The Truth About Spark Plugs....

I just switched mine out the other day. They were at .55 gap. Whoops...

 

Did you remember to pour coolant into the cylinders before you put the new plugs in?

 

I went one step further and just shit in the combustion chamber.

 

Jack right?

 

i got a first gen 4 banger and i use NGK and gap it .032

 

Alternatively, use some Mobil 1 stool softener and let it sit overnight.

 

Interesting thread. A spark is a spark that's true. Regarding the AC and Motocraft plugs, I can't explain why, but I swear this happened.

I put new plugs in an '84 Isuzu Trooper one time. It was running fine, bu I think it was around the time the "new super platinum" plugs were getting popular. They had Bosch platinums on sale so the guy looked up the model and gave me a set of 4.

Ran smooth for a few days then started skipping. Pulled the plugs out and several had a big ball of brownish carbon on the tip. Cleaned and put them back in. A week later, same thing. So I grabbed some old Motocrafts I had lying around and put those in. Never had another problem after that for years.

 

Just replaced the spark plugs in my 3.4L with

$18 Denso K16TR11 Spark Plugs, Pack of 4

Denso K16TR11. So far no complaints, however I did have a "D'oh" moment when I went to put on some new

$46 NGK 4412 Spark Plugs Wire Set RC-TE66, 3 Wires

NGK 4412 wires. I failed to take note of where those handy wire clips were specifically located. Just a quick peek at the old ones helped narrow it down, but a pen and paper would have been even faster.

Side question. I assume everyone uses anti seize on the spark plug threads. What is everyone's feeling about dielectric grease on plugs and connectors? Is this something where a little goes a long way, or more the merrier?

 

Heys Guys,
Just what I know. I have a '82 Harley FXRS that I bought new that I had a problem with the back cylender gas fouling pretty quickly after with changing with standerd plugs.
After changing to " Split Fires " I never fouled another plug since.
Big O

 

Just changed out the plugs in my 2010 v6 with the OEM Densos at 30k. The old plugs had good wear but they were noticeably worn. For $30 I am very happy with the results.

 

The reason behind why toyota uses Denso on one side and NGK on the other side was driving me crazy. I asked ten people (even automotive experts / retired racers) and got ten differnt anwsers. I finally asked the head parts tech(the counter guys didn't know) at a large Toyota dealer here in San Diego and he said it was for warrenty purposes. If you blow your engine under warranty, and Toyota finds something different then stock plugs, they know it's been modified or worked on.Out of all the theories put foward, this seems the most plausible.

 

I feel retarded asking this, ngk says for my 97 tacoma 2.7L i need to gap the plugs at .032, is this right. Please, i'm doing this tomorrow.

thanks all.

 

The first post on this thread confuses me...

OEM plugs for my 98 Tacoma with the 3RZ are listed as:
NGK BRK5EYA .032 gap, they are "v power" plugs

The '01-'04 Tacomas are listed at .044" gap on NGK's site.

Strangely enough NGK also lists the OEM plug for a '00 3RZ at .044"

I just replaced my plugs with the BRK5EYA NGK's last week and they were the same plugs the previous owner had been running. So far as I can tell the gap for a first gen Tacoma with a 3RZ would be:

'95-'99 @ .032"
'00-'04 @ .044"

 

really? i was a mechanic at a gm garage for years. AC was the only thing you ran in a gm. anything else made it skip like crazy. Also our brother Ford dealer next door didn't put anything but motocrafts in a ford,lincoln, or mercury. same as the gm's, wouldn't run right without them. most dodge owners and shops i have talked with tell me champion is the only thing they recommand for those.

this thread was very usefull for me chris. i'm a fairly new(and proud) tacoma owner was was looking for this very info. thanks for the intel!

brand specification for the plug really depends on the vehicle and application as chris stated. its really best to go with the oem parts. or talk with someone that has done there homework as chris has done and find out what other options you have.

location, weather, and driveing habits all play a huge factor in this as well. hence again, you can't go wrong with oem parts which have been designed and tuned in conjuction with the engines and ignitions to handle a variety of drivieng.

some may have luck with other brands and some not. bottom line. oem will get the same results each time across the board.

thanks again for the info chris. and all the laughs from the other posters. lol

 

I remember when the Splitfire plugs were coming out. I tried a set on a 600cc Yamaha motorcycle. The bike had a 10,000+ RPM redline but would not rev past 6,000 RPM. The Yammie ran BETTER with the old OEM NGKs ( one spark plug crapped out and was running on only 3 cyls ) than with four good Splitfires.

 

My opinions lean toward research and what past experience has shown.

Most of the time what designers use has already been used in different applications.

The stock spark plugs are plated and they need not to be coated with anti- seize grease because depending on the type you use the torque specifications are changed (reduced) yet I have found that the only time I have had a spark plug backout has been when using anti-seize.

Effectively NGK does not want you to use ant-seize on their plated spark plug threads.

I would recomend checking the torque settings of your spark plugs before a long trip or if you have used any type of lubricant on the threads when installing them.

Some of my friends are engine performance buffs (gearheads) and everyone at one time or another brings up the ignition subject, hotter plugs or, colder plugs, design variances, wire sizes, timing, sensors, computers, etc...

With spark plugs there are several determining factors surounding design and applications but they follow a few basic guide lines that should be considered.

Combustion chamber design.
Engine compression ratios.
Fuel octane
Driving habits.
I use the phrase "driving habits" in a broad sense; to cover where and how you drive, and that includes traffic and terrain.

With Toyota the Japanese business ethic doesn't compete domestically but internationally and abroad.
It is nothing new for them to obey restictive emmision laws and follow another countries regulations because Japan's own laws have been shown to be demanding in compliance.

The spark plugs that come in their vehicles are in compliance to fulfill
regulation testing standards and warranty standards, and the brands that are used also cover the regulations for fair economic practice laws set in place by their country.

Anytime an ignition component is changed from what is common design in a vehicle, the ECM to recognise the change should be reset if it is desirable to expedite the behavior and adaptation process. (disconnect the negative battery cable from the terminal for 3 to 5 seconds)
It then takes appoximately 50 miles of drive time for the ECM to adjust efficently.

One of the steps that is outlined when either testing or replacing
electrical and ignition components is to disconnent to battery for the duration of the job performed.

Touching the negative cable to a common ground for a few seconds after disconnection from the battery also helps capacitive discharging of the system.

One of the reasons spark plugs don't last longer than we wish they would is because they loose their efficentcy from wear on the electrode edeges from the stress of the electrical currents ability to jump from the center electrode to the side electrode and the right angles that are manufactured into the plugs design.

Through the convection of heat by compression in the combustion chamber and the rapid cooling from the air fuel mixture over repeditive cycles, the plugs litterally loose their edge.

When the electrodes designed efficentcy is compromissed the electric current has a natural tendancy to find the path of least resistance in order for the current to travel to it's polar end.

The current when facing resistance finds other points of collection to travel to and the direction of the spark developed can retard the combustion cycle and cause an incomplete burn and build carbon deposits which the carbon itself can retain heat and prematurely ignite the fuel mix causing pre-ignition/knock which further retards the ignition sytem causing fuel to be wasted in a effort to correct itself by restricting the spark plug from firing, cooling the affected chamber .