Spark plug question
#25
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The spark plugs debate is like debating which oil to use or talking about a K&N air filter vs paper.........
The jury is in and the verdict is NGK TR55...gapped at. .050...for ANY LSx engine from bone stock to 600 RWHP....NORMALLY ASPIRATED.
There is no other spark plug on the market that will perform better.....they can only perform the same. Its a friggin plug.......it's not really an amazing piece of technology.....lol
The ONLY time you need to start using specific types of plugs with specific gaps is when you go NITROUS, BOOST or a serious, serious N/A big HP build or a high revving type of high HP engine build.
But it is fun watching how the manufacturers market the **** out of a friggin piece of metal and ceramic.....and people go nuts over them......hahahahaha ha
.......also....you are 100% throwing your money in the garbage if you buy expensive aftermarket plug wires. You're not gonna find a plug wire that will improve performance over the factory wires OR even $36.00 Advance Auto wires.....don't believe the hype.
Personally....I'm buying the Granitelli wires ONLY because they look good and he warranties them for breakage......and wires break easy on our cars when pulling them off because its a bitch to get a proper grip on them.
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The jury is in and the verdict is NGK TR55...gapped at. .050...for ANY LSx engine from bone stock to 600 RWHP....NORMALLY ASPIRATED.
There is no other spark plug on the market that will perform better.....they can only perform the same. Its a friggin plug.......it's not really an amazing piece of technology.....lol
The ONLY time you need to start using specific types of plugs with specific gaps is when you go NITROUS, BOOST or a serious, serious N/A big HP build or a high revving type of high HP engine build.
But it is fun watching how the manufacturers market the **** out of a friggin piece of metal and ceramic.....and people go nuts over them......hahahahaha ha
.......also....you are 100% throwing your money in the garbage if you buy expensive aftermarket plug wires. You're not gonna find a plug wire that will improve performance over the factory wires OR even $36.00 Advance Auto wires.....don't believe the hype.
Personally....I'm buying the Granitelli wires ONLY because they look good and he warranties them for breakage......and wires break easy on our cars when pulling them off because its a bitch to get a proper grip on them.
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#26
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true but the iridiums should be gapped at .040 due to the difference in the tips. I saw a GM document release on that years ago...and speaking of OIL...Royal Freakin Purple LOL
Last edited by RJDio; 06-05-2013 at 11:49 PM.
#27
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Well I wasn't looking for a difference in performance I was just curious about the almost 50 dollar price difference between the NGK and ac delco plugs, it was just kinda one of those things I was wondering if the price was too good to be true lol, and as far as wires I had just heard a lot of people having bad experiences with msd like burning through easily from heat and arcing out and things like that
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Well I wasn't looking for a difference in performance I was just curious about the almost 50 dollar price difference between the NGK and ac delco plugs, it was just kinda one of those things I was wondering if the price was too good to be true lol, and as far as wires I had just heard a lot of people having bad experiences with msd like burning through easily from heat and arcing out and things like that
As mentioned above, a fresh set of TR55s is really as good as it gets. Iridiums or platinums will not and cannot perform any better than fresh TR55s. However, the irdiums will continue to perform at or near their peak for many 10s of thousands of miles longer than the TR55s (assuming the engine itself is in good running order).
#29
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Well I wasn't looking for a difference in performance I was just curious about the almost 50 dollar price difference between the NGK and ac delco plugs, it was just kinda one of those things I was wondering if the price was too good to be true lol, and as far as wires I had just heard a lot of people having bad experiences with msd like burning through easily from heat and arcing out and things like that
The price difference is due to one thing......MARKETING. Sure, they cost a little more to manufacture than a regular plug, but its mostly all hype and marketing them. My builder in Ft. Lauderdale put a stock rebuilt LS2 engine in his pickup truck like 6 years ago. He pulled two plugs a couple weeks ago to do a complete plug change at 120,000 miles on the engine. Those two plugs looked brand new......so he put them back and called it a day. Any plug can last WAY beyond 100,000 miles if the engine is tuned properly. His plugs are NGK TR55.......gapped .050
But as "RPM WS6" said.....the special tipped spark WILL perform longer than the regular generic type spark plug, at a high level of performance.
Personally.......since a set of 8 NGK plugs only cost about $17.00 including tax. I change my spark plugs every 25,000 miles or so.....why not......I like to have my car always running at peak performance.
