Spark plugs?
 

I know you all like ngk but What about bosh platnum 4's???

spark
 

I was reading A great article about how In any forced induction or No2 charged cars, certin spark plugs will actually heat up so much it can work like a gloe plug, igniting the gas at detrimental times. It's all about the ground coming out of the top of the plug if it's to long it will make excessive heat(no pun intended) I personally have run the platnum 4's and cant tell the diff. But all I know is, if their are 700+ whp supras running ngk's, works for me.

I've used them both and personally I like the +4's. Acceleration and deceleration feel smoother in my car with them. This is in my mk2 with the 5m-ge. I replaced the cap, rotor, and wires to which makes everything better.
Have not done it yet in my mk3 as I just got it a few days ago. Happy B-Day to me.

Thanks for the resopnses. I had the 4's in a eclipse and they seemed to do ok. I heard they burn valves though cause they run to hot or something.

While the claims of the +4 look great on paper in theory they do little to help performance. A spark will take the path of least resistance, so that will be the electrode that is closest to the core. As they wear this gap changes and a new electrod emerges as the shortest path. The problem is the core is still wearing away all this time as well. The +4's are great if you want a super long lasting maintenance free plug. BUT, if your looking for performance the thing to look for is the strongest spark. The key here is resistance. The lower the resistance, the better the spark will be. To be honest there is nothing new on the market that performs significantly better than a copper core plug. The problem is in longevity. Basically its a trade off...lifespan vs resistance

I am currently trying the new irridium NGK's and I felt improvement over the bosche Platinums that came out (not a fair comparison though as my platinums were toast)

How much were the NGK's? I might go with those.

I believe I paid 8.15 each...not exactly the cheapest plugs on the planet

Besides that, I had problems with bosch breaking down. In fact, I was talking to some other lifelong mechanics (at a different shop) today about misfires in engines. We all seemed to have our stories about bosch plugs being a problem.

I started using Autolite plugs about 20 years ago, and have never had a plug problem. These other guys said about the same thing. We also all agreed that NGK and Nippon-Denso plugs were trouble free.

(But when I read the "HYPE" of bosch plugs, I almost get sucked in.)

My bosch plat +4 plugs failed after about 1000 miles. My motor started missing when i gave it more than 1/4 throttle untill it was running warm. Then it still totally didnt go away. And it got worse and worse every day. I was at the point of ordering new fuel injectors, But id figured id rule the plugs out. I got cheap 2$ pulgs from pep boys and it ran fine. Theve been good for bout 3k miles now. So i not to fond of the +4s. But ive had them in my monte carlo for 3 years and it still runs beautiful. So who knows? i would def trust the NGKs tho. Why would a plug make the gasoline burn hotter? Unless other plugs dont burn the gas all the way...I figure the plug cant change the combustion reaction too much, It just ignites the gas. Im just asking someone to clarify this if they know why.

is there a huge diffrent in the iridiums and the regular ngk's?

huge difference how? In terms of performance? I doubt it.
In terms of construction? Same basic design (two electrodes) different alloys. In terms of lifespan, I would bet on it. Irridium is a harder alloy and should not decay as fast.

However, spark plugs are like toothbrushes, wait a few months and a newer more "revolutionary" one will come out.

Cool, again thanks for the advice.

Id say just get the ones that last longest. And fyi, Iridium its own metal its not an alloy. Alloy is a mixture of 2 metals to get desirable properties, Like stainless steel is 10% chromium and the rest steel. And silver would idealy be the best spark plug, Because it is the best conductor. But im guessing it wouldnt last too long inside a motor.

Im well aware of the fact that Iridium itself is an element not an alloy, but I was under the impression the NGK Iridiums were not pure elemental iridium in the electrode. My understanding of Iridium is that it is very dense, and hard but its also extremely brittle, therefore NGK uses Iridium in an alloy to reduce brittleness and make the electrodes easier to manufacture.

but I guess when I wrote that sentence, I should have just said "metal" instead of "alloy", but I didnt know the resident fact checker would call me out on it. :x:

Haha, i didnt mean to make it sound like that, so sorry. Just wanted to say it, because a lot of people confuse "metal" with "alloy", even big companies for the most part. The other thing is, Im sure the plugs are made of iridium, But its not exactly what id want to have a spark plug made out of. The best conductors are silver, copper, and gold, in that order. Even nickle or something would be better. I know people trust them but i think the iridium thing is just a marketing ploy.

Its cool, Im human too it seems.

as for the topic:
Well there are other things important in the construction and function of a spark plug that are just as, if not more, important than conductivity. Things such as heat dissapation, heat resistance (melting point), erosion and oxidation. Its also not just about the materials used but how they are used together and the design and shape of the plug. These properties affect the way the mixture is ignited, the longevity of the plug, cylinder temperatures, and a variety of other variables that while I admit are nominal differences, are indeed what separates the good from the not as good. Its like cables and wires to audiophiles...do the expensive ones make a difference? To the audiophile they do.
Its like you said, if the only thing to worry about was conductivity then we would have plugs made of silver. But its also like I said, wait a few months something new will come out.

Iridium is an element. It is here because the meteor that was said to have killed the dinosaur's was made of iridium. It formed the gulf of mexico a few million years ago. There is a layer of iridium about an inch or less covering the earth that was caused by that meteor. Probably the best metal that exists on the planet. Probably not the best metal for spark plugs though. Stick with NGK. They are the best bang for the buck. All it is, like most already said, is the electric signal traveling through the least resistance. The gap provides just enough for the electricity to travel through the free space to reach the other metal to continue the charge. But, so much energy is lost in the gap that the charge is basically done when it reaches the other electrode so the charge ends at the gap. All you need is one electrode, one with good conduction, which ngk provides. Spark plugs don't do much besides conduct electricity. Clean plugs, gapped correctly are fine. Worry more about air and fuel flow, that is where the power gain is at. I believe the injectors are capable of a lot more flow then stock; get a chip to balance air and fuel flow to get the best power. Change plugs about every 15K and you'll be fine.

and i'm out.

LOL, and now a word from the resident geologist...hahaha

first of all...we were talking about NGK Iridium plugs, secondly changing plugs every 15k on a good running engine is a waste of money. and thirdly no one was debating the fact that adding fuel/air, etc yields more power...the discussion was about spark plugs and which ones are better...but I see that some people just want to steer the topic elsewhere so.....

:whateva:

I can feel the love.

well stop feeling THAT "love" and go do something productive you dirty boy!

I wish I could, but nothing will happen without $$$

Agreed, Money is the limiting factor. Haha. So if there is only so much iridium...in a few thousand years of making spark plugs wont some orignal NGK iridium plugs from now sell on ebay for like 2 million? im gona get some now and hold on to em. To add to the post...I still say...whatever works use it. He is right on one thing, spark plugs just need to conduct electricity. Longevity is the main thing i would look at, As long as they are doing there ignition job correctly.