Spark Plugs Difference, advantages etc

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Spark Plugs Difference, advantages etc

Postby TRDmod » Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:25 pm

St205 I have

I heard that having iridium plugs make a difference in acceleration and response. Is this true, if it is true, then no doubt this would be the cheapest bang for your buck mod to improve performance, in which I will quickly engage in getting myself 4 high quality iridium plugs NGK or HKS plugs.

Any experiences with these?

I have the recommended Toyota platinum tiped plugs right now, they have done roughly 50k or less.

Thank you my fellow Toyota lovers, much appreciated.

(and I do take your advise into hand, that is why im getting an oil cooler, gauges, then a new turbo)
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Postby sergei » Thu Jun 24, 2004 7:10 pm

In my opinion spark plugs make no big difference as long as they work, althou there are different types of sparkplugs (iridium and platinums are generally hot plugs - they last longer but can create detonation)...
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Postby AE85.6 » Thu Jun 24, 2004 7:44 pm

havnt had any experience with iridium plugs but platinum are all good had a set in a few of my last cars not only do they last for ages but even after long time usuage i thought id give them a clean when doing other work on my car and discovered not only were they clean they looked just like when i put them in 8O they make a wicked spark
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Postby ROBODISCO_20v » Thu Jun 24, 2004 8:21 pm

sergei wrote:In my opinion spark plugs make no big difference as long as they work, althou there are different types of sparkplugs (iridium and platinums are generally hot plugs - they last longer but can create detonation)...


Dont listern to this guy he dosen't know what he's talking about.
Check out the NGK web site for some more info
I have but a set of NGK iridiums in my blk top 20v & it loves them, revs more freely over the std spec platnums. You should go for either NGK or DENSO. Most performance brand plugs like HKS, TRD Cost mega bucks and are just rebaged NGK or DENSOS. My car had some HKS plus in it when i bought it and when i looked closely at them under the big HKS
markins was DENSO imprinted in the hex. If you are in the auckland area, i work at APPCO and could suss you out some at a good price if they are avaliable for it, NGK doesn't cover every model with its iridium range yet.
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Postby AE85.6 » Thu Jun 24, 2004 8:52 pm

they rebadge the plugs......bastards ay, whats the difference from platinum to iridium ??? and price wise too ?
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Postby celica_tommo » Thu Jun 24, 2004 9:49 pm

tell me then ROBODISCO_20v, how do different spark plugs cause a car to perform differently?... If the air/fuel mixture is ignitied by both a 'good' plug and a 'bad' plug how does the 'good' plug differ?
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Postby sergei » Thu Jun 24, 2004 10:39 pm

OK I had Toyota original platinum (Denso or whatever),then NGK platinums, then Splitfire Platinums, now I have iridium, also I had for about 5000k standart ones didnt last long at all, and there was no diffirence in performance at all (or the difference was unoticable) the mixture wont create more energy just because it is ignited slightly differently, as long as ignites it burns... and the stuff they tell u on NGK site its 90% marketing
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Postby celica_tommo » Thu Jun 24, 2004 11:17 pm

I'm with you Sergei, I'd like to hear if someone thinks that some spark plugs are better than other functioning ones
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Postby Twolitre » Thu Jun 24, 2004 11:31 pm

Unless you have a Mitsi V6, Subaru Boxer or equally painfull engine to change spark plugs in then just run normal steel plugs, they're dirt cheap and do actually produce more power than platinum plugs, they just don't last as long, although in a high performance turbocharged engine iridiums may be of some benefit, I'm not sure.
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Postby EVLGTZ » Fri Jun 25, 2004 9:18 am

Twolitre wrote:Unless you have a Mitsi V6, Subaru Boxer or equally painfull engine to change spark plugs in then just run normal steel plugs, they're dirt cheap and do actually produce more power than platinum plugs, they just don't last as long, although in a high performance turbocharged engine iridiums may be of some benefit, I'm not sure.


Yeah i choose to run std NGK plugs (albeit slightly colder) than the std platinums, i dont mind changing them and they do seem a lil bitter than the std platinums.

I use to run iridiums but my car didnt like them at all (yes they were the right plug and gapped correctly) so yeah I just keep using the cheap old NGKs.
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Postby Stealer Of Souls » Fri Jun 25, 2004 1:03 pm

I'm with you Sergei, I'd like to hear if someone thinks that some spark plugs are better than other functioning ones


Hot4s magazine once did a test on spark plugs... Now this isn't exactly 100% accurate, but it's indicative...
They found that the platinum plugs produces less power than steel plugs (~1-3kW). On their car they found that the best performing plugs were champion golds, followed by a used set of NGKs...

So there is something in a plug... but it's really bugger all I suppose... only really important to those seeking every last kW...

On another note they also found that by facing all the spark plugs in a certain direction (gap points at intake) could increase power by ~1-3kW... Apparently an old drag racers trick...
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Postby Wildcard » Fri Jun 25, 2004 3:41 pm

Making statements like this ...

ROBODISCO_20v wrote:Dont listern to this guy he dosen't know what he's talking about.


And then following up with unqualified evidence like this....

ROBODISCO_20v wrote:I have but a set of NGK iridiums in my blk top 20v & it loves them, revs more freely over the std spec platnums.


Isn't very useful :)
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Postby jr007 » Fri Jun 25, 2004 4:21 pm

Spot on Wildcard. There seem to be a lot of comments floating about lately that are pure speculation, without any "real" back-up.
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well

Postby TRDmod » Fri Jun 25, 2004 4:30 pm

i have just asked a mechanic with lots os exprience and he jsut told me its small improvement almost not worth buying the iridiums, but they do last longer..

so i prob wont buy it
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Postby TWSTD » Fri Jun 25, 2004 5:47 pm

I noticed a substantial difference in my turbo charged carib when swapped to NGK iridiums. That said, if standard plugs were of the same design as the iridiums (note the very differently shaped cathode and electrode) i imagine they would be almost identical... although you cant make a standard plug that shape as it would wear out stoopidly fast.
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Postby Al » Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:23 pm

You want some NGK BKR7E's (6097)

These are copper and are one step colder than stock. that what i run in my gen1 mr2

dont pay silly money for branded sparkplugs when ngks at $22 retail for 4 will do a better job
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Postby fangsport » Sun Jun 27, 2004 5:27 pm

when people say they had bigs gains etc from fitting iridium/platinum etc plugs, would they have got the same gains by fitting new replacement units , because the plugs that were removed were tired.
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Postby EVLGTZ » Sun Jun 27, 2004 6:04 pm

fangsport wrote:when people say they had bigs gains etc from fitting iridium/platinum etc plugs, would they have got the same gains by fitting new replacement units , because the plugs that were removed were tired.


quite likely :lol:
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Postby rollaholic » Sun Jun 27, 2004 7:03 pm

fangsport wrote:when people say they had bigs gains etc from fitting iridium/platinum etc plugs, would they have got the same gains by fitting new replacement units , because the plugs that were removed were tired.


agreed - same goes for "performance" leads.
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Postby fangsport » Sun Jun 27, 2004 8:45 pm

it makes for 'good' conversation when you use 'HKS plugs ' over boring old champions when talking about a modded car.
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