In addition because its just so cheap and easy:
Fuel filters are done every 3,000-5,000. MAF is cleaned literally every 2-3 weeks, takes 5 minutes, that is a MUST for peak performance. Full can of SeaFoam in 1/8 tank of gas every 3 months for clean injectors. Air filter every 5,000-10,000 (but I use a Mann paper air filter which can literally be banged on the ground to empty the crap out of it and it almost returns it to brand new condition). Clean my IAT sensor along with the MAF every 2-3 weeks with MAF cleaner, takes 20 seconds. Spark plug wires, about every year. Coolant flush, once a year. Clean the outside of the A/C condenser every year. Tranny filter and fluid change every year.
Along with spark plugs......I do all that stuff with those frequencies. I enjoy PEAK performance out of my car all the time. I those things aren't done that often and engine really won't perform at its peak all the time.
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#30
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I agree completely that there is no engine performance improvement to be had going from a proper heat range/gap conventional tip plug to a proper platinum or iridium tip. The only real difference is longevity of the plug (platinum and iridium being able to perform at or near peak for longer).
Having said that, I do also agree that plugs in general (of any tip type) will last a lot longer than many people realize, when used in a properly tuned and properly running EFI engine. When I replaced the 103k mile stock plugs in my current '02, I noticed very little in the way of improvements; cold starts were marginally quicker, MPG may have ever so slightly improved (less than 1mpg), and overall performance was virtually unchanged. In my application, it would have been a total waste to change them out much sooner, since there was so little deterioration even after 100k+ miles.
#31
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These engines came from the factory with Denso platinum tip plugs, part #12563707 (PTJ16R15). I've owned several of these cars brand new and pulled the assembly line plugs on more than one example. These are not the same as the $1.37 AC Delco plugs that use a conventional tip; the difference being a platinum tip on the factory original LS1 plugs.
I agree completely that there is no engine performance improvement to be had going from a proper heat range/gap conventional tip plug to a proper platinum or iridium tip. The only real difference is longevity of the plug (platinum and iridium being able to perform at or near peak for longer).
Having said that, I do also agree that plugs in general (of any tip type) will last a lot longer than many people realize, when used in a properly tuned and properly running EFI engine. When I replaced the 103k mile stock plugs in my current '02, I noticed very little in the way of improvements; cold starts were marginally quicker, MPG may have ever so slightly improved (less than 1mpg), and overall performance was virtually unchanged. In my application, it would have been a total waste to change them out much sooner, since there was so little deterioration even after 100k+ miles.
I agree completely that there is no engine performance improvement to be had going from a proper heat range/gap conventional tip plug to a proper platinum or iridium tip. The only real difference is longevity of the plug (platinum and iridium being able to perform at or near peak for longer).
Having said that, I do also agree that plugs in general (of any tip type) will last a lot longer than many people realize, when used in a properly tuned and properly running EFI engine. When I replaced the 103k mile stock plugs in my current '02, I noticed very little in the way of improvements; cold starts were marginally quicker, MPG may have ever so slightly improved (less than 1mpg), and overall performance was virtually unchanged. In my application, it would have been a total waste to change them out much sooner, since there was so little deterioration even after 100k+ miles.
My factory engine was pulled out and replaced with my 427ci back in 2002. The plugs that were in there were the ones that came from the factory, whatever they were. I thought mine were Delcos.....
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Last edited by LS6427; 06-06-2013 at 07:33 PM.
#32
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But my '98 was an 03/98 build, so I suppose it's possibile that earlier cars might have had a different plug.
#33
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My '98, '99, '00, and '02 cars all came originally with Denso platinums. I still have the assembly line originals from the '98 and the '02. I have a habit of saving original parts.
But my '98 was an 03/98 build, so I suppose it's possibile that earlier cars might have had a different plug.
But my '98 was an 03/98 build, so I suppose it's possibile that earlier cars might have had a different plug.
Mine was built the same month as yours.....so I guess it had Densos too. I always thought AC Delco.
Learn something new all the time.....
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#34
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These cars came off of the assembly line with Denso plugs in them. I like to change plugs about every 15,000 miles. I like to see whats going on in the engine. I like to use the NGK copper plug TR55. As far as motor mounts go. You can try Rockauto.com and usually get a pretty good price. My car is a DD heads/cam and all the bolt ons car. Makes 452/418 and now has 258,000+ miles on it. It runs like a champ. Still uses 1/2 quart of oil every 2,500 miles just like it did when it was brand new. I change the Mobil One 10-40 oil every 5,000 miles....
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#38
All stock here with exception of lid and cat back.
NGK 3403 plugs, TR55GP platinums regapped to 0.045", $18.88 Rock Auto
Bosch 09448 wires, premium spiral wound 7mm, $30.79 Rock Auto
Might outlast me....
NGK 3403 plugs, TR55GP platinums regapped to 0.045", $18.88 Rock Auto
Bosch 09448 wires, premium spiral wound 7mm, $30.79 Rock Auto
Might outlast me....