spark plug choices.

[johnwc723]

BE SURE TO READ THE SPARK PLUG FAQ AND ADD YOUR FAVORITE SPARK PLUG TO THE POLL
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well i installed a msd blaster 2 ignition coil as well as nice high energy spark plug wires... do you guys think that it would be a good idea to increase my spark plug gap a bit? right now im running new V-powers at .044. would increasing it make a difference?

[Magny]

well it depends on alot of factors, look it up in the search, thats if you haven't done it yet. I found a thread similar to your question that helped me out very much, but unfortunately I have to look for it again. Once I find it I will post it for ya.

[dXsquared]

ive heard .50 is ok with good coil and wires...

Travis

[johnwc723]

yeah i looked aroudn alittle bit, it looks like it might be a good idea? im not gonna hit the piston head or anything at .05? :)

[Magny]

ive heard .50 is ok with good coil and wires...

Travis

You sure its .5 or .05???

I got mine gapped to .052

My gapper only has .001 to .1

[Magny]

Nah, it won't hit at all. I would know cause I had an 78 camaro and the first time I did gappings on that thing, all i heard was tap tap tap tap really fast on all 8 cylinders. pulled them out and the tips were beat to hell.

[johnwc723]

alright so it looks good to gap it a little more than eh? maybe it will make a difference, butit wont hurt right?

[Magny]

don't do it too far cause you can misfire. do it to about .054, thats the max that I heard that you can go without any problems.

[dXsquared]

no.. i meant .50.. hahaha... take a guess... half an inch of gap???

it was supposed to be .050...

Travis

[1988starter]

I would go to .050 if you go much more than that you get an angled spark and a greater chance of missfire

[88turboaccord]

well can go the other way, I had mine gapped between .22-.24 Can anyone fill me in why I did this????? :cheers:

[shepherd79]

the longer the gap the longer the spark in time wise, but it won't be as powerful as if you make it shorter. on the turbo motors you have to make it shorter to get the best spark, but on NA motors you need the longest spark. if it was me i would actually make it a little smaller. to about .040

[Gregg86DX]

well can go the other way, I had mine gapped between .22-.24 Can anyone fill me in why I did this????? :cheers:

If you were boosting the engine, then you probably had to close the gap to get a clean spark. It's more difficult for the spark to jump the gap when the cylinder is under higher pressure. That's why you typically need to run a hotter ignition (like MSD) to support a Turbo/Supercharged motor. You basically want to run the biggest gap you can, without causing misfire.

Gregg

[88turboaccord]

wow you guys are getting smarter all the time :bow:

[JohnnyFonz]

Good lord. What the heck are all these thousandths?
We're driving Japanese cars, fellows.
I think its a rule we have to measure in Metric. :)

[johnwc723]

spark plug gaps are always given in inches, its just the standard for it, i dobut you will find anything selling 1 mm gap plugs...

[JohnnyFonz]

Actually, if you look under the hood,
the standard gap for our cars is given in mm.
1.1, if memory serves.
Besides. It was a joke....

[johnwc723]

ohh whopps :) i dunno im gonna gap em to .05 tho :)

[HondaBoy]

i'd have rather got some NGK's to replace the ones i just took out today, but i got some Autolite ones. i had cleaned off the old ones a few weeks ago, but i decided they just needed to be replaced. i looked at them and the edges of the electrode stud thing were slightly rounded. that can cause the spark to be less effective. anyway, i put the autolite one and im glad i put those in. its quieted down some. doesnt have sluggish takeoffs. i'll have to see if the gas mileage goes up now. hope so with these damn expensive prices. i've never tried Autolite, but old school guys have told me those and champion are alright. they cant be too bad, so for the $4 something i spent, its all good. i know not to ever waste my money on platinum plugs on this engine again.

[Silver86LX]

I have NGK's in there right now just to try them out. Usually I use Bosch.

[86LXItooFAST4me]

you use platinum plugs on anything with a high compression rate like anything about 10:1. Autolite are a hotter plug than most plugs but NGK is the hottest plug you can buy at the price. I use NGK iridium "V" tips, they are not platinum but they never corrode!

[Cyric_accord]

I just use the standard NGK V-Powers, no reason to do otherwise unless you have some major engine mods going to work

[AZmike]

NGK V-power. The car came with Densos, but the conductor kept vibrating apart. The NGKs in both A20s are working great.

