Swapping plugs today, I stick to NGK. What's everyone else spark their 4GM's with??

NGK G-Power Platinums!

 

What's a "4GM"?

I always use copper ...

 

My abbreviation for 4th Gen Maxima's. I like platinum, always had them in all other vehicles. What brand??

 

Duly noted.

NGK

 

Only the best. NGK copper v-Power.. Old coils love em..

 

 

Personally, I'm not a fan of leaving a spark plug in my cylinder heads for 200K miles, regardless of the material.

But then again, I'm one of those old schoolers who changes his oil every 2500-3000 miles.

 

With engines that have over 200,000 miles, I like to read my plugs every 24,000 miles. Lets me head off big problems early on. At $1.98 per plug, I could care less about the cost.

 

NGK platinum spark plugs.

 

NGK Coppers, one step colder (cuz I'm boosted)

 

Unused denso iridium twin tips for the 2k14 motor in my engine bay that's waiting to be fired up

But for my old VQ30s it was the NGK V-Powers (platinum probably? Idk I try to go OEM unless there's an improved design that's been released, for example twin tip technology)

 

Almost everyone here uses NGK plugs of some kind. I use NGK plats, but still change plugs every three to four years just to see the condition of my cylinders. I run TCW-3 in my gas with every fill up, so my plugs always look clean. It's the bloo-juice of the engine gods.

 

I use NGK double platinums. Might consider changing to a different material to see if there's any significant changes since these are $12 a piece. That's more than $70 in spark plugs alone. I don't even know why I got them in the first place 3 years ago.

 

Does it matter if the engine is hot or cold when changing the spark plugs? I've got a misfire on #4, and the plugs are at 60k miles so time to change them. I started to remove #4 plug on a hot engine, and it felt really strange, low torque to turn it and constant torque (same effort) as it moved. Normally I expect there to be a high torque and then the plug breaks free and low torque or zero torque as it come out, but this felt really different like there is a problem with the threads. I'm wondering if I made a mistake by trying to remove on a hot engine.

 

The threads could be shot, but you described it as just being loose. When installing the new plug if it started to reach a level of tightness the old one didn't have you're fine. Never heard of hot vs cold spark plug removal

 

I've worked on my own cars for nearly 50 years.
Ive always changed plugs while the engine is cold.
I don't like to touch hot things if I don't have to.

So what is the supposed benefit of changing plugs while they are hot?

 

I've got a misfire code for #4 cylinder, so I'm going through the diagnostic tests, which means when I get to pulling the plug the engine is hot unless I take a long break.

Finished removing the plug, after I let things cool a bit, and threads look OK.

Color of the plugs looks good, tan. All look about the same.

Replace all the spark plugs with new, misfire still there. Swapped the COP from #4 to #2, misfire still there.

 

I'm waiting for the Plutonium Plugs for 4th Gens. They'll get there eventually.

Talk about an Atomic ignition!

 

I have an original Firestone Polonium spark plug from 1940 ish. It was kinda radioactive at one time. It's half life is 138 days. Should be about as stable as lead by now.

Just goes to show that marketing bull shirt has been around a long time.

Google them. It's interesting.

 

If it's not spark it's probably fuel. Swap the injector, make sure to lube the oring when installing and see that it gets fully seated

 

It was an injector. Replaced it, problem solved. Glad it was #4, front and center and easy to get to.

 

NGK. BUT...

the absolute ONLY reason I would EVER install platinum, iridium, uranium, rufirmemtiwufium, or any other mega-expensive spark plug is if it was such a PITA to get to some or all of them I just didn't want to deal with the hassle except once every 7-8 years (like say, on the 5.5 gen 2002 Maxima I am driving now where you have to remove the whole damn upper intake to get to the rear bank plugs.)

This was NOT an issue on the 4th gen, therefore good old regular ol' NGK V-power copper plugs for me on those. Never ever had a problem with them and they still performed just fine after 60k miles.

 

I use NKG Laser Iridium. I have used them in every car ive had over the years and i absolutely LOVE them. Pricey but worth it to me.

 

One step colder copper NGKs