A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

I dont know much about spark plugs.What i do know: from reading NGK TR55s are good, and that when you do a header install, which i will be doing next weekend, you should switch them out. Hence, i went out and bought NGK TR55's. (or at least my paranoid self hopes they are, thats what is says on the boxes <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> ) Anyways, just so im not "just puting something i have no idea about on my car or what its doing", I went to NGK's site and read
"The temperature of the spark plug's firing end must be kept low enough to prevent pre-ignition, but high enough to prevent fouling. This is called "Thermal Performance", and is determined by the heat range selected."
I already knew what preignition was and something about heat ranges to prevent pre ignition but not enough to make me happy. Some help and explaination would be greatly appreciated???? And even though i bought them and dont know much about them yet except theyre good, i assume from what people have said, that they are extremely good at preventing pre ignition and fouling on our cars. Correct??

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

after reading:
"Air/Fuel Mixtures seriously affect engine performance and spark plug operating temperatures.

Rich air/fuel mixtures cause tip temperature to drop, causing fouling and poor driveability
Lean air/fuel mixtures cause plug tip and cylinder temperature to increase, resulting in pre-ignition, detonation, and possibly serious spark plug and engine damage
It is important to read spark plugs many times during the tuning process to achieve the optimum air/ fuel "
----Im not sure if i want to chage my plugs <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" /> how will i know what causes my problems??? headers, plugs?? What if the tips arent between 500 and 850 degrees like im reading? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Embarrassed]" src="gr_emb.gif" /> there is soo much im not comprehending at NGK's site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

Dude, Your torturing yourself needlessly! Leave the stock wires on , gap the NGK TR55s anywhere between .050 and .060 ( Factory setting is .060, I put mine at .050, anywhere in between will work fine ) put them in with a little anti-seize and have a nice day. You will have NO PROBLEMS!!!

Paul

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

theyres just all this talk about gapping and serious motor damage, and i bought the standard ones, not the platinums. Does this matter or should i go exchange them for the platinum ones?

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

Copper TR55s are better, the platinums are more susceptible to knock retard, since they create another hot spot in the combustion chamber. Copper ones just don't last as long that's all.

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

Like Patman said, stick with the coppers. I replace mine about every 10k and they still look great when they come out.

Paul

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Patman:
<strong>Copper TR55s are better, the platinums are more susceptible to knock retard, since they create another hot spot in the combustion chamber. Copper ones just don't last as long that's all.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">so how much should i change them? Dont stock ones go for over 50thousand?

And basically guys, what it comes down to is i got the new plugs for performance, but i dont want them to cause ANYTHING out of the norm. Hence im looking for plugs that run almost identical to stock operation but perform better. Also so i can determine what is making run rick/lean

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

Are the copper ones still #TR55?

<small>[ May 20, 2002, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: Dipstick ]</small>

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Dipstick:
<strong>Are the copper ones still #TR55?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes. I've gapped them at .055 and at .050. Couldn't tell a performance difference either way on my stock engine. The current ones are in @ .050 and just for the heck of it I'm thinking of putting in a new set at .055 again.

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

I truly don't believe the stock plugs could go over 50k. I pulled out the plugs in my LT1 at around 60k and they looked terrible. No platinum pucks left, and the gaps were all at .070 to .080. The plugs looked terrible. Even on my LS1, when I pulled out the stock plugs at about 7k, they started to look crappy, and one of the platinum pucks was already missing.

How long the TR55s will last is going to vary from car to car, but generally speaking they should easily last 20k. I got 13k out of the colder TR6s in my 98 Formula, and that was with a lot of stop and go too. The more idling you do, the shorter your plugs will live, as that fouls them up quicker.

But plug changes are so easy on the LS1, that changing them every 10k is a great idea, and once you have done the plugs a few times you'll be able to do it in about 45min or less anyways, less time than it takes some of us to do an oil change (well, the anal ones like me who let the oil drain good and long anyways!) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

Well...

I could do 6 of 8 in 45 min. No prob. But, #6 & #8 are worse than a biotch w/ the SLP LT spaghetti headers in the way! BTW, I go .054 w/ approx 400rwhp...

Here's a great site w/ mucho info.

http://www.centuryperformance.com/spark.htm

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

So I'm driving around with 78K on my stock plugs <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> I am getting some detonation on warmer days....would this be a reason why??

Colin
98 Z28

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

I have over 25K on my TR55's, gapped at .058 and they still run great. <img border="0" alt="[Burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

At 24K my 00 M6 was down on MPH. Checked the plugs, 6 out of 8 Platinum (Pucks) were missing. This effectively made my gap .070thou. Replaced them with TR55s. Gained back a full 1 MPH.

Paul

Re: A question about NGK's TR55's.
 

I have 52k on my stock plug and wires...Do a LOT of fwy driving, not too much racing...My car runs great....change the oil every 3k, but gonna try synthetic oil next time...guess i should change mine too, eh?