Spark Plugs

[**Ghost**]

Hey guys I need to get some new plugs soon, and my mechanic recommends NGK iridium or something

Seroiusly do sparkplugs really make that much of a difference in what brand they are? NGK were like 60 bucks PER PLUG, whereas KMART and HOnda Genuine are only like 40 - 50 bucks for FOUR

[SiR JDM]

60$ per plug? that is real steep!

A mate of mine picked up 4 NGK iridiums from n-1 down here in westall for 25$ each
NGK PFR6L are a good buy for the b16 series [acronym:6489d0c99e="Double Overhead Cam"]DOHC[/acronym:6489d0c99e] vtecs IMO

[civex98]

well if you don't mind changing them every 5000K or so, NGK copper are good.
you'd want the NGK BKR6E-11's. They're like $3 each..
but they work really well and the spark is good.

[SiR JDM]

NGK BKR6E these are also very good plugs .. Razztech here in melb recommend the NGK BKR7Es... but anything above NGK BKR4E and below NGK BKR9E are fine ... if u go higher/lower your gonna have heat problems

[**Ghost**]

where can i get all these nice plugs? recommend a shop neone?

[SiR JDM]

where are you from?

[ATSE]

just go to repco or autobarn

[Setanta]

You don't need iridiums - ultimately just go with the standard NGKs your car came with - that way your mechanic has to send his kids to a public school as he wont be able to afford a private one :D

[VTEChnique]

hahah love the little private school joke setanta HAAHAH is sooo true

I bought my civic with 114,000kms on it.. I removed the plugs at about 120,000kms and noticed they were the ORIGINAL NGK-R's.. I replaced these with a set of the Champion copper thingys and they were GREAT for about 1000kms then I cleaned and gapped my ORIGINAL NGK-R's and re-installed them.. now have done right on 190,000Kms and have only had to clean the NGK's once more and they are still performing VERY well.

so IMO, you can buy some Champion coppers and they wont last long, or you can just buy some OEM rated NGK's for not THAT much more - definately not $60 each.. never seen ANY plugs that cost THAT much - not even the HKS and other 'performance' plugs.. I mean even spoon sparkplugs arent that much !!

[jenova]

Just a question about changing spark plugs. When the menu said torque them to 18nm, how you actually measure that? Do you have to buy a special torque wrench that have a measurement?

[Kit]

if you read the packaging of the spark plug, normally they say, turn it till it stops (the washer has made contact with the head) and then turn it 1/3 (or something like that) or a turn more to flatten the washer.

if you don't mind changing them every 5 or 10,000km just use the NGK copper v groove spark plugs, they are a good plug.

[**Ghost**]

so is there any difference between a "good" and bad plug? for the extra few dollars i'd go something reputable, but curious to know if there is a difference on a unmodded car

[tinkerbell]

NGK BKR6E-11's :D

once hand tight (not finger tight) i just crank my plugs a further 1/4 to 1/3 of a turn.

BTW - good info in this thread :)

[jenova]

Great info! Thx guys :)

Just one more, do u have to apply any lubricant on the plug tread to allow easy removal in future?

[tinkerbell]

not if you repalce every 5000km...

[Setanta]

I tend to find that mine shake loose a bit after a return interstate run (say 2500kms all up) so no - I wouldn't lubricate them... but I do 5K changes too. BTW - the NGK originals for me set me back 16 bucks for 4 at repco :) Hence no point to using anything else :)

[jenova]

Just replace my plugs today with these:

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTExOTY5NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

Pics of old plugs

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTExOTcwNnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

Anyone knows how to tell the engine's condition by looking at the plugs?

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTExOTcxNnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

The only difficulty encountered during the changing process is the plug in cylinder 3 is so tight that takes me several attempt to loosen it. Other than that it is pretty straight forward. :)

Fire up the car and took it for a drive, found that the engine response is much better. When vtec engage it is also louder and smoother, probably my old plugs are so worn that it become a bottleneck in the system.

Yeap, I strongly recommend anyone to try the ngk copper, only cost $4 each from most retailers. But before you went straight down to the shop to buy them after reading this, it is better to call and check for stock. As most shops don't normally stock them. Took me 4 visits to different places to get them. :wink:

Cheers

[jenova]

Did some search and found this :twisted:

http://www.dansmc.com/Spark_Plugs/Spark_Plugs_catalog.html

[saboteur]

That's a good link jenova.

Hey do you guys know if you can get plugs pregapped to less than 8 (0.8mm/0.32")? This would just mean less messing about and if someone else replaces the plugs at a service at least the gap will be right. I want the gap to be 0.30" and I don't see that on http://www.ngk.com/images/ngksparkplug.jpg

Cheers,
Tim