Spark Plugs.

[77chrome]

Hey Just wondering what you guys thought the best plugs and wires to buy for my car. I know NKG are the best but witch ones should I get. Also, do you think that lightweight pullys are a good mod?

[Igovert500]

http://johnmonnin.netfirms.com/PlugWires.html

has a nice comparison

Essentially, as far as I'm concerned it depends if you are modded or not (do you have a vr4?)

Unless you have a vr4 and are turning the boost up higher than stock levels, I would stick with NGK platinums, as they last longer and are great plugs.
If you turn up the boost, and are having issues with spark blowout, I'd go copper, but then you have to change them every 10k. If you have an NA, then just go with what you like, I'd still recommend platinum, as they are cheap, reliable and such. But you could also check out the stuff on john monnins website and on stealth316, and do some research on iridiums and see how you like those...but once again, I don't think anything beats the NGK platinums plugs.

As far as the pulleys...there is a constant debate about this...

http://www.pacarsearch.com/stealth/udp.htm

that describes the debate pretty well. personally I wouldn't do it on a vr4, as there are plenty of other ways to get hp. If you have an NA, then possibly, if you are running out of mods to do...but I still don't like the idea of them. Just my .02, but check out the websites, and make your own informed decision.

[Linebckr49]

Originally Posted by Igovert500

[ I would stick with NGK platinums, as they last longer and are great plugs.

agreed

Originally Posted by Igovert5hundredmillionbagillion

I'd still recommend platinum, as they are CHEAP, reliable and such.

wow there cowboy. maybe i've fallen off my horse, but last time i checked, platinums were anything but cheap. if you're lucky, you can find a set of 6 plugs for about $60. but expect to pay at least that and most likely close to 70 or 80. but yes, the NGK Platinums are really good and last a long time.

[Hotshot8792]

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

agreed



wow there cowboy. maybe i've fallen off my horse, but last time i checked, platinums were anything but cheap. if you're lucky, you can find a set of 6 plugs for about $60. but expect to pay at least that and most likely close to 70 or 80. but yes, the NGK Platinums are really good and last a long time.

yea, platinums are a bit more expensive. You have 3 types of plugs, copper, platinums, and iridiums. Coppers are the best conductors and produce the most possible power, and i would recommend them on a turbo car, but you have to replace them every 10K miles as stated. They are also the cheapest as they are $1.89 a piece at your local auto store. The platinumbs a bit more expensive at about $10 per plug. They are the second best conductors of electricity, but last quite a bit longer then coppers, probably up to 35 or 40k miles. And then last you have iridiums which are the most expensive, about $15-$20 per plug but supposedly last probably around 60K+ miles, but are the worst conductors of electricity of the three.

[Linebckr49]

Originally Posted by Hotshot8792

And then last you have iridiums which are the most expensive, about $15-$20 per plug but supposedly last probably around 60K+ miles, but are the worst conductors of electricity of the three.

if Iridiums are the worst conductors of the three, then would someone only purchase them for their longevity? is the difference in performance (copper, plat, irid) negligible or noticeable? it seems the jump in price is only due to each plugs lifespan and totally unrelated to performance.

[Igovert500]

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

wow there cowboy. maybe i've fallen off my horse, but last time i checked, platinums were anything but cheap.

Whoops, thanks for catching that. My mistake.

As far as price being due to performance and longevity...I think of it this way...boosted cars are the antithesis to normal cars. In a normal car, their performance differences are negligable (as far as I'm concerned) and the main draw is the less they have to be changed the better. For turbo cars however, we need the extra power of the spark emitted from the copper plugs and we need to combat spark blowout. So power is more of a concern for us. Luckily most of the general public wants longevity and doesn't care about the conductivity of the plug as long as it works for them. So it ends up working out that we get the plugs we want for cheap. Unfortunantly, we do need to change them more often...but it's not like we don't enjoy being under the hood anyway, so it isn't a big deal as far as I'm concerned.

[Hotshot8792]

Originally Posted by Igovert500

Whoops, thanks for catching that. My mistake.

As far as price being due to performance and longevity...I think of it this way...boosted cars are the antithesis to normal cars. In a normal car, their performance differences are negligable (as far as I'm concerned) and the main draw is the less they have to be changed the better. For turbo cars however, we need the extra power of the spark emitted from the copper plugs and we need to combat spark blowout. So power is more of a concern for us. Luckily most of the general public wants longevity and doesn't care about the conductivity of the plug as long as it works for them. So it ends up working out that we get the plugs we want for cheap. Unfortunantly, we do need to change them more often...but it's not like we don't enjoy being under the hood anyway, so it isn't a big deal as far as I'm concerned.

exactly, and if you think changing spark plugs that often is a pain in the butt, then you shouldnt be modding your car to that point where you need the coppers to help overcompensate for spark blowout. I can have all 6 of mine changed out within 30 minutes, so its not like its that hard.

[Linebckr49]

thanks guys. in no way was i complaining about changing plugs; i love being under the hood, and actually, i'd rather change them before every 10k miles...just so i can rip off the plenum more frequently. but thanks for clearing that up. i do see it makes more sense to think of plugs in terms of naturally aspirated cars, and forced induction cars.