[shepherd79]

i use NGK V-power. they are cheap and work better than bosch or champion.

[Moodybluesr]

NGK is what came with the car... NGK is what goes in the car. :D

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Oh god never use Autolite . They're horrible plugs. I use NGK Power V's. My g/f's dad put plug in her car like when I met her and they were crapolite's from walmart and her car didn't run well and I decided to change them to AC Delco's and it ran perfect.

[SrvZro]

NGK V-power. They are also sometimes called NGK TypeR or something like that because of the "R" on the side of them. They were at Kragen ,good price too, don't know if u got them out there.

NGK V-Power (http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/popups/vcut.asp)

[eightyfivelude]

hey,

Take this advice and don't flame me because i work in an automotive shop. NGK's are nice plugs until you start losing compression as they start to leak through the ceramic. All plugs with the acception of Autolites are filled with ground up shells to form a powder. Autolites do not have this powder as they are stamped in one step then shocked with a certain amperage depending on the heat range. Autolites are superior plugs to champion, NGK, motomaster and all those. Whoever has had problems with them was either do to poor wire or cap performance or improper gapping. Autolites are recommened for all performance applications in V8's by al lthe local speed shops that race and tune them.

Matt

[A20A1]

No one will flame you because you work somewhere...
I have my gripes about Autolite
Anyways I use +4's, they fire better under rich conditions and even when fouled... entirely my fault but eh.

[87accordlxph]

NGK V-Power! These are the standard plugs. Cheap and best for Hondas!

-Mike from P-Town!

[2ndgenludedude1986]

i use NGK iridium v pulgs. pest plugs i have ever had. shoudl be for 40 buck for the 4! never use bosche or autolite. the honda engines do not liek them!

[Cloud892dr]

I just put some NGK platinums in today. awesome plugs!

[whyterice]

I can hear the flames already but, when I had my 89 LXi Coupe, I used splitfire plugs and never had a problem...I am using NGK in my 87 LXi Sedan....

[eightyfivelude]

I use autolites in my car but it might make a difference running a full MSD ignition like me. I haven't had any problems yet. The car runs and idles smooth. Doesn't miss all the way up through 7500RPM.

Matt

[lightbulblxi]

i am using Denso iridium platinium plugs. i thought i would try them. they were $12 a peice.

[Strugglebucket]

[Strugglebucket]

whoops.
I've been using regular NGKs. I'm about to put in a set of the iridium ix.

[buzzbomber88lx]

i'm using bosch +4's in my celica and they work great after it started running rich from the 255lph pump. I used ngk v powers in my 3g and denso iridiums in my bonneville. so far the bosch's only problem is they are too hot of spark unless at wot and in conditions where a lot of fuel needs burned.

[AccordEpicenter]

ive used bosch and were ok, there is generally no excuse not use use NGK VPowers that came in the car, or the Denso Equivalent, both are cheap as shit and perform beautifully... Autolite is absolute shit, never run those in these cars. Platinum is not a must but they last a lot longer and can deliver a stronger spark, not nessescerily improving performance tho...

[buzzbomber88lx]

autolite is not really shit....the best performing plugs on pump gas and non forced induction are copper plugs....

[Nate2310]

I just put in Bosch plus 2 today w/ my new 11mm crane cams wires and they work great my car is running really good now and i'm happy with them

[HondaBoy]

well, i see maybe some of y'all must have had some problems with your autolite plugs. but i tell you the truth, my car is getting better gas mileage than it did with the ngk's. ah, the autolites weren't but a bit over $4, so i'm not worried about how much i spent. i'll see how they do, i usually check on my plugs regularly to make sure they aren't messed up and properly gapped. i wouldnt go back to platinums, they wore out pretty fast and would always get wet with fuel. didnt happen the ngk V's, but they didnt last over 4000 miles. i think i will want to replace the stock coil, so along with that im going to redo the ignition with a nice amp box, dont know which brand i'll go with. msd looks like what i will be able to get. well, i've found that it isnt all about how much the plugs cost. well, lets see what the rest of y'all use.

[riced_roach]

you use platinum plugs on anything with a high compression rate like anything about 10:1. Autolite are a hotter plug than most plugs but NGK is the hottest plug you can buy at the price. I use NGK iridium "V" tips, they are not platinum but they never corrode!

I think your getting confused with the plugs heat range. Just remember if your using a hotter plug your just asking for detonation. Use the heat range recommended by honda. If anything going colder is better as long as the plug doesn't foul.

