Phoenix

So as long as I'm troubleshooting/replacing coil packs, spark plugs may as well get replaced.

Question is: Owners manual recommends NGK PFR5C-11 ($10/ea from internetautomart and he seems to be one of the cheapest), NGK also makes a platinum BKR5EGP for 1/5 the price... How much worse is it, would it be acceptable, or should I just spend the $60...

BTW, internetautomar, As you may have noticed I'm favoring the coil packs as a suspect over the MAF... but if they aren't the problem I'll hit you up for the one off your booted max.

Phoenix

OK, nevermind. bum post. The BKR5EGP is a platinum electrode, but does not have a platinum tip... So, thus, goes against every recommendation/requirement I have come across so far.

So if YOU are thinking about plugs, take note! Just because it says "Platinum" doesn't make it PLATINUM!

96ItaliaSE

iTrader: (3)

i used BKR5E-11 its a copper NGK @ 2$ per plug. It has better conductivity than platinum. The downside is only 15k before they are toast. It will work fine in your max with no issues. Its a cheap alternative and forces you to inspect your packs everyyear which I like.


BTW start you car in the black of night and pop the hood. When the engine gets a little warm you will see your coilpacks arch. These are bad ones. The rear bank is famous for failing.

VEvolution

So does it make the car faster?

96ItaliaSE

iTrader: (3)

i dont any plugs make your car "faster". I would have to see dyno to pick it out, on a heavily modded max you might see more of a difference on my beater only difference i see is the 50 bucks i saved. Copper is better conductor of electricity, someone else can answer this question better than me

Grace_Imports

iTrader: (1)

I agree to a point. What is the the economy of parts and labor if you replace 3-4 sets of of copper to 1 set of Platinum or Iridium, especially if you are paying a shop to do it?

Cliff Clavin

iTrader: (11)

You shouldn't be paying a shop to replace plugs. That takes all of about 20 minutes. It would be less time than that, but I am careful with them, since they are kind of deep.

I also use copper plugs, mainly because they work just as well as platinum and it seems easier to me to just buy a new set and install them every couple of years, instead of paying a large sum of money all at once. It's kind of like paying your car insurance monthly instead of just once a year.

MrSector9

iTrader: (4)

haha performance plug snake oil

I put the platinums in mine BUT it was becasue I couldn't find any copper plugs. It comes down to the same thing as Synthetic oils that claim huge mileage between changes, I use synthetic but still change at 5000 kmhs becasue I want to see what is coming out of my engine,any filings,darker or lighter oil,any sludge.

Same goes for plugs I like to change them so I can see what they are burning like,tell if one cylinder is leaner/richer then the others,prestone in the cylinders,maybe oil in the cylinders.

call me old fashioned :P

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

I've tryied both the $2 NGKs and the $12 MGK (OEM), and for as much as I drive it, changing plugs 2-3 times as often is simply not worth the it o\to me. My opinion....spend for the REAL plats, and you won't have tospend OR worry about them for a long time

Phoenix

Well, I guess if it's only going to cost me $12 for a whole set, it wouldn't hurt to throw copper in there. Doesn't sound like there's any downside except plug life, and I think I can live with that.

So next year, when i replace the copper ones, maybe I'll put Plats in and post a nice review.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

I do have a set of coilpacks too by the way.

if you get the plugs from me, I can toss it all in the same box

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Using a new set of coppers is also a cheap way to eliminate the plugs as a possible trouble source. I used coppers on my last round of plug replacements. They work pretty good IMHO.

Phoenix

Well nobody has said "I used coppers once and my engine exploded", so I think a set of BKR5E-11's are a go for this weekend.

3rdGenMaximaMan

I just did mine this past weekend and it was $1.58 each at Advance. For the 20-30 minutes of labor it's the only way to go (in my humble opinion).

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

It was so easy you didn't even get dirty...

3rdGenMaximaMan

lol ... Ok so I had a little help from my friend. Remember though, I got my tools out and you wanted to do it all yourself.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Because you suck at teh car repair.....J/K

3rdGenMaximaMan

NOT TRUE! I just lack your years of sitting around reading this forum.

BTW, I'll let you know what happens tomorrow after I try to bleed some more air out of the cooling system.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Try driving it around for a while with it open...That should do it...Just make sure the system is full before you start out...

3rdGenMaximaMan

Gotta run a couple of errands tomorrow morning; I'll double check it before I leave the house and see how it goes.

Oh, and program your number into the speed dial on my cell phone!

Phoenix

Jesus, you two are like school girls... just call him, why don't you? Meanwhile, the last 6 posts have had nothing to do with spark plugs...

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Sorry....didn't mean to ***** up your spark plug thread....

Phoenix

No problem, that wasn't meant to be a flame... it was just getting a little too OT.

VEvolution

Well according to the test they did in the link below with the Neon, and if I understood correctly, the factory plugs worked better then any others. Hopefully, this is true for the VE as well, since I ordered factory plugs a few days ago, and they weren't cheap.

http://grmotorsports.com/news/032005...ompetition.php

96ItaliaSE

iTrader: (3)

your information is invalid due to the fact that Ve maximas use a distributor less ignition. The application in question were using aftermarket magnecor wires as well a distributor on two different cylinder specific vehicles. This has been debated until the end. Copper plugs will not decrease performace, or gas mileage in anyay. Until someone shows me dyno slips or relevant application info than I am not buying one bit of it.

Cars are alot like people. We respond to different stimulus around us in different ways. Different medicines affect people if different ways. Different modifications to different vehicles affect them if different ways.

Put a set of autolites in camry and then in a VE dohc maxima...which do you think is more likely to develop issues?

bhunter

iTrader: (3)

I run Autolite platinum in all three of my cars and have no problems. They have been in for a year.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

we had a whole thread on that article over there when they first published it.

VEvolution

Yeah? I kept this link since you first posted it back then.
So what happened in the end?
Makes no difference what you use, right?

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

I personally have ran bosch plats in my car before for 60,000 miles with no problems at all....Then i switched to ngk and noticed no difference in them and the bosch at all..I personally think that the people have experienced running problems with plugs other then ngk is due to the climate and/or driving conditions the car was driven in[.i.e stop-n-go traffic,hot/dry climate etc.]..Under normal driving conditions other plugs perform just fine in the ve...But under extreme conditions like weather or other,the ngk's perform better..

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Now that we're speaking of plugs and I dont know much about working on cars, would anyone care to post a pic on how to put them in? please dont ask me to look at Wikings guide cuz it never works on my computer..so far I know how to change, oil,gas, and air filters , pcv, ign wires, cap-rotor, and it would be nice to know how to change my sparkplugs..

by the way where's wiking I havent heard from him in a while

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Maybe this will help you see the stickies link info.

REPAIR INFORMATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

I was waiting for that...

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Oopsie daisies... wrong one:

Sticky: General Maintenance Reference Links (READ BEFORE ASKING)

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

all the stickies need to be that size font...

Phoenix

No one gets away with stupid questions around here... not without getting sticky-referred.

gapboi210

whatever you do, don't run Bosch Platinums,, crappy idle and every car i have used them in seemed to hate them

fred

iTrader: (2)

i used bosch platinum twos for awhile. sucky plugs, imho. when i switched to ngk coppers, i noticed immediatly that my engine ran smoother, and revved easier. but now it is getting on time to replace them already 17,000 miles on them. oh well for 1.78 each you cant go wrong

fred

iTrader: (2)

lol nice one jeff

ebaker

The ultra fine tip OEM platinums seem to be very resistant to fouling. After running a set about 100K on the Maxima, I used them in a oil burning Sentra that kept fouling the #3 plug. The fine tip plugs were much more resistant to fouling than other plugs I tried. They were even better than conventional plugs that were several heat ranges hotter. Not sure they're worth $11 each though. Iridiums should be just as good. I've had bad luck with Bosch single platinums in another car. I had 2 develop an open circuit in the internal resistor. This caused the spark to arc on the spark plug boot and ruin it.
I'd think there's a good chance that the fine tip plugs would last the life on the car.

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

......those dont work for me either... Muahahahahahahahaha!!!