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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ What type of plugs you guys running?

Posted by: dlo914 Mar 21 2005, 03:15 PM

im just curious to see if anyone running like the Bosch Platinum +2 or +4 actually felt a difference. Other than that i would assume NGK plugs would also work. Well for most things i already know the 2 or 4 pronged plugs dont get 4 sparks, but it just provides the spark more options to spark to. But i just want first hand experience of others using different plugs, before i purchased a new set of plugs....so bring on the plug info.... o and do these plugs actually increase gas mileage?

Posted by: skline Mar 21 2005, 03:17 PM

I run NGK plugs in mine, Bosch plugs have never worked well for me. Just my opinion.

Posted by: MarkG Mar 21 2005, 03:20 PM

BIG NGK fan here - have been since working in the imported car parts business years ago.....BP6ES in the 914, B7EV in the 911 and BP5ES in the 308.

Posted by: jkeyzer Mar 21 2005, 03:30 PM

NGK BP6ES here. The 2/4/6/8/infinite electrode plugs are a gimmick IMHO. Also avoid platinum plugs that have a teeny tiny center electrode, they are apparently easy to foul (or so I am told).

Posted by: Rgreen914 Mar 21 2005, 03:35 PM

I run Split-Fire plugs in the teener (don't drive it enough to notice any difference) and in my big block Suburban. Years ago, I changed to Split-Fire plugs in my (TBI) big block dually and picked up almost 1/2 mpg! When you are getting only about 10 mpg, that's a BIG improvement and so I've stuck with them; can't tell if they make that much of a difference with the (MPI) 'burb, 'cause my tires are a bit taller than stock and haven't modified the computer to recalibrate the speedometer.

Ron

Posted by: Jake Raby Mar 21 2005, 03:36 PM

Nothing beats the old Supers...

Platinums suck!

The Beru Silver plugs rock, but they are 7 bucks each if you can find them...

All the BS about plugs has never proven it's self on my dyno......

I only use the NGK s with our 12mm plug retrofits because Bosch does not make an adequate plug for them....

Posted by: jwalters Mar 21 2005, 03:50 PM

I am using the +4's with a blaster2 coil. My idle improved very much. It was also much easier to get repeat results when tuning the carbs.

AS far as overall hp, prolly don't do much if anything--but that is seat of the pants--

What I can tell you is that there is no electrode wear--the gap stays the same thru its life--

So I did have some improvement--and they were only 5 bucks each.

I do run a hot coil tho--some say they foul easy,all depends on the person-- but look at these, 18,000 mi on a slam wore out 1.7--they never hiccup'd or fouled, they sparked always-- And yes, they ARE going into my turbo motor---

Attached image(s)

Posted by: jwalters Mar 21 2005, 03:51 PM

This is what they were up against---

Attached image(s)

Posted by: jwalters Mar 21 2005, 03:52 PM

And the chambers----it is nice peace of mind that thru out their life the gap will never change--and with a hot coil ( presumably ) will spark in bad situations---they worked for me--my two cents

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Posted by: Jake Raby Mar 21 2005, 03:55 PM

Nice head leaks......

Posted by: Joe Sharp Mar 21 2005, 03:56 PM

I like Sam.
Joe

Posted by: Rgreen914 Mar 21 2005, 03:58 PM

QUOTE (Jake Raby @ Mar 21 2005, 01:55 PM)
Nice head leaks......

Nevermind those...what about those lavender gloves???

Ron

Posted by: jwalters Mar 21 2005, 04:04 PM

QUOTE (Rgreen914 @ Mar 21 2005, 04:58 PM)

QUOTE (Jake Raby @ Mar 21 2005, 01:55 PM)
Nice head leaks......

Nevermind those...what about those lavender gloves???

Ron

Those were the pushrod seals gone bad--the cylinder mating surface was not leaking--yet--

Those gloves are garden variety nitriles--I guess from the color that is why they are cheaper than the others--they stand up quite nicely tho---

All I need is to wear an apron with " Kiss the Mech " on it!!!

Posted by: jwalters Mar 21 2005, 04:06 PM

QUOTE (Joe Sharp @ Mar 21 2005, 04:56 PM)
I like Sam.
Joe

---Yea, SIGH,,,,,,,I do too-----until she wants to get serious-- ....

Posted by: mike_the_man Mar 21 2005, 04:20 PM

I've used both NGKs and Bosch Supers. Both seemed to work very good. I've heard some pretty bad things about the Bosch Platinums, so I've never bothered with them. My Audi uses the original Bosch Platinum plugs, and they're supposed to be really good. They also cost something like $15 a plug. I'm not looking forward to replacing those bad boys!