Aboslutely no need in using expensive plugs on an easy accessable sparkplug location. Even though platinums or iridium plugs do not wear visually there is issues of perfromance deterioration over time.

determining what sparkplugs to use has nothing to do with what c/r your running. Overcoming the gap of the plug is the ignition systems responsibility NOT the plug.

[Justin86]

NGK V-POWER, 3 stages colder. These plugs really like lots of N2O. :D

[FishyMan]

which spark plugs do you guys use? can u guys just post and why? is it true copper ones are better for firing and lighting and that plats just last longer?

sorry im noob, but i did do a search and didn't find a thread specifically ..

i got an 88, lxi wondering what to get.

[rehv_Aerodeck86]

afaik most of us use NGK-R, some (like mike aka "A20A1") use Bosch Platinum 4+ etc. I've heard stories, that bosch ones go dirty rather quickly (if u have a crappy motor that leaks oil and is untuned). I used them too for a year...now installed ngk-r. no big difference, if u have a stock engine imho.... so get the cheaper ones (ngk)

[ag bullet]

afaik most of us use NGK-R, some (like mike aka "A20A1") use Bosch Platinum 4+ etc. I've heard stories, that bosch ones go dirty rather quickly (if u have a crappy motor that leaks oil and is untuned). I used them too for a year...now installed ngk-r. no big difference, if u have a stock engine imho.... so get the cheaper ones (ngk)

The previous owner of my coupe had Splitfires in there. Those had to go, so I switched to NGK Power V plugs. The car seems to idle much smoother now.

[SteveDX89]

Get NGK's. They're what Honda uses at the factory and are the best plugs.

[nswst8]

I like them, but they are expensive if I were to go back to anything it would be NGK and NGK wires.
Hope this helps

[johndej]

Ngk V Power

[accordlxi2.0]

i thought ngk was expensive but they were'nt. alot better than bosch, though, and yes they do get dirty rather quickly.

[maka_RTH]

i use NGK iridiums. they're about $10 a pop though. anything NGK though, and you're good to go.

[bullard123]

I like the power the bosch plugs give. I have the bosch+4's in mine and they made a big differrence in power. They are costly though. But the do havr the regular platium plugs you can try..... They work good in most foreign cars.

[SteveDX89]

I like the power the bosch plugs give. I have the bosch+4's in mine and they made a big differrence in power. They are costly though. But the do havr the regular platium plugs you can try..... They work good in most foreign cars.

Tried those and didn't feel shit. Well, actually, felt that my wallet was extra light. NGK's are pretty cheap for the A20. You guys are lucky. I have to pay 10 bucks a plug.

[PhydeauX]

NGK or Denso copper plugs. You wont notice a diference other then the rare metals wont erode as quiclly. But you can get a case of coppers for the price of one.

andy

[1988starter]

NGK iridium IX a small difference over v power but I got em new off ebay for 4$ each

[shepherd79]

i used NGK V-power, now i switched to Nology S7 plug. it is a hole lot better. i can feel the diff. it is not a big one, but it is there.
i clean my plugs every 5K miles.

[FishyMan]

okay. so im a darn noob...

what tools i know (critical) do i need to get to do spark plugs. are torque wrenches useful or are they over-rated?

any diy? i am gonna pick up the v-power ngk's for my 88 accord.

[A20A1]

I like the +4's but I won't say they are better then NGK's... don't buy cheap plugs though...

I found the plus 4's fire better under rich conditions even when fouled, I used fairly rich Idle jets in my carb to get my car to idle better since it pulls such low vacuum with the cam I installed. It also helps on start up... I have an upgraded ignition coil as well, but to rule that out as the factor in a better ignition system I ran some regular single electrode plugs (AC Delco I believe) they fouled out and my car would not start easy and was much slower power wise. Gaps were set to facotry specs.

[ag bullet]

okay. so im a darn noob...

what tools i know (critical) do i need to get to do spark plugs. are torque wrenches useful or are they over-rated?

any diy? i am gonna pick up the v-power ngk's for my 88 accord.


Really all you will need is a 13/16 deep well socket (if I remember right), a 3-4 inch extension and a ratchet. Torque wrenches are good to have and cheap ones can be had at most autoparts stores or online. If it helps, I didn't use a torque wrench when I replaced my plugs.

I saw one mention of wires. I am running Magnecor 8.5mm wires. No real noticable difference other than a smoother idle.

[A20A1]

Also stick the new plugs in by hand...
Do not tighten the plugs with the wrench first... only after you have made sure the plugs are screwing in the hole properly and are as far in as you can get them hand tight, then use the wrench... that way you don't run the chance of stripping the threads.

Go visit the Sparkplug poll

http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?t=19396

[1988starter]

I use a section of 4mm hose to thread new plugs in acts like a universal joint and prevents cross threading

[maka_RTH]

i thread mine by hand until they don't go anymore, then i just tighten them down witha ratchet. i never did find a torque spec for them(then again i didn't look real hard, just in the haynes manual).

[norfolk 86dx]

i know this is kinda off topic but im having serious problems starting my car now that ive switched out the old corroded plugs and put on new wires....it just makes a spooling sound like its just not catching fire.... any suggestions anyone?

[ag bullet]

i know this is kinda off topic but im having serious problems starting my car now that ive switched out the old corroded plugs and put on new wires....it just makes a spooling sound like its just not catching fire.... any suggestions anyone?

Sounds like they are gapped wrong. Pull them out and re-gap them to .40-.44 and you should be better off.

[norfolk 86dx]

i know im gonna sound like the bigges dork but how do i re gap them?

[bullard123]

Also (I'm sure you alreadly know this) but make sure the engine is clean and cool. Clean because you don't want oil and all that build up on your clothes, and cool because its a pain trying to get plugs in while touching a hot engine.

[nswst8]

i know im gonna sound like the bigges dork but how do i re gap them?

.99 at any auto store. then adjust to spec. just be careful with the curved bar on the spark plug.
remember Finese not Force.

[k-roy]

.99 at any auto store. then adjust to spec. just be careful with the curved bar on the spark plug.
remember Finese not Force.
Thats not a gapping tool, thats a gap gauge. The actual tool costs like $20. I never bothered to get one, if you are careful not to knick the electrode when bending it you should be ok.

[AccordEpicenter]

sounds like the firing order is skewed

[Justin86]

I'd say stick with NGK's, I have played around with other plugs and the NGK offer the best range esp on the stock ignition. If you have an upgrades ignition you could use what ever brand you want but choose the heat range carefully. running NA it can be better to run a hotter plug, but with turbo and or N2O a stock or colder plug is what you want. Really it's all about heat range of the plug and what is done to your car. do some reading about plug heat range, there will be a lot of supprises. ;)

[87accordlxi]

I had Bosch Platinums in my car for 7 years and almost 100,000 miles. Took them out this weekend and they were still clean. That probably says more about my engine being in great condition, but the plugs did their job. I stuck with Bosch Platinums again.

[FishyMan]

okies, thanks very much..


so to recap on tools and what not:

-13/16 deep well socket
-3-4 inch extension
-ratchet wrench

spark plugs/wires:
-ngks vpower plugs [V-Power BPR6EY-11 # 6261 ]
-ngk wires [HE39 $23.77 ]

how do i gap them to .40? can someone verify the parts.?

thanks.

[bullard123]

Ok to gap the plugs to .040 you must 1. Take the sparkplug gapper and put the curved part of the spark on it. 2. Look at the tic marks on the gapper (mine starts at .020) 3. Take the spark plug (while it is still on the gapper) and slide it around the gapper till you reach .040 and stop there. 4. Make sure you pull the plug straight off (don't pull it off while sliding it this will throw your gap off) and you should be set. If you can't get this right (i think you should) go to your nearest autoparts store and ask for pre gapped plugs and just put them in.

[FishyMan]

ill try pick up some plugs (ngk vpower) first, and maybe a gapper? how much are those gapper?

i will try take pics, and perhaps make a diy for noobs like me? haha i dunno if i can even get it right. u guys gotta help confirm :) thanks :)

[AZmike]

I measured my last 8 NGK V-power plugs with a feeler gauge and they were all within 0.043-0.044". The gap should be nearly perfect on your new plugs, but it's not a bad idea to check yourself if you're concerned. My gapper was $4-5 I think.

[FishyMan]

BE SURE TO READ THE SPARK PLUG FAQ AND ADD YOUR FAVORITE SPARK PLUG TO THE POLL
FAQ CLICK HERE (http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?t=37102)
POLL CKICK HERE (http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?t=37103)




are the NGK wire sets for my 88 lxi, the HE39 from clupplug..??
im gonna order soon once i get teh green light :P