Any recommendations?

Thanks!

 

I would recommend you stay at 1 step colder. If you find the Texas heat to be too much then bump it down, but then you will be further sacrificing normal drivability.

 

Stay with 1 step colder. You should be just fine and you dont need to spend $60 for platinums. The $1.25 copper plugs are good enough.

 

Jay,

If I go with 3.125, do I still stay with 1step colder? And where do you buy them for $1.25 a plug, let a brother in on this deal.

Dixit

 

1 step colder plugs with a 3.125 is a yes. Now you have to pick these up from your local NAPA. They sell them for that price. If they dont have them in stock have them order you 6.

 

How come Courtesy wants like $8 a plug? Do I ask for the same part number? Or is this any other type that fits the model number and is a copper plug?

 

I'm using the stock pulley and I've got two steps colder platinum spark plugs. What exactly is sacrificed from normal driveability?

 

I believe you are sacrificing HP as well as it runs like a dog since you are too cold on the plugs.

I may be wrong, but judging by what everyone says about going colder on the plugs, you may be too cold. This is just like how one person asked what happens if you put a 1step colder plug in a n/a car. Sort of the same thing here since you are going overly cold.

Am I right guru's or completely off the wall here?

Dixit

 

You are absolutely right... Tanman... invest in the 1 step colder and let us know how it feels. don't forget to gap them. I had a good link on the coldness thing, I think it is on my home PC will look for it after this day ends.

 

Hmm, I was wondering why I didn't feel any benefits from swapping to 2-steps colder plugs. I plan on swapping the pulley to a 3.125 sometime in the near future, so I'll probably hold out until then instead of spending another $60 on spark plugs. Unless there's a chance of serious problems by using the 2-steps colder plugs?

 

Nice, cause this sunday after getting teh vb done by Maximum Tuning, I am installing the s/c again for the 3rd time with the 3.125 pulley off the bat.

Delio just said that you can get the 1step colder plugs from your local auto parts store for like $1.25 a plug. Not bad there instead of spending $60.

Dixit

 

Actually Jay said it... but yeah get coppers too... you'll have to change them more often, but well worth it.

 

My fault, i been talking to so many people, I forget who posted what.

Dixit

 

True, but are they NGK plugs? And I don't know much about the copper vs aluminum issue. Also, it was a pain to swap them out, I'd hate to do them again.

 

I thought with a nice 12" extension you can easily remove the rear ones.

Dixit

 

You can get copper NGK's easily... Coppers burn better than platinums, platinums are just touted for their long life.

 

It's never as easy as they say. Unfortunately, some of the folks here are part-time auto mechanics, and they give us novices the idea that everything is simple and straightforward, but it never is that easy. It took me 2-3 hours to do the swap the first time. I'm sure I can cut that down with experience and being less careful about everything than I was last time, but that's still a good 2 hour back-breaking job.

If I was that concerned about the performance of the car, I'd take care of some other problems first .

 

With all the wrenching I do I still hate changing plugs... blah

 

Those are the ones I am telling you to get the NGK coppers at NAPA. They come in a yellow box.

 

I got 1 step colder ones from courtsey. Hope they are good enough....

 

those are good enough you dont need the expensive platinum ones. Copper should be good enough.

 

I am putting this here so I can find it easily later.

One step colder copper plugs:

NGK # BKR6E-11
Nissan # 22401 - 50Y06

Thankyou, Sprintmax.

 

More archiving:

"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."

Thanks to ereet.

 

Dumb question: is there a tool to measure the gap size? I've heard of a micrometer but I know those aren't cheap.

Also, is there a simple tool to gap the spark plug, or do you just push down on the tip?

 

yeh you get one at autozone, its like 50 or 90 cents. looks like a half dollar.

 

Will gapping them slightly off .044 be a problem? I think some of mine are .043 and some are .044. It's hard to be precise with this gap tool.

 

I swapped out the 2-steps colder NGK platinums with 1-step colder NGK coppers. Wow what a difference! It could be a false impression, but the car drives smoother and feels more responsive than before. I initially installed the 2-steps colder plugs because I had planned to switch to a 3.25 pulley, but that was 3 months ago and I still haven't seriously considered getting the pulley swap. The coppers should be fine until I do decide to get the smaller pulley early next year.