Posted by: dlo914 Mar 21 2005, 04:34 PM

dang...i was only away from the comp for about an hour for lunch...thanks for the numerous replies...thanks again guys...i'll prolly settle for the NGK BP6ES...available at the local FLAPS? kragen, autozone, and such?

Posted by: dlo914 Mar 21 2005, 04:36 PM

other than plugs...what causes the popping noise out of the exhaust pipe when im in a high gear and low rpm?

Posted by: dlo914 Mar 21 2005, 04:42 PM

well i did a search on www.kragen.com for the NGK BP6ES, and came up with only the B6ES are these the same plugs?

Posted by: Jake Raby Mar 21 2005, 04:49 PM

That cylinder mating surface WAS leaking...... Betcha.

QUOTE
other than plugs...what causes the popping noise out of the exhaust pipe when im in a high gear and low rpm?

Tight exhaust valve(s)

Posted by: dlo914 Mar 21 2005, 04:54 PM

hmm...tight exhaust valve aye....well i did a valve adjustment about 2 months back and im not getting the popping as often as i use to...i'll prolly check out in during spring break....thanks Jake

Posted by: jwalters Mar 21 2005, 05:05 PM

Dude--you'd be surprised--When I went over to help Fernando AKA martinf--I helped him do a compression check---all in the 150 range except for #3 cylinder--it was...like...10 ( ten ) psi-

He was worried-and justly so--but I backed off the adjuster, and had him crank it again--guess what? 139 psi--

Guess which valve?? Exhaust---

Was totally screwing up the vacuum signal for his FI--this was a cold motor, so when hot guess how much the valve was opening then???

Not to mention maybe more of them that were too tight---I don't know why, but my wore out motor wanted .009...period. Maybe the case and parts had been thru too many millions of heat cycles?? Who knows..

Jake, I know the photo is decieving--but it still had the crush washers in it, and they were fine-no burn thru at all--I know--too good to be true, surprised the hell outta me as well-that sludge is from the head sitting loose on the cyl's for over two months with decarbonizer and oil wetting everything down and mixing with the dirt--

I took it to work and put in our mill with a depth gauge on it---.001 difference between the two holes--guess this motor was made by guys ALL having a good day-- Can't wait to get it back together and fresh like!

Posted by: Jake Raby Mar 21 2005, 05:29 PM

You can have a head leakand the gaskets not be blown.... Most of them are that way actually.

Posted by: MarkG Mar 21 2005, 06:04 PM

QUOTE (dlo914 @ Mar 21 2005, 02:34 PM)
dang...i was only away from the comp for about an hour for lunch...thanks for the numerous replies...thanks again guys...i'll prolly settle for the NGK BP6ES...available at the local FLAPS? kragen, autozone, and such?

Maybe in America, but not here in Colorado Springs. Every 'FLAPS' here (autozone, Checkers, Pep Boys etc. - God how I miss GOOD independant parts stores), as I stare at their "NGK sold here" posters, give me the Deer in a headlight look when I ask for BP6ES plugs - some have even told me they don't make 'em anymore! One local independent did offer to 'special order' some for me.....

So, as I do anytime I need something better than McDonalds or truck parts...I drive up to Denver.......

B6ES are different....the P means Projected tip.

Posted by: dlo914 Mar 21 2005, 06:59 PM

ahh crap gotta return the ones ive ordered from kraKen now...

Posted by: MattR Mar 21 2005, 07:05 PM

My favorite is when you go to the counter and ask for a Bosch W7BC spark plug and they type stuff in the computer for 5 minutes and say "what year is your car?"

sorry daniel, but you know your coworkers are morons...

Posted by: p914 Mar 21 2005, 08:27 PM

I run a modified bosch plug.
http://www.supersonicspark.com
you may laugh until you try it.
If you have seen the new Evenrude 2 stroke combustion videos you will understand how gas is atomized in the chamber to burn more efficiently. The supersonic does basically the same thing only the supersonic uses ultrasonic waves to atomize the gas in the chamber.

let the rips rip but you really have to try it to see that it works.

Posted by: bondo Mar 21 2005, 08:28 PM

QUOTE (MattR @ Mar 21 2005, 06:05 PM)
My favorite is when you go to the counter and ask for a Bosch W7BC spark plug and they type stuff in the computer for 5 minutes and say "what year is your car?" :rolleyes:

Haha, reminds me of when I went to the GM dealer to order some parts for my LT1 that's going into the 914. The first thing they asked was "what's the vin?". Like I'm going to remember that... I don't even have the car anymore. The first guy was sure the part could not be looked up without the vin. The second guy knew how to look them up by year and model though and ordered them. I swear people are turning into robots.

Oh, and to keep this on topic, I'm running AC Delco 41-906 plugs.. 8 of them.. Double platinum and they last 100k miles according to the factory manual. The old ones looked in ok shape, and the firebird had 115k miles.. probably the originals.

Posted by: TimT Mar 21 2005, 08:43 PM

QUOTE
If you have seen the new Evenrude 2 stroke combustion videos you will understand how gas is atomized in the chamber to burn more efficiently.

SHOW US

I only ask becasue I saw Harley Davidson film years ago about combustion events..

the " in cylinder cam" showed the valves distorting and not completely seating... was a cool video to watch...

share the Evinrude stuff.... the "experts" here have already claimed to have more impirical data than Pratt and Whitney ( doubt it)

Posted by: bondo Mar 21 2005, 08:48 PM

I did my best to decypher the patent-ese.. is it really just a spark plug with a hole drilled in the ground electrode?

Posted by: 9144guy Mar 21 2005, 10:47 PM

i also run ngk and thats all i install at work unless the cust. otherwise

Posted by: p914 Mar 21 2005, 11:28 PM

The Evenrude video was on TV this past weekend on Channel 2 in Portland. You might find a video on it on the website though.

Yes the spark plug has been drilled. If you read the info, it is a simple procedure and it works.

Posted by: p914 Mar 21 2005, 11:43 PM

http://www.evinrude.com/en-US/Media.Center/Multimedia/Evinrude.TV/Infomercial.TV/
The website has a schedule of when the infomercial runs.
E-Tec is the name of the technology. It outperforms the 4 strokes and is CLEANER and MORE POWERFULL. Gotta like that.

http://www.evinrude.com/en-US/Media.Center/Multimedia/Videos.htm
Here are the videos.

Posted by: dlo914 Mar 23 2005, 02:02 AM

QUOTE (MattR @ Mar 21 2005, 05:05 PM)
My favorite is when you go to the counter and ask for a Bosch W7BC spark plug and they type stuff in the computer for 5 minutes and say "what year is your car?"

sorry daniel, but you know your coworkers are morons...

hehe the girls that work there dont know crap....but other than that we only get like the 4 digit part numbers w/out lettering...

Posted by: dlo914 Mar 23 2005, 02:07 AM

obtained a set of BP6ES today from Sources....and installed them. I'm not sure if it's all mental or such, but i felt the car respond a tad better.... o and they were only $2.50/plug...total = $10+tax...

Posted by: Joe Ricard Mar 23 2005, 07:08 AM

I got the NGK's from Aircooled.net along with some other stuff. If you can't get it off the internet then it really don't exsist.

Posted by: Sparky Mar 23 2005, 08:44 AM

I've been helping a guy get together a website and some marketing stuff for his business. One portion of his business is testing sparkplugs. My first thought was umm yeah ok. But thenI sat with him for an afternoon and watched him test a set of NGK's I picked up on the way over. I bought 8 plugs from a FLAPS and out of the 8 only 1 was bad. To test them he uses a nitrogen pressure chamber to simulate compression ranges, he asked what we run in teener and I said lets try an average of 120 per cylinder. He begins by letting the plugs sit and run at about 50% pressure and we started watching the o-scope. It tooks about 5 minutes for the plugs to settle down and start firing nice and evenly. He started bringing the pressue up slowly to 120. The KV demand was consistant with the exception of this one plug. I dont have the numbers here in front of me but the KV demand rose as the pressure increased, which it is supposed to do. But with this one bad plug the KV demand just shot thru the roof. At 120 the bad plug instead of firing a nice pretty spark and having a consistant KV demand started arcing over and it was wild!! He tested a set of Autolite (75% failure rate), Bosch platinums (5% failure rate) and a really cool set of Denso Iridium plugs (no failures). It was a very educational day and he is going to help me setup the teener with an ignition system that should be damn near bullett proof.

Based on his testing experience over the past several years the NGK's and the Bosch Platinums are the better AUTOMOTIVE plugs. The multi-tip plugs didnt test very well and he said he wouldnt put them in his scooter.

Most of his testing is for race teams and industrial applications.

Sorry for the length but I thought some of you would find this interesting.

My best,
Mike D.