Spark Plugs - What do you run/recommend?

I've always run standard AC plugs in the SBC in my tudor, but I keep seeing all sorts of "stuff" about newer technology plugs, i.e. platinum, iridium, forked electrodes, etc.

Am I missing something of value by not "stepping up" to something newer?

It's a driver and it has always run just fine. I'm just curious about possibly getting more out of it.

Whatcha think?

 

Alot of that stuff is just snake oil. If it works good with standard plugs why spend 2-3 as much for something else. The platinum tips are good for the late model emissions stuff with 50K and up plug replacement recomendations.

 

NGK's cheap,dependable

 

how bout those new e3 diamond fires WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!! get 10000000 horse

 

I use AC delco plugs in my cars, works just fine. All a plug can do is Spark, to put it simply, and the spark don't care how expensive the plug was. Unless you are driving a hi tech car with plug changing intervals of 50000 miles or more and sensitiv electronics, then the wrong type of plug can give a wrong resistance reading to the onboard computer and that can screw with stuff.

 

I use Autolite. Had lots of bad luck with AC and Champion.

 

Car companies spend huge sums of money to meet emissions and fuel standards. If it came with a regular spark plug, plug the same kind back in. Spending any more will gain you nothing but a light wallet.

 

I run AC in my sbc as well, never had a reason to change to something differant BUT the one thing that really did help was deep 6ing the standard HEI unit for a Pertronix kit. Dropped it into the old points stlye dizzy and really woke everything up. Better power, response, faster starting and more mpg

 

I've always run autolites with sucess. SBC's typically like 24-25-or26's, depending on requirements. Stepped up to Bosch platinums once. Ran o.k. wouldn't do it again though. No detectable benefit. My $.02.

 

Probably 20+ years ago I had a problem with some Champion plugs, the insulator was loose in the shell. Haven't bought a Champion since, use AC Delco plugs.
Regarding platinum plugs and long service intervals: I wouldn't leave any plug in any head, iron or aluminum, for five years or fifty thousand miles. I'd at least pull 'em out once in a while just to make sure they would still come out without trashing the threads in the head.

 

bosch platinums are good for lightening your wallet, that's it. i've had several cars come in the shop running rough and they "just did a tune-up." looked and they had those POS plugs in there. replaced with something actually meant for the car (OE spec) and the rough running went away.

personally, i've had the best luck with autolite and delco plugs. don't like the spiral resistor in the champions, but they seem to work well in the right application. NGK have never worked well for me in anything but imports.

here's the real lowdown on it all though, it's all about heat range. platinum and other rare metal plugs are generally 2-3 steps hotter than the stock plug for any given application. most of what we play around with here has hotter coils so a hotter plug is just asking for trouble. NGK, autolight and champion have really good heat range charts still available to help you find the one that works best for you. i've found on high compression engines with hot coils, a plug about 1/3 to 1/2 the way up the chart works well. colder plugs are also better at constant RMP while hotter like variance. this is why the rare metal plugs run hotter, with more cars in the city that means more stop and go and therefor the hotter plugs help the cars run cleaner in the places that it matters to the EPA.

oh yeah, change your damn plugs every year...it takes 25 min and if you run the plain jane (and better working in my experience) copper core resistors you're out a whole $15 for a V8. be nice to your car and it'll return the favor.

 

Had great luck with champion rj12yc,gapped at 035.

 

The best plugs I have found that all my GM cars/trucks runs the best on is Motorcraft....joe

 

Autolites are a good plug NGK are great plugs also .E 3 diamond fires are from china and are a big joke as seen on tv lol. BTW motorcraft plugs are made by autolite and are exactly the same plug

 

i bought ONE set of champion plugs in my lifetime...and they flat out sucked !
maybe it was a fluke, but they lasted about 5 minutes. after i installed them , the motor ran for 5 min, and developed a real bad miss. i checked everything but the plugs (because they were brand new and only in the motor for 5 min), and found nothing. finally i pulled the plugs, and 4 of the 8 plugs fell apart in my hand. the ceramic insulators became detached from the plugs. ever since then i've run nothing but a/c plugs...and i've never had a problem with them.

 

Stay away from the Bosch platinums. Like Skajaquada said, matching the heat range of your plug to your application is critical. If a company can't or won't supply a chart for their plugs
I'd pass on their product.

Terry

 

I have always liked AC plugs, BUT I had a Hodaka dirt bike as a kid that ran noticeably better using the NGK plugs with the groove in the electrode. I've always wondered if those same plugs would wake up a car motor, too, or it was just something about the high-compression two-stroke motor that liked them. I'm too damn cheap to buy eight of the things to find out!

 

I run autolites...even in my 2 cycle V6 mercury boat motor. I've always had good luck with them. Others hate 'em. I always run the coldest plug I can reliably idle with. That lets me run a bit more timing without the dreaded "knock". I run the coldest plug available in my TBI chevy truck and while I have to change them occasionally it helps me with power and MILEAGE.

 

HOT TIP FOR YA! NGK makes AC Delco plugs. Im serious. I work at a GM dealer. Im not very Traditional.

 

Well then, I guess I've answered my own question! How come they don't put the nice little groove into the electrode?

 

I used to work auto parts. I tried every plug out there at the time. Best performance was with Autolite, in my Chev 350. Everything else I had to change every month. Autolites lasted 6 months. Not a wimping Ign either. MSD box w/a Mallory dual point. Have used them in everything since.

 

the grove is "untraditional" HENCE IT IS NOT hamb FRIENDLY. hehehe im funny.

 

So im guessing it;s not worth shelling out the extra dough for these e3 plugs huh?

 

>>>>>,I WHOLEHEARTILY AGREE WITH DYCE,,i ran AC/Chapions/ECT way back & the ONLY plugs that are werth a hoot are Autolites' ,,,They use moltin glass as an insolater ,,where AC & Champion use talcom powder ,, i;ve blown the A C & Champion guts out thru my 'glass fenders in my old Gassers back in the day ,,
i run Autolites in my blower motor and even if i fowl em startin' on a cold day ,,they clean themselves out ,,i've got 36,000 miles on my current set ,,and they still fire GREAT !!!

 

I like Champion because of their old school logo....

(and the old Champion signs that used to be everywhere.)

 

The ones that are less than a dollar each.

 

CHEVY--A.C. FORD---MOTORCRAFT MOPAR---AUTOLITE Champion used to make a good plug until damn emissions took over,then somebody came out with the SPLITFIRE PLUGS, $5.00 EACH AND CRAP

 

No offense to anyone, but personally I wouldn't hit a dog in the ass with a Champion plug!

 

ngk, cheep yet do the job. nothing fancy just the plain copper plugs will do.

 

I run Autolites in my 62 ford 390.