Redoing my ignition......

takza · Post by **takza** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:06 am

Time to replace the plugs, wires, cap & rotor.....want to do it right this time.

Thinking of using one of the 3 least expensive NGK plugs on this page:

<a href='http://www.sparkplugs.com/results_app.a ... IA=1279155' target='_blank'>http://www.sparkplugs.com/results_app.a ... 1279155</a>

Thinking that the platinums might do it...also thinking of using a colder heat range due to my advanced ignition.

Wanting to use some spirally wound plug wires and a cap & rotor with copper contacts....

Am I on the right track?

Any specific brands that are a good buy?

sacwac · Post by **sacwac** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 11:37 pm

Takza,

I've always prefered the regular non platinum plugs..... maybe because my tercels have burned so much oil, that the plugs foul quickly anways.

You might want to try those HUGE YELLOW plug wires everybody seems to get, who knows if they work, they look pretty though.

takza · Post by **takza** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:33 am

sacwac wrote: I've always prefered the regular non platinum plugs..... maybe because my tercels have burned so much oil, that the plugs foul quickly anways.

I've found that Bosch plats (single) fire pretty well in oil....self cleaning.

From what I've read, the NGK plats should have the same low resistance as the regular plugs.

Thereminator · Post by **Thereminator** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 9:32 pm

Ive been useing Bosh~plats and when I did a couple minor de~carb's they where compleatly black,but never missed~a~beat.

takza · Post by **takza** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 6:41 am

I'm going to use NGK plugs due to their low resistance....probably the V type, not the plats....have Bosch plats in there now with no problems.

Looks like around $60 for plugs, wires, cap, & rotor....buying decent stuff....maybe $80 if going with the NASCAR Borg-Warner wires, cap, & rotor as an further upgrade.

takza · Post by **takza** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 8:55 am

Installed NGK V-power plugs gapped at .042"

Also tested the resistance of the new plugs and old wires:

new NGK plug = 5.2 K

old Bosch plat plug = 7.6 K

"My recent experiment with resistance levels, for example, showed absolutely no missing occurred with NGK plugs. Some other good brands of acceptable plugs were only 5500 to 9800 ohms. The NGK plugs, at 4800 ohms, offered the best performance in any weather. " LaPointe

old wires have around 30K miles on them:

"In testing the plug cables, the plug cables themselves each had 4,500 to 5,700 ohms resistance. Thus the final (good) total resistance of plug and cable was about 10,000 ohms for the secondary for each cylinder. The secondary is merely a term for the path followed by high voltage that goes to the spark plug. So I concluded that about 10,000 ohms total resistance to each spark plug satisfied the necessary resistance level for good radio reception, proper secondary ignition and smooth operation." LaPointe

wire resistances front to back:

1 = 4.8 K
2 = 5.0 K
3 = 4.3 K
4 = 3.5 K

old Bosch plat plugs front (left) to back (right):

Can see that there is some carbon on 3 of the plugs...with the 3rd one pretty clean. Center electrodes have receded into the insulator slightly.

Car gets 33 MPG avg.

Will check the wires in the dark for any sparking and might just keep using them.

Misc. INFO from interstellar space:

"I've installed thousands of sets of NGK plugs in Asian cars for the last 15 years, never had a bad one or complaint. My rule of thumb has been, put German plugs in German cars, Jap in Jap and so on. The only plug I WON'T use is Champion,not even in my lawnmower!"

"I don't like Bosch platnium plugs because they make my engine knock. It's not because of cheap gas either. The same gas that worked fine with the old plugs, knocked with the Bosch plugs. This was in 3 different vehicles, a Ford Taurus, a Toyota Tercel and a VW van. I won't use the Bosch platnium plugs for that reason. My girlfreind uses them in her Nissan Pickup and they work ok for her."

"I'm not Rick but maybe this will help ... I have an 88 Tercel and I have used platinum plugs (Bosch) on it. After putting on the plugs I noticed the mileage go down a bit. I did feel better performance from the platinums. So after a few months I changed plugs to NGK V-grooves, performance didn't suffer too much for me to notice but mileage was better."

Impressions of the NGK V-power plugs :

DO NOT have the pinging I had with the Bosch plugs...which is a very GOOD thing when using advanced ignition. Also....the problems I was having with the heated fuel setup are 95% gone with the new plugs.

The Bosch plugs don't have much greater resistance than the NGK...but they are a hotter plug...great if you have oil burning....not so great with advanced ignition/heated fuel.

takza · Post by **takza** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:52 am

Even after setting the timing back to around 12 BTDC (still advanced)...the engine still pinged up to around 1700 RPM.....not totally sure yet, but it looks like the NGK plugs have stopped most of this pinging.

But.........the Bosch plats are good for an engine that uses some oil...since they will fire in it and tend to be self cleaning.