some people here (sprintmax, etc.) say the copper ngk spark plugs are better than the platinum.

i hear and see platinum last longer so why pick copper over platinum? how do they do better in performance? what's so special about them?

better spark? or you could jsut search


copper is a better conductor than platinum

so i should use NGK coppers instead of NGK platinums?

Correct. Though the Platinum plugs will last about 10X longer (I'm told...not sure if it's an exaggeration). The rear three spark plugs are more trouble than it's worth to change in my opinion. My friend uses NGK Copper on his Type-R over the stock platinum. He also changes the plugs every 8K miles or so, but with a inline 4 is really easy to access and each plug is less than $1.

The copper electrode is larger and conducts electricity more easily than platinum and therefore takes less voltage to fire. This may even produce a more powerful spark. Platinums need more power out of the ignition to fire at the same energy level, but will last 50k, 60k, and sometimes are spec'd for 100k miles (the "no tune-ups for 100k miles" some car manufacturers claim). But coppers should be changed at 25-30k, no more than 50k. But NGK all the way!

This is also why the boosted Maximas (Either true boost or nitrous) use the coppers. They allow for a better and stonger spark over the Platinums. But because of their "better use", they do need to be changed more often. But at about $1.50 per plug, they cost about $8.00 less than one NGK Platinum plug. To me, that is a better trade-off.

Is it worth using on a N/A max?

Can you feel a difference in performance?... I might swap my plats out next time tune up comes around for some coppers.

Ive heard from a lot of people that copper is better for performance but mostly from FI people. So i don't know what difference NA will show. But cheaper is better.

I'm not sure if I believe all the hullabaloo about "superoir performance" etc, but the choice was simple economics for me. Platinums cost 4X as much, but only last 2X as long. Pure math.

can you guys post the part number for the one step colder NGK? I have a set of two step colder NGK coppers but want to get a set of the copper ones. It might be time to change the plugs and fuel filter. Ill do the Knock sensor summer of next year.

NGK # BKR6E-11
Nissan # 22401 - 50Y06

Thanks I appreciate that

well i also hear the platinums are easier to put in. You can just throw them in the car like i did vs i think u have to space out something on the coppers???

If gapping spark plugs is hard...

PUT DOWN THE TOOLS AND STEP AWAY FROM THE CAR!!!

JJ

if the plugs have a -11 at the end.. its gapped already for the maxima..

when you use the part number i gave Jay you get BKR6E-11 aka pre-gapped.. and as Matt says.. if you think gapping plugs is difficult then you should'nt even bother chaning the plugs..


edited: this is for Jay on the 1 step colder recommendation

I think this has been brought up about 5,000 times......


To repeat:

OEM Part Number for a NON BOOSTED Maxima

Spark Plugs: 22401-50Y05
NGK V Power Copper BKR5E-11



Sprint's recommendation/part number is ONLY for boosted cars. N/A vehicles should use the standard heat range (as denoted by the "5"), not one step colder (as denoted by a 6 or 7).


I use them on a bone stock 99 and have had zero performance, driveability, or fuel economy changes.

And to repeat what Tony (1MAX2NV) and others have said in the past here it is:

-----------------------------------------
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/techinf...tnumberkey.pdf


B stands for 14mm thread diameter
K stands for Hex size 5/8" Projected tip
R stands for resistor
7 is the heat range
E is the V-Groove Tip.
11 is 1.1 mm gap or (.044")


NGK suggest .004" decrease in gap for every +50hp. Stock gap is .044". I guess the 10 (.040") or the 9 (.036")


----------------------------------------

It was taken from this thread:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....light=ngk+.044

and there are at least a dozen other examples.

Why is it bad to have one step colder for NA?

you lose about 20 - 30 fwhp ...

and MedicSonic has the dyno to prove it

its like retarding the timing

I don't think its that bad. I know he had it dynoed...but I don't feel that much difference. I guess I'll find out at the track Sunday.

Also, they aren't bad for the car at all. Nissan actcually recommends them if you do a lot of long highway driving. I had them in my car full time when I was commuting 600 miles+ a week.

Colder plugs are bad for N/A cars because the plug never gets up to the operating temperature that it should, and therefore doesn't fire nearly as efficiently.

A guy at AccordV6.com got one step colder plugs by mistake, but he just left them in there for the hell of it. His last dyno he was about 20-30 fwhp below where he should be, backing up Sprint's comments.

Colder plugs in an N/A car will be okay at first, but they'll eventually just fowl out and you'll have to change them much much sooner.

I've run cold plugs for just as long as regular plugs with no problems. The key is that you only have them in if you are going to be making frequent long trips.

sorry to bring thread back
but whats N/a car = stock

so NGK # BKR6E-11 is better for stock
or is

BKR5E-11 better for stock maxima with 100+k
So non boosted is stock
how bought if you have CAI , is that still considered stock
is BKR5E-11 a better plug for my car , does it require gapping

you want the BKR5E-11, im actually going to pick up a set tomorrow. The BKR6E-11 is ment for cars that run boost.

And as for gapping i belive that the -11 represents the gap which should be correct for the max.

I dynoed once with normal heat range iridiums & once with one step colder coppers. Although the dynoes were taken a few months apart, it was on the same dynojet and SAE corrected both times. I didn't lose 30hp, but I did lose some. -3.6hp & -9.2tq to be exact. IMO, that's still a considerable amount of power lost.

Just to add about the part number (didn't see it), the -11 part of the number is the gap size, * 0.004. This would make it the stock gap of 0.044". Most people with SC's and such are running 0.034 - 0.038.

the nissan part number? its all over this thread

If that's a question you're asking, then;

NA = Normally Aspirated.

Boosted = NOS or SC or Turbo

If your car does not have NOS, or SC, or turbo, then it's NA. CAI is an NA mod.

DW

just picked up a set of coppers. And for $2 compared to the $15 platinums, i think its worth every dollar. hopefully when i put them in it will get rid of the stuttering problem i have.

thank you so much for your responses

I called the dealer today and asked for prices on the plats and he said 11 each , i told him how much for coppers and he said your car does not take copper , it takes platinum
I told him doesnt the copper plugs spark better and he paused for a few seconds and said sorry but we only sell plats

it seems like they probally know the copper does just as good as the plats and push to sell the plats to make more $$$

i learned the hard way my self, i went to my local shop and asked for the coppers and he said he only sells plats for maximas, and he wouldn’t acknowledge that they had coppers.

So when i went to the dealer i just gave him the stock number and he gave them to me, don’t want to give them a chance to push you the plats.