms. I took one look, said "F*** it" and just pulled the Y-pipe off. With that out of the way you should be able to get to 6 and 8. If you still need more room you can take the starter off too.

Sounds like a lot of stuff to remove but its alot easier than fighting with the car 8hrs

As far as plugs go I've run the stock AC Delco plats, NGK TR55vx's. NGK TR55's, Autolite 104's (one heat range colder than stock), and Autolite 103's. Out of all those plugs I really couldnt tell any difference

The NGK's were annoying though because the tips kept coming unscrewed as I worked with them.

Anyways now I have Hooker LT headers I can change all 8 plugs in ~45min

 

[Patman]

I gotta get me some of those Hooker long tubes! How much power did you gain from them?

 

[Soma07]

Ehh, hard to say. Not nearly enough IMO...

Before the headers I would trap at 102.xx pretty consistant. My best afterwards has been a 104.5mph with a set of 1.6 roller rockers in addition to the headers.

Going by the 1mph = 10hp rule I guess you could say I picked up ~20hp. Funny thing is a guy I know with very similar mods traps 108ish at the same track so I think there maybe something wrong with my car

I also have come to fear speed bumps. The car isnt lowered and I still scape over some of them. Its not a good feeling to hear your $800 exhaust system scraping the pavement

In short I cant say I recommend them to anyone else unless they're building an all out race car. IMHO a good set of mid-length style headers with 1 3/4 primaries is within a few HP of the longtubes and you wont have to worry about ground clearance.

 

[Patman]

What about shorty headers for the LT1? Will they provide any benefit at all? I hate the thought of scraping on speed bumps (I have a few of them in my townhouse complex) Also, SLP's shorty is a good price and has all the emissions hookups.

 

[Patman]

Hmm, half the gains eh? Maybe I should just live with the scraping problems, or go with those mid lengths. Ideally, my plan next year is to get headers, a catback and a cold air kit, and go from running my current best of 13.89 at 98.2, down to about 13.3 at 102-103. At this point I just want to keep those pesky LS1 f-bodies from constantly pulling away from me at the half track mark. I always pull them out of the hole, and keep them at bay until the 1/8th mile, then they pull away and beat me by 2-3 car lengths at the finish.

[ September 29, 2002, 01:06 PM: Message edited by: Patman ]

 

[VaderSS]

Shorties definitely give some gains, roughly 1/2 of what you could expect from mid or long tubes.

When I step up to headers for my Impala, these will be the ones. ClearImage Tri-Ys

They probably would not work on an F-body, as they are specifically tailored for Impalas. They are the reigning king as for as power is concerned when it comes to Impala headers.