My '97 SE was feeling a bit sluggish the last few months. I thought maybe the engine was getting tired at 176k miles. This weekend it was time for an oil and spark plug change. When I pulled my NGK platinums I could see how worn the center electrodes looked. I replaced them with Bosch Platinum +2 (double outer electrodes), feeling a bit unsure as I remember old threads from people who didn't like how their car ran on Bosch. My results were immediately noticeable; my car took on new life, feeling as frisky as when I got it. I felt a renewed confidence moving through traffic, chirping tires and pulling strongly through the revs.

The bonus part is getting much better than expected mileage improvement. I mostly do 10-20 mile trips on the freeway, very little rush hour traffic so I usually cruise at 70, and I'd been averaging a poor 19-20 mpg on premium for some time. Today I filled up with medium grade gas and did a 200 mile trip from the Bay Area to Sacramento and back, averaging 80 mph. I refilled the tank when I got home, and I've just pulled 25.49 mpg, the best I've ever got from this car.

 

Congrats on the great results - try premium gas for best gas mileage/power

 

Ah, yeah. I've run premium almost exclusively in this car as long as I've had it (notice the poor mileage on the old plugs running premium). I figured today was just a freeway cruise and it's cold - which always boosts power anyway - so saved a few cents. I've turned 15 flat quarters in this car and dynoed around 200 hp, so it's always run strong. I wouldn't try those things on anything less than premium.

 

dont you have to rip off the intake manifold to replace the plugs? and how long was the did the task take?

 

30-45 mins.

4th gen Stickys > you.

Pretty impressive for the mods you have...(from your sig)

 

No, it's easy. You have to remove the cover on the front set of plugs, and the hard part is undoing the bracket bolts for the valve over the back right plug (facing from the front, slightly more difficult by having a strut brace on. Yep, about 40 minutes of work. No biggie.

Dyno on a cold day, and let your engine cool down first. Better readings. I dynoed one time right after busting rush hour traffic to get to the session. Readings were lower even though I had more mods by then. Same at the track. Run on a cool evening for better times than on a hot afternoon.

 

Hey guys - this is a stupid question but I'm pretty stupid where everything apart from turning the key and putting the shifter into 'D' is concerned car-wise. What is so great about NGK platinum plugs over the stock plugs?

Do you get more power or torque?

Broader power/torque band but the same amount of power/torque?

Better throttle response?

No/less cold start problems?

They cost $30NZD ($21USD) a pop (we have to get 6 plugs for the VQ30DE right?) here in NZ

200@WHP is really impressive MadMax - Mint! That's 149kW in NZ-Speak.

 

NGK PLATINUM's are STOCK plugs.

 

Not on mine they're not mate.

Must be different in the states.

 

If thats true thats interesting, what do you use OEM then?

 

To my knowledge nissan only used NGK plugs in all 4th gens. Unless the previous owner changed them

 

PFR5G11 Platinum Tipped Spark Plugs - I was wrong. The guy before me had some label I've never heard of in there.

So what is the difference? And how can you tell your plugs are needing to be replaced?

 

hmm...with 200hp at the wheels, you should definitely be in the 14's.

 

If only - I'm not 200whp, I was expressing my admiration for someone else's stats there mate.

I dynoed in August only 140whp (104.4kW) KS wasn't working because I had been running 91 Octane (your 87) and was running rich. If I dynoed now I'd probably be 170 - 180whp - I/H/E.