Creedence85

What kind of plugs are you guys using in your VEs? I checked mine recently, and they need a change, they might in fact be the original plugs, as the car's got 160,000km on it, and it has the NGK PFR5C-11 double platinum plugs.

I think I want to stick with NGK, they seem to be a pretty good brand, so I basically have 3 options. The double tipped ones are brutal expensive, like $19 Canadian each. The single tipped platinums are pretty decent, around $5, and the copper are $3. The plugs are easy enough to change, and there's the ongoing debate over whether copper is really the better conductor, or if it's platinum...I tend to think platinum but there's varying opinions. Is there a problem with going to the single tipped platinum plugs? I know that some engine which use double platinum, the spark flows from the centre electrode to the outer, and from the outer to the centre on varying cylinders, therefore a single platinum will fowl on the outer electrode. Does that happen on the VE?

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

Copper is a better conductor, platinum lasts longer

jwmaxse

iTrader: (1)

I went with the platinums, I guess they are the double plats because they were like $8 each US currency. They work fine. Copper's would probably be fine, but I think there is a sticker under the hood somewhere that says to stick with the platinums.

Creedence85

I went with the single platinums, so we'll see how they work. At the parts store, they were listed as the oem replacement, even though they're single.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

the VEs came with Laser Platinums from the factory
Laser meaning laser welded tips

thumpyls

Im Going For The Doubles..what Kind Of Wires R U Using Ngk Also?

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

VE ain't got no wires!

Mizeree_X

iTrader: (9)

Your engine doesn't require, nor did it come with, platinums. Just buy coppers and save yourself alot of money. If anything, the coppers perform better than the plats.

Creedence85

As I said above, I ended up going with the platinums. They're working very nicely. According to my owner's manual, my car not only came with double platinum plugs, but that is the recommended replacement. The replacement interval is 160,000km (100,000mi) so that would also mean platinum, because copper would be shot long before that. The only part number listed in the manual for the VE is the double platinum.

Anyhow the platinums seem to be working very well. Maybe it's just the age of the old plugs, but the engine feels smoother, and high rpm power feel stronger. Of course, I've recently replaced a dirty paper air filter with a K&N cone so there was some high rpm difference there too, which I am still getting used to.