PLUG WARS - Let the games commence!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
PLUG WARS - Let the games commence!
hehehe...Sorry about the title but I KNOW this will be the cause of some debate!
There's not a lot on the forum about plug specific comparisons that I can find (Maybe they were in the archives that were irretrievably lost a year or so back?)
ANYWAY; I’m interested to hear from anyone who has TRIED any of the following. I'm not looking for HP gain or economy gain, just longevity really, so my two primary choices are Triple platinum Splitfires and Bosch +4's.
Anyone?
These are destined for my '85 by the way...
There's not a lot on the forum about plug specific comparisons that I can find (Maybe they were in the archives that were irretrievably lost a year or so back?)
ANYWAY; I’m interested to hear from anyone who has TRIED any of the following. I'm not looking for HP gain or economy gain, just longevity really, so my two primary choices are Triple platinum Splitfires and Bosch +4's.
Anyone?
These are destined for my '85 by the way...
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,653
Likes: 428
From: Melbourne Florida
Cruise-In IV Veteran
When I first got my vette it had the Plus 4's in it...they were a mess...went to A/C Delco Rapidfires and they weren't much better...I ended up using Autolite "El Cheapo's", like a buck a plug...I've been using them for three years now with no issues...I changed them after 2 years and they were like new...
I do gap mine a bit differently...I gap at .030...yes, my idle is a tiny bit rougher than stock but at WOT it is smooth as silk...
I do gap mine a bit differently...I gap at .030...yes, my idle is a tiny bit rougher than stock but at WOT it is smooth as silk...
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 11,628
Likes: 1
From: Sherwood, Arkansas
Originally Posted by RRT vette
I use NGK in my 86 and 95
NGK is better and longer lasting than Bosch.
But neither plug will run hotter than that chick on the hood of your car! (ahem, I mean "hood ornament to be")
Last edited by NEVRL8T; May 1, 2006 at 10:36 AM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
If you want a long lasting plug get NGK platinum or irridium. From a monetary standpoint though, it hardly makes sense to buy anything but standard plugs unless you absolutely hate to work on your car and want to shut the hood and forget about it for years.
The gimmick plugs are just that, gimmicks.
The gimmick plugs are just that, gimmicks.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
There were ngks in my car when I bought it, the exhaust was pure white so I put the proper ac delcos in after 1 year in the car I am getting a skip and from what I read on here some guys think ac is no good --soooo what do you guys think would be a good plug for a 1990 L98 no mods except flowmaster muffs--Thanks guys
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 2
From: seattle WA
A couple things. First, I've read to many posts to put any plug with a puck into my cars, where do those missing pucks go? and what damage can they cause? suppose if you're lucky they'll end up in the cat.
Second, I watched for yearrrrrrrs as my Dad would get a newer car, trying the splits and the pucks-each time he put gas in his vehicles he entered it in a log book-seeing basically if he got better mileage or performance-his response was 99% waiste of money!
I've tried damn near every plug made with the exception of the splits and pucks-Champion, ACDelcos, NGK, Autolite-just to name a few. I always come back to ACDelcos or NGKs. Hey, I can change plugs twice
for the cost of Splits or pucks. And until someone shows dyno results-unbiased results-I'll stick to what works for me.As for gas mileage-I'd have to see the same-unbiased test.
Second, I watched for yearrrrrrrs as my Dad would get a newer car, trying the splits and the pucks-each time he put gas in his vehicles he entered it in a log book-seeing basically if he got better mileage or performance-his response was 99% waiste of money!
I've tried damn near every plug made with the exception of the splits and pucks-Champion, ACDelcos, NGK, Autolite-just to name a few. I always come back to ACDelcos or NGKs. Hey, I can change plugs twice
for the cost of Splits or pucks. And until someone shows dyno results-unbiased results-I'll stick to what works for me.As for gas mileage-I'd have to see the same-unbiased test.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Fredonia WI
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Like Fuzzy Dice and Jimbo7, my 85 has Autolite.
Gary
Gary
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
Thanks one & all for your rapid feedback!
'AngelofDeath'; yeah, NO plug can beat my hood emblem can it?! hehehe
'jmrl98'; when you say you "cut back the splitfires" - WHAT exactly do you mean? 'Cutting back' plugs is a term I only read for the first time yesterday - please explain?
'AngelofDeath'; yeah, NO plug can beat my hood emblem can it?! hehehe
'jmrl98'; when you say you "cut back the splitfires" - WHAT exactly do you mean? 'Cutting back' plugs is a term I only read for the first time yesterday - please explain?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 165
Likes: 1
From: rowlett tx
My mechanic told me to use the plane AC delcos in my 86. Those plugs are what the engine was designed to run on. The bosch platinums will carbon up really easily.
at $1.50 a plug, thats fine with me
at $1.50 a plug, thats fine with me
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
Splitfire ??? Jeez I thought those worthless plugs went away a long time ago. What a lousy gimmick those were, but they sold millions of them things and whoever invented them I am sure got rich!
A basic NGK TR55 works fine in all but the most extreme engines. I use their TR6 for blown applications or if you have a gasketed plug I use either a BKR5E or a BKR6E in AFR heads which require a gasketed spark plug. Or in very high performance engines I will use the NGK Iridium replacements for the above plugs. The iridium gimmick is one gimmick that reallly works. I use them almost exclusively in the LSx engines, especially high ouput or blown LSx applications.
A basic NGK TR55 works fine in all but the most extreme engines. I use their TR6 for blown applications or if you have a gasketed plug I use either a BKR5E or a BKR6E in AFR heads which require a gasketed spark plug. Or in very high performance engines I will use the NGK Iridium replacements for the above plugs. The iridium gimmick is one gimmick that reallly works. I use them almost exclusively in the LSx engines, especially high ouput or blown LSx applications.
Last edited by tjwong; May 2, 2006 at 03:13 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
Originally Posted by comp
Well, I DID title this post "Let the games commence! " so...well, I guess they commenced! hehehe
Gee a lot of you guys are really stuck with those delco plugs aren't you?
...Think I'll grab a bite to eat and watch the ballgame too
...Move over comp, ya got a beer handy as well?
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 336
Likes: 3
From: State of Confusion
Always a subjective subject! One person will tell you that one plug is the only one that needs to be manufactured and another person will tell you that that same plug is the biggest piece of trash on the market. I'm using plain jane NGK V-Power's and I've had good luck, are they the best? Probably not, but they've worked fine for me. As I'm sure all of the plugs mentioned above have worked for that particular person.Cheers,
Adam.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,215
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
New to the Vette, haven't got to the plugs yet, but I'm interested in what others say are good or are duds. I tried Bosch Platinums on my GT Mustang. They seemed good for a while but went sour quickly for the steep price and hype. I pulled them out and found more than half of them had melted center electrodes and missing pieces of the ceramic around those fried electrodes!
I can only imagine what a loose piece of ceramic does inside a cylinder before it finds it's way out (or half way out) the exhaust valve. Yes, they were the recomended heat range, just don't know what test they used to determine that
... had the best luck with Autolite regular ol' cheaps.
I can only imagine what a loose piece of ceramic does inside a cylinder before it finds it's way out (or half way out) the exhaust valve. Yes, they were the recomended heat range, just don't know what test they used to determine that ... had the best luck with Autolite regular ol' cheaps.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
Originally Posted by Klondike
New to the Vette, haven't got to the plugs yet, but I'm interested in what others say are good or are duds. I tried Bosch Platinums on my GT Mustang. They seemed good for a while but went sour quickly for the steep price and hype. I pulled them out and found more than half of them had melted center electrodes and missing pieces of the ceramic around those fried electrodes! I can only imagine what a loose piece of ceramic does inside a cylinder before it finds it's way out (or half way out) the exhaust valve. Yes, they were the recomended heat range, just don't know what test they used to determine that ... had the best luck with Autolite regular ol' cheaps.
I can only imagine what a loose piece of ceramic does inside a cylinder before it finds it's way out (or half way out) the exhaust valve. Yes, they were the recomended heat range, just don't know what test they used to determine that ... had the best luck with Autolite regular ol' cheaps.Klondike; I've already all but given up on the Bosch +4's myself.
I think ALL sparkplugs will 'work' and the basis of THIS post was on the longevity side of things; and you've given me a GOOD account of what I was after
As I saw someone post elsewhere, words to the effect that a spark can still start a forest fire no matter what the source; to ME, we're discussing what sort of MATCH to start the fire with...