Tired of reading about spark plugs :(
Mudding
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
This is really a two penny, but in my experience building and dyno testing racing motors, unless the combustion chamber has a specific, unique design, it's not often you see a benefit from a plug tip. Getting the heat range right matters quite a bit though. If it's unmodified, the stock heat range is probably right. The main benefit from platinum/iridium type tips is that they can last longer (100,000 mile claims).
In small block Chevies I saw power from NGK v-grooves, but it would only last a few runs/laps and then it would be no better than a standard NGK. I can't explain that with any reason (heat range was right, no fouling) but that's what I saw. In the long run, I could get just as good results with Autolites. I was doing this around the time the "split-fires" came out. Those were a rip-off scam, but I guess everybody knows that now.
On Honda race motors (15k rpm), I ran NGK Iridium, mostly because I learned not to second guess HRC. I knew they worked on it more than I ever could.
My truck (big block) has run over 10 years, 145k on two sets of Bosch Iridiums. They do last a long time.
On my Land Rover, I would put in NGK or Bosch standards. There's no point to high maintenance interval plugs. You're bound to have some reason to check/replace them anyway.
In small block Chevies I saw power from NGK v-grooves, but it would only last a few runs/laps and then it would be no better than a standard NGK. I can't explain that with any reason (heat range was right, no fouling) but that's what I saw. In the long run, I could get just as good results with Autolites. I was doing this around the time the "split-fires" came out. Those were a rip-off scam, but I guess everybody knows that now.
On Honda race motors (15k rpm), I ran NGK Iridium, mostly because I learned not to second guess HRC. I knew they worked on it more than I ever could.
My truck (big block) has run over 10 years, 145k on two sets of Bosch Iridiums. They do last a long time.
On my Land Rover, I would put in NGK or Bosch standards. There's no point to high maintenance interval plugs. You're bound to have some reason to check/replace them anyway.
