Important spark plug?
11-23-2002, 01:55 PM
#22
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Re: Important spark plug? mikeycronis
When I put the little winky graemlin after the 50 hp mustang statement that means it's a joke son. A dumba$$ at a parts house really did say that though. I couldn't wait till I got outside so I could laugh. Don't take things so seriously. At least it got you to post on here so welcome to LS1tech.com
Les
When I put the little winky graemlin after the 50 hp mustang statement that means it's a joke son. A dumba$$ at a parts house really did say that though. I couldn't wait till I got outside so I could laugh. Don't take things so seriously. At least it got you to post on here so welcome to LS1tech.com
Les
11-23-2002, 04:08 PM
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Re: Important spark plug? DOH! Sorry.. I've just read posts like that where people honestly believed things like the TORNADO added 200Hp, etc. Allow me to bash my head in innocence. <img border="0" alt="[Banging Head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" />
Good joke.
Good joke.
11-23-2002, 06:48 PM
#26
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Re: Important spark plug? Here is some information from NGK's web site www.ngksparkplugs.com:
Q: How much of a performance improvement can I expect from changing plugs?
A: A common misconception is that changing spark plugs will result in a large power increase. In most cases, removing even seriously worn out spark plugs will only result in very modest power gains, typically about 1-2% of total engine output. This could be even less for computer-controlled vehicles, primarily because most newer vehicles have more powerful ignition systems and the vehicle's computer can make adjustments so that vehicle operation seems smoother and more seamless.
Many people think that simply supplying more spark to the firing tip can and will combust more fuel. What they don't understand is that most newer cars' engines are so efficient that they are already burning all of the available fuel. Simply adding more spark voltage can't burn more fuel because there is no more fuel to burn.
When a stock or near-stock engine is given a fresh set of spark plugs, peak efficiency is restored. The power gains that come from this restored state of tune are usually minimal. Any company that tells you that their spark plug will provide significant gains in power in a stock or near-stock engine is making blanket statements that may not be supportable.
Q: When should I use a resistor spark plug?
A: NGK "R" or resistor spark plugs use a 5k ohm ceramic resistor in the spark plug to suppress ignition noise generated during sparking.
NGK strongly recommends using resistor spark plugs in any vehicle that uses on-board computer systems to monitor or control engine performance. This is because resistor spark plugs reduce electromagnetic interference with on-board electronics.
They are also recommended on any vehicle that has other on-board electronic systems such as engine-management computers, two-way radios, GPS systems, depth finders or whenever recommended by the manufacturer.
In fact, using a non-resistor plug in certain applications can actually cause the engine to suffer undesirable side effects such as an erratic idle, high-rpm misfire, engine run-on, power drop off at certain rpm levels and abnormal combustion.
******* End of NGK information *********
Additional facts are:
The stock LS1 ignition system is a state-of-the-art system that cannot be improved by "coil-packs" or other add-ons that are used to improve primitive single-coil, distributor-type ignition systems.
The resistance (reciprocal of conductivity) of the spark-gap itself is thousands or millions times greater than the resistance of any metal. The difference between the electrical conductivity of copper and platinum is of no significance to spark-plug performance. Copper is used in spark plugs because copper has excellent thermal conductivity.
My ACDelco 41-974 platinum spark plugs were manufactured in Japan.
Q: How much of a performance improvement can I expect from changing plugs?
A: A common misconception is that changing spark plugs will result in a large power increase. In most cases, removing even seriously worn out spark plugs will only result in very modest power gains, typically about 1-2% of total engine output. This could be even less for computer-controlled vehicles, primarily because most newer vehicles have more powerful ignition systems and the vehicle's computer can make adjustments so that vehicle operation seems smoother and more seamless.
Many people think that simply supplying more spark to the firing tip can and will combust more fuel. What they don't understand is that most newer cars' engines are so efficient that they are already burning all of the available fuel. Simply adding more spark voltage can't burn more fuel because there is no more fuel to burn.
When a stock or near-stock engine is given a fresh set of spark plugs, peak efficiency is restored. The power gains that come from this restored state of tune are usually minimal. Any company that tells you that their spark plug will provide significant gains in power in a stock or near-stock engine is making blanket statements that may not be supportable.
Q: When should I use a resistor spark plug?
A: NGK "R" or resistor spark plugs use a 5k ohm ceramic resistor in the spark plug to suppress ignition noise generated during sparking.
NGK strongly recommends using resistor spark plugs in any vehicle that uses on-board computer systems to monitor or control engine performance. This is because resistor spark plugs reduce electromagnetic interference with on-board electronics.
They are also recommended on any vehicle that has other on-board electronic systems such as engine-management computers, two-way radios, GPS systems, depth finders or whenever recommended by the manufacturer.
In fact, using a non-resistor plug in certain applications can actually cause the engine to suffer undesirable side effects such as an erratic idle, high-rpm misfire, engine run-on, power drop off at certain rpm levels and abnormal combustion.
******* End of NGK information *********
Additional facts are:
The stock LS1 ignition system is a state-of-the-art system that cannot be improved by "coil-packs" or other add-ons that are used to improve primitive single-coil, distributor-type ignition systems.
The resistance (reciprocal of conductivity) of the spark-gap itself is thousands or millions times greater than the resistance of any metal. The difference between the electrical conductivity of copper and platinum is of no significance to spark-plug performance. Copper is used in spark plugs because copper has excellent thermal conductivity.
My ACDelco 41-974 platinum spark plugs were manufactured in Japan.
11-24-2002, 12:14 AM
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Re: Important spark plug? Ho boy. The Firehawk message board guys at SLP suggested I get some ideas on some technical issues off of LS1-Tech.com but people here are thinking they get 50RwHp from spark plugs? Erk. Please realize you cannot get ANY horsepower improvement from spark plugs. There is no gain in that way. If there's a shadetree mechanic that tells you so, don't go to him ever again because he's (as we say in Boston) Wicked Retahded. (You CAN regain horsepower if you had burnt-out tired plugs, dyno'ed it, then put new plugs in, sure, you'd get a 50Hp gain, because your crappy Mustang [all are crappy] would have LOST 50Hp from using the plugs [even those horrible LX 4-cly. Mustangs from the 80s that used 8 sparkplugs]) <img border="0" alt="[Banging Head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" />
I'm currently using the tapered NGK Iridiums. I find the idle is sligtly smoother. The GM plugs are heavilly gap-checked and a decent portion of the very VERY thin platinum COATING they put on the diode can often be worn-off a tad with this process. NGK Laser Platinums are coated on both ends and are pre-gapped so no rubbing-off occurs. It's important to tell your installer (if you don't do it yourself) NOT to gap-check Iridium or Platinums because of this "rubbing-off" issue.
You can get spark improvement yielding horsepower gains by adding coil-packs by Crane or other comapnies, but not by adding plugs.
Mike
I'm currently using the tapered NGK Iridiums. I find the idle is sligtly smoother. The GM plugs are heavilly gap-checked and a decent portion of the very VERY thin platinum COATING they put on the diode can often be worn-off a tad with this process. NGK Laser Platinums are coated on both ends and are pre-gapped so no rubbing-off occurs. It's important to tell your installer (if you don't do it yourself) NOT to gap-check Iridium or Platinums because of this "rubbing-off" issue.
You can get spark improvement yielding horsepower gains by adding coil-packs by Crane or other comapnies, but not by adding plugs.
Mike
