spark plug question...

[mrxplode]

sorry i needed this info before i went and bought these things...warning not a toyota..

my bro has a lancer which has been turbo'ed and his spark plugs need changing...is it better for him to ge the IRIDIUM spark plugs over the standered sparks???

thanks

[LeeRoy]

If it's not broke don't fix it. Or is it broke?
The only reason to change plugs is because the old ones are not doing a good job. Just ensure that the plugs you buy have a suitable heat rating.

- LeeRoy

[30psi 4agte]

Iridium plugs are good and last a long time same goes for platinum but if you want all out performance you cant beat steel plugs!!

[terra]

copper plugs, cheap and work fine, i heard plats shoudlnt be used in boost applications, thats what iriduims are for...but dont ask me. cheap copper ones are the best ^^

[kingmick]

Iriduims are fine they give you a longer interval between changing them. but good old fashion steel plugs do the same job{a fraction better} and it takes a lot of them to cost the same as iridium ones!
mainly depends on how much he wants to spend and how he keeps it serviced! if he dosnt want to look at plugs for a while, go iridium.

[beige_bandit]

If it's not broke don't fix it. Or is it broke?
The only reason to change plugs is because the old ones are not doing a good job. Just ensure that the plugs you buy have a suitable heat rating.

- LeeRoy

Um plugs have a service life, you dont replace them once there broken, you replace them once they,ve worn, the electorde tip wears out and the spark becomes inconsistent, response, economy, performance will all suffer, there like engine oil, you dont let your oil get too old even though your engine might not consume oil over even 20,000 kms, you replace it every 5,000kms

Get the Best plugs you can acordding to your budget!(hopefully some IRIDIUM'S)

[LeeRoy]

I was more referring to them not firing properly due to maybe this motor running hotter. I was saying if the plugs he is running aren't causing him any probs is there any real reason to change?

- LeeRoy

[mrxplode]

basically its his 5000k serivce and he thinks that he has to change em every 5000k they arnt that worn but still need to be done right>???? so best option is iridium for boosted engine?

[BigWorm]

He certainly shouldn't be using the standard spec plugs!
He should get plugs that are at least one heat range colder & with a smaller gap, for example 4AGEs use a heat range of 5 & a 1.1mm gap, now mine is turbo'd I use a 7 heat range & 0.8mm gap.

What the plugs are made from really only affects the service life, I'd rather use copper & replace them 10 times as often than use iridium & pay 10 times as much. Not a big deal for me as I've got the bonnet up & playing with it at least once a week anyway, plus I can get a discount when buying boxes of copper plugs and keep an eye one plug condition.

[kingmick]

depends on the plug! and irdiums are fine for boosted and want have to touch them for awhile then.

[oldcorollas]

from a technical standpoint, the claim is with Pt or Ir plugs that the smaller tips give better access for the mixture to the spark, and a more consistent initiation and sligtly easier path for the flame ball to grow, so a very slight performance advantage?. Pt and Ir are also better at resisting spark erosion. hence the longer life.
in real life, the main benefit is that a manufacturer does not need to remove them within the first 50-100K of running (or whatever).

as said, run the correct heat range first, and then choose the more expensive ones if he never wants to look at them again. (but being a turbo motor... you'd want to check them ever now and again right?)

[beige_bandit]

as said, run the correct heat range first, and then choose the more expensive ones if he never wants to look at them again. (but being a turbo motor... you'd want to check them ever now and again right?)

This is true, your only stabbing your own foot if you dont check your shit!

But i would suggest from fair amount of expirience that a platinum plug will last(still fire but plug will be in poor condition) no more than 80,000kms(forget what NGK say)
and an iridium you'll be lucky if it looks respectable after 40-50,000kms, I'm not saying they will be fucked but like was said before you dont wait for things to get fucked till you change them.

Just keep in mind they dont last as long as is stated by the manufacturer!

Peace

[LeeRoy]

I'm not saying they will be fucked but like was said before you dont wait for things to get fucked till you change them.

I wasn't saying wait till it misfires to change them, i was merely stating that if those plugs are doing a good job then really there is no need to change to a better plug. Sure those plugs may be old - the guy says they need changing, i was merely saying plugs the same as what were in there but new would be fine since its not said whether they aren't working properly. The guy hasn't said that the motor is misfiring or its playing up or what not, he's only asked about changing brand of plugs, he says that those plugs are old and they need to be changed. I think i've been misunderstood here .

- LeeRoy

[beige_bandit]

^^^^^ wasnt referring to you leeroy, i understand your statement! was reffering to my previous post which was in slight missunderstanding.

Sorry, I Wasnt having a go at ya leeroy

[1UZFTTZZE]

i have had many a iridium plug die from to much fuel from after market computers not tuned properly but like mentioned up top u really need to gap them down to .8 on any turbo car save them from breaking down under boost