EsQueue

iTrader: (2)

Just giving a little info about some ngk plugs available for the vq30de(k) engine. I see lots recommending BKR5E-11 claiming that it is a Copper plug and it is more conductive than Platinum or Iridium.

According to summitracing.com the so called Copper BKR5E-11, the Platinum PFR5G-11 and the Iridium IFR5E11 all have a Copper electrode core with Nickel Alloy, Platinum and Iridium tips respectively. According to ngksparkplugs.com, the BKR5E-11 uses a Nickel Alloy pad and ground electrode while the PFR5G-11 and IFR5E11 uses a Platinum pad ground electrode. I can't find what the Nickel Alloy is mixed with so that kinda messes with everything.

Here are some info found on wikiapedia.org and http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/periodic/electrical.html

Metal.........Melting Point......Electrical Conductivity....Themal Conductivity
Nickel........2651 °F.............0.143 106/cm Ω.............(300 K) 90.9 W·m−1·K−1
Platinum.....3214.9 °F..........0.0966 106/cm Ω...........(300 K) 71.6 W·m−1·K−1
Iridium........4471 °F............0.197 106/cm Ω.............(300 K) 147 W·m−1·K−1
Copper.......1984.32 °F........0.596 106/cm Ω.............(300 K) 401 W·m−1·K−1

Higher melting point, electrical conductivity and higher thermal conductivity is what we want. By the low melting point of copper, we see why NGK uses a Nickel tip. By looking at these results, wouldn't iridium tipped be the best NGK plugs in terms of Melting Point, Electrical Conductivity and Thermal Conductivity. With the core being copper on all the plugs, that will greatly help with the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity while the exposed Iridium tip keep it from melting.

I wonder is the fact that the iridium uses a platinum pad ground electrode offset any gains that the iridium has over the nickel plug. The thing is that the nickel plug isn't pure nickel but a nickel alloy. The mixture is most likely to harden it but I'm sure it also decreases it conductivity which brings the advantage back to iridium. Then there is the cost.

Take a look at a Nology conductivity chart (scroll down to see it) and compare it to THIS CHART and see how nology changed the facts in their favor to sell something.

EDIT: I found the Nickel alloy. It's called NO6600 and is contains. 0.15% Max Carbon, 14-17% Chromium, 0.5% Max Copper, 6-10% Iron, 1% Max Manganese, 72% Min Nickel, 0.015% Max Sulfur, 0.5% Max Silicon. Info found here. http://www.nickelinstitute.org/index...=13728&la_id=1

cartman854

iTrader: (2)

Probably a nickel/cadmium alloy (like a battery) due to conductivity and such. But nickel is much cheaper than platinum and iridium.

Jdmfosho

good info

ChrisMan287

iTrader: (34)

I'd still choose the V-Powers over the Platniums and Iridiums..

Bobo

Stay with the laser platinum NGK OEM plugs - PFR5G-11. I had my original plugs in for 108,000 kilometres (67,000 miles) and they still had life in them after 12.5 years.

EsQueue

iTrader: (2)

Oh definately, the question is what is better for S/C. Is PFR6G-11 or IFR6E-11 a good choice?

Leo_Koneval

iTrader: (4)

Wow that is some nice detailed information!

stamar

ngk spark plugs makes their money by selling you more expensive plugs. so why on earth would you take something they write as science.

Its a super difficult sell and im not sold.

Ive actually never seen any sort of performance difference in any sort of plug .

When people say their plugs are lousy its because they are a little off either from the exact plug that their car started with, or manufactured in a way where they are not consistent with eachother....

So the worlds most expensive durable plug could still be really lousy in that its too hot or cold or different from the other three youre installing with it.

if you get into the metalurgy both iridium and platinum are working against the purpose of a plug they just melt less....

what youll find is 90% of the time your plugs go bad from dirt, not melting. copper or otherwise.

I practically guarantee the worst plug is the plus 4 i feel angry when i see it it catches dirt. I saw 4 go bad within 30k on a dodge my friends own recently.

EsQueue

iTrader: (2)

This is insane, you are speaking against a point that I never brought up. If you have comprehension problems please don't take it out on others and their posts. Where in my post am I taking NGK's word as science? I posted the materials that NGK uses in their spark plugs. I'm sure that the reason why they listed the few spark plugs that are compatible with the maxima is because their dimensions and specs are compatible. If you didn't know, our engines come with Double platinum NGK plugs.

The melting point of copper isn't on NGK's website.

I have a difficult time understanding the rest of your post so I will not bother commenting on it.

96i30azn

If you were reading this and other sources you'd know that the advantage of platinum is they last longer than copper - that's it. It's beaten in every way by Iridium.

stamar

my mistake

I went to a different site called ngk.com

different website with a different set of propoganda, filled with spark plug bs from a retailer.

definitely my mistake.

consumer reports found no difference between iridium platinum ngk and champion and motorcraft.

All spark plugs are pretty much the same.

Some last longer.

I and almost anyone whos changed a (buttload) of spark plugs in their life will definitely tell you that spark plugs go bad from fouling WAY before they go out of adjustment from melting. USUALLY.
So even if the tip were made of adamantium it wouldnt make it stay in perfect adjustment for 100k miles for the most part. Youd benefit from changing them sooner definitely.

Theres definitely nothing bad about the head not melting though.

Theyre all the same. Just getting to the end before the pointless part in the middle, all of them are the same.

I buy ngk plugs though definitely its more a brand confidence.

cashoit

platinum plugs last longer.

I think the Haynes says the factory plugs never have to be changed or its at least 200k change interval.

stamar

100k

( or until they get dirty) pretty much the same as a regular plug. its possible they will last longer.

its POSSIBLE the ones in my maxima made it 190k miles. its more likely they made it 90k miles.

they were misfiring though a little setting off the knock sensor code. One of them at least.

Replaced with regular plugs that arent dirty and the code went away. Clean plugs are always better than dirty plugs of any brand or type.

cashoit

Jus checked the FSM. Says to replace plugs every 60k.

EDIT:

I have a very hard time believing i need to change "Platinum" plugs every 60k. platinum will last much longer than that.

DOUBLE EDIT!!:

Iridium will last even longer than platinum! so why the hell am i spending extra cash for iridium when nissan reccommends replacing plugs every 60k. The plugs nissan uses is double platinum tipped which means it shd last even longer. i jus cant see replacing plugs every 60k.

stamar

well its part of a huge scandal lol.

reinvent something that doesnt need it and take advantage of a large area of public ignorance.

60k for any spark plug is too long its going to be dirty.

LeFrank99

Just changed mine last week, bought NGK platinum from Napa, cost me 45$ for the 6 of 'em here in quebec. the guy at Napa told me the platinum would last 100k km ( bout 60k miles) and the copper 60k (bout 37k miles)

cashoit

the haynes sd 60k too.

Im just gonna check one of the front ones this wknd and if it still look good im not replacing anything.

Coincidently, i was on the NGK website and it would not provide me with a service life expectancy for any of their plugs.

LeFrank99

I didn't even checked them before ... my car started cranking a while before starting and since i bought the car from a friend, i knew the plugs had not been changed. Problem solved when I did.

Most of them u could see were used but only one of them was really done, so I say if u check, check them all

Bobo

Those are NOT the OEM NGK laser platinum plugs. You would be lucky to get them from NAPA for $20 plus tax a piece. Look at your invoice. The laser platinum plugs are PFR5G-11.

LeFrank99

well I wasn't saying I had the OEM but thx for the input, didn't know about that

silencecalls

iTrader: (2)

To who ever said all plugs are the same... well they are not.
All plugs are not the same.
People who have put Bosh plugs in Maximas have all reported loss of power and responsiveness, and pretty much all have switched to NGK right away.

Flava_24/7

iTrader: (46)

All plugs are not the same, and those who think so are mistaking.
Plugs actually can make a big difference

cashoit

on my previous 4th gen, I bought some platimum cheapo depo plugs (not bosch) and they worked fine. No probs at all.

60k miles is alot of miles, at least 3 yrs before needing replacing.

No matter what they made out of spark plugs all do the same thing. some do them better than others obviously. v-powers are copper and ppl say they work fine. platinums last longer and iridium last even longer. ngk is the name brand, bosch is not recommended and the cap brands worked fine for me.

i prolly jus buy ngk cuz i want the best for my maxi hehe

EsQueue

iTrader: (2)

That was the main point of this topic. V-powers are as much as copper as the platinum and iridium. The V-powers are nickel alloy as they have a Nickel alloy ground electrode and tip. I have some that I purchased yesterday and no copper visible to the eye. They are cheap as hell and nickel conducts better than platinum but I don't think that it's enough to make a difference.

Look at the picture below. The red is copper and all their plugs have that copper. The center and ground electrodes are what is different. Either Nickel-alloy & Nickel-alloy (BKR5E-11), Platinum & Platinum (PFR5G-11), or Iridium & Platinum (IFR5E11). I'm not telling anyone what to buy, I just hate seeing incorrect info.

For my Supercharged engine I choose BKR6E-11 due to costs. I don't expect to see a performance loss or gain from the PFR5G-11 that I currently have installed.

4th_Gen_SE

When I first got my 95 SE it had 189k on it, after 20k of horrid misfiring I found some spare change to replace my plugs with NGk V Power Plugs ($2.59 down here in Alabama.) I changed them only to find BOSCH Platinum 2s in the rear Bank and the original plugs in the front. Now needless to say the NGKs were in pretty decent shape to say the least the BOSCH, not so much, after 15k more i'm going Laser Cut...

ralf0214

thats real good cause i was thinking about changing the sparkplugs so im going to look in to the nickel version

EsQueue

iTrader: (2)

You must also factor in that the stock platinum seem to last forever. I have no problems with them but I need some colder plugs due to my s/c and just don't feel like spending that much.

According to what everyone is saying, stay away from bosch.

cashoit

Supercharging is a differnet animal tho....I wd have gone with the top line shyt, Esqueue. But i feel u, 10 bucks a plug is a tough swallow