Toyota Yaris Forums - Ultimate Yaris Enthusiast Site
 

 


 
Go Back   Toyota Yaris Forums - Ultimate Yaris Enthusiast Site > Second Generation Toyota Yaris Main Rooms > Fuel Economy Forum
  The Tire Rack

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-07-2010, 12:12 PM   #1
Hard_Yaris
 
Drives: 07 Yaris
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 109
Spark Plugs platinum vs iridium

What's the best spark plug for the 1NZ-FE?

Is any spark plug of the right temperature better on fuel economy?

Any experience/experiments?
Hard_Yaris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 12:34 PM   #2
Hershey
 
Drives: 08 Yaris sedan auto / Fit auto
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: northeast
Posts: 2,897
calls for iridium .
Hershey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 01:27 PM   #3
BailOut
Steals terrorist's lunch
 
BailOut's Avatar
 
Drives: 2007 Yaris Liftback
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Reno, Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,299
A few folks have toyed around with other temperature plugs but found no appreciable change. Iridium last the longest (100k miles) so they are the best investment by far.
__________________
- Brian

Share the Road


I often carry 2 carpool passengers and mountain bikes
or snowboards/skis over a 4,500 foot elevation difference.
Click the graphic above to see my detailed mileage logs.
BailOut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 01:34 PM   #4
Loren
What?
 
Loren's Avatar
 
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
I'll catch flack for this, but it really doesn't matter what plug you use from an economy perspective. Iridium and other unobtanium plugs are used for low maintenance. Under normal usage, they're supposed to last 100k miles.

In extreme usage, they might not last that long. Mine didn't. One of them crapped out on me at the track last year. Replaced them with plain ol' NGK copper plugs. No further issues at the track, and no effect on fuel economy. I'll probably have to replace them every 25-30k miles, no big deal.

I didn't try cleaning mine, but a friend of mine was having severe drivability issues (after several years of track abuse, hard daily driving, and ethanol experiments) on his Nissan, which also uses unobtanium plugs and rather than replacing the plugs, he just gently cleaned them. Worked like a charm for him. The plugs are supposed to be "self-cleaning", but I guess when you ride them hard, they can still get cruddy.

The gap of the iridium plugs does not change significantly, and is not adjustable. No maintenance. Maybe take them out and look at them every now and then, give them a light cleaning (some carb cleaner and a soft non-metallic brush), and put them back in. Other than that... if the car is running normally, let them be.
__________________

----------------------- Loren@InvisibleSun.org -----------------------
Loren is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 01:59 PM   #5
Hershey
 
Drives: 08 Yaris sedan auto / Fit auto
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: northeast
Posts: 2,897
changed iridium plugs for 2000 PRIZM ( Corolla ) around 75,000 miles and it had more pep and little better mileage .
Hershey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 02:16 PM   #6
Yaris Hilton
Half a Bubble Off Plumb
 
Yaris Hilton's Avatar
 
Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA
Posts: 1,593
Smile

Quote:
Originally Posted by Loren View Post
I'll catch flack for this, but it really doesn't matter what plug you use from an economy perspective. Iridium and other unobtanium plugs are used for low maintenance.
Exactly true. A spark's a spark. Unobtainium keeps sparking longer.
Yaris Hilton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 02:46 PM   #7
127.0.0.1
Banned
 
Drives: '10 Yaris5drHB+99 4runner LTD
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: NE
Posts: 672
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yaris Hilton View Post
Exactly true. A spark's a spark. Unobtainium keeps sparking longer.

right.


the only thing to really worry about with plugs is:

indexing, for old-school plugs

and heat range.


but a spark is a spark is a spark. all it has to do is light the mixture
when the electric power is sent. any crappy (clean) plug will light the mixture.

it is the mixture itself (compression, content, density) that determines the motive power
127.0.0.1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 02:56 PM   #8
Hard_Yaris
 
Drives: 07 Yaris
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 109
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4908342...00756/sizes/l/

What my plugs look like. From engine bay view 1-2-3-4.

What's up with #3?

Thanks for the feedback!

Unobtainum! haha
Hard_Yaris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 03:31 PM   #9
127.0.0.1
Banned
 
Drives: '10 Yaris5drHB+99 4runner LTD
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: NE
Posts: 672
they look fine

3) either crud got on the outside of it, and it is fine

or twas dropped and has an internal crack
127.0.0.1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 05:12 PM   #10
BailOut
Steals terrorist's lunch
 
BailOut's Avatar
 
Drives: 2007 Yaris Liftback
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Reno, Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,299
Quote:
Originally Posted by 127.0.0.1 View Post
they look fine

3) either crud got on the outside of it, and it is fine

or twas dropped and has an internal crack
Could that discoloration be a burn mark?
__________________
- Brian

Share the Road


I often carry 2 carpool passengers and mountain bikes
or snowboards/skis over a 4,500 foot elevation difference.
Click the graphic above to see my detailed mileage logs.
BailOut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 06:36 PM   #11
Loren
What?
 
Loren's Avatar
 
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
Normal discoloration. They'll all look like that eventually.

What you want to look for on that insulator is signs of cracking or carbon tracking. If you happen to get water in between the connector at the top of the insulator and ground (the metal part of your plug when it's installed in the head), it can arc, as it becomes the path of least resistance. Arcs there lead to carbon tracks, which can permanently trash a set of plugs, or even a set of wires. (in the case of the Yaris, coilpack connectors rather than wires, but to the same effect)

But the yellowish color near the base of your plug there is normal. Don't sweat it.