Autolite are on the low end of the spectrum..... its hard to go wrong with the good ole trusty NGK copper cores like a BPR5ES, CR7E, BMR6A, etc
Platinum or Iridium Plugs for OPE?
- Thread starter Astro_Guy
- Start date
Originally Posted by tig1
This spring I will put in NGK Platinum plugs in my OPE. Also a new set of NGK Iridium plugs in the 2007 Fusion.
Great! Keep us posted. Personally I am happy with this change; check back with me in 4-5 years when my "never replace the plugs again" strategy either kicks in or falls apart.
Some additional observations...
Hopefully I will remember to update this thread later in the fall of 2019.
This spring I will put in NGK Platinum plugs in my OPE. Also a new set of NGK Iridium plugs in the 2007 Fusion.
Great! Keep us posted. Personally I am happy with this change; check back with me in 4-5 years when my "never replace the plugs again" strategy either kicks in or falls apart.
Some additional observations...
- My Honda push mover with GCV160 engine and stock NGK copper plug had the most hours [well into the hundreds] of any in the fleet, and that plug looked good. This has been a trim mower with very few hours for the past four years, yet the plug still looked good. Honda and NGK quality I suppose...
- My Aries Deluxe 24 snow blower with the AX 254 cc engine and a Torch plug showed great improvement, and the stock plug had less than 5 hours on it. The stock plug seemed to foul to the point of not being able to restart cold after every use. It starts or at least tries to on the first pull now, this after two months of brief exercise runs.
- For my Champion 3500 watt / 196cc generator, also with a stock Torch plug, I cannot honestly say if it starts any easier. I've taken up a practice of starting it at least once a month, and it started easily before and after the plug change using this protocol. It was difficult to start after sitting idle for 2-3 months, but that would be an apples to oranges comparison. Subjectively I think it is starting a little easier.
- Not enough hours or cycles on the pressure washer with Honda GCV160, but it starts easily and runs well. I took it out in late October in 50 F weather and it started on the first or second pull. It hasn't been run in nearly three months, so it will be interesting to see if it stars as easily the next time.
- The John Deere D140 riding mower is electric start only. It started and ran well for the first 100+ hours on the original Champion plugs, which is twice their recommended hours. We shall see how she comes out of storage in a few months, but she started and ran well most of this season on NGK Iridiums. Of any of the macines I own, this is the one that will benefit the most from Iridium plugs because it gathers the most hours.
Hopefully I will remember to update this thread later in the fall of 2019.
Any update?
This was what i thought a few years ago. But after having replaced the torch plugs in a harbor freight generator with iridium. i may switch all my stuff over.
It starts easier. And seems to run smoother with the iridium. Although i have not really worn out ope plugs, usually i regap and run them. i may switch over in my zero turn, if i can cross match them.
Wow, I have almost the exact same equipment: Honda GCV190 self-propelled, Ariens Deluxe 24, Honda GC160 pressure washer, and a John Deere S240. I'm running NGK copper in all of them.
The 2020 season came and went with easy starts on everything. The Ariens has gotten its first real workouts this season. It pull starts easily and runs very well. It's a new machine since the plug change. I haven't noticed much of a change in any of the other machines. A Predator 3500 inverter generator has been added to the fleet and it too now has a NGK Iridium. A Billy Goat chipper / leaf vacuum with Honda GSV190 has been added, but I don't recall if that plug has been upgraded yet. It seems that Hondas come with NGK copper plugs installed.
I pulled the plugs from the John Deere D140 and posted pictures last year. They have about sixty hours on them now. Maybe I will pull them out and post another picture this spring.
For me, it's just not needed to switch to a rare metal plug. BUT, I will say, I have a JD425 with a 20HP Kawasaki water cooled v twin, and it normally calls for NGK plugs which most folks love. Well, I had trouble starting it and after sorting it all out I had to put in new plugs, and you guessed it, I couldn't find the NGK's locally, so I thought I'd buy plain old Autolites til I could order the NGKs, and those Autolites are still in it after two years, and it starts first time every time and I swear I can tell some difference in the way it runs. I wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen it myself, but I'm an Autolite fan now.
Only think that troubles me about that is you're going to have to regap them and the NGK rutheniums are double fine wire, is regapping a double fine wire a good idea especially when you might have to regap the plug from 44 thou down to 20 thou for some OPE, how does regapping end up affecting the alignment of the double fine wire electrodes.
^ You're still just measuring the gap distance between them, bend until it's right.
Yes, but for double finewire the tips really need to stay aligned to one another, bending the ground electrode too far causes them to misalign, I've found the NGK says not to change the gap by more than 8 thou, so a plug that comes gapped 44 thou from the factory will be a no go on small engines that usually spec somewhere in the 20 to 30 thou range.
^ You're still just measuring the gap distance between them. 
Whether they are perfectly aligned or not, they won't be off much unless you do a poor job of it. Either engine runs good or it doesn't.
Whether they are perfectly aligned or not, they won't be off much unless you do a poor job of it. Either engine runs good or it doesn't.
Honda mowers, 160/190 take NGK BPR6EIX.
My Toro 9HP takes the same plug.
Got them off the NGK web site.
My 2¢
My Toro 9HP takes the same plug.
Got them off the NGK web site.
My 2¢
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Thank you for this. I have a troy bilt push mower with the gcv 160 on it and had been looking for what iridium plug it took. Mine has the original plugs from 7 years ago still, figured it's time to change it.
Following up on this, everything upgraded to NGK Iridium plugs is doing just fine, save for one lawn toy. The Honda push mower with a GCV-160 is just refusing to start without a shot of starting fluid. It runs fine and easily restarts after it's been warmed up. I have a pressure washer with the same GCV-160 and it always starts on the first or second pull. Both have seen nothing but E0 fuel for the past three years. Any thoughts?
I will pull the plug on the mower and post pics when I have a chance.
I will pull the plug on the mower and post pics when I have a chance.
Check the carb on the mower.
IME, quality of plug > type of plug. That said. I have a Denso Platinum TT in a Honda GCV160 for a pressure washer, and a NGK G-Power in a GX130. They start on one pull. The other OPE using Chinese engines seem to start better with NGK copper.
IME, quality of plug > type of plug. That said. I have a Denso Platinum TT in a Honda GCV160 for a pressure washer, and a NGK G-Power in a GX130. They start on one pull. The other OPE using Chinese engines seem to start better with NGK copper.
Check the AutoChoke. There is an inexpensive part that fails. When it does, the choke doesn't work when cold. Youtube will show you where it is on the mower.
This is an older unit with a throttle lever that has a choke position.
Maybe the choke isn't closing fully? I've had this happen on a mower before where the cable was out of adjustment or the linkage was worn and didn't open/close the choke properly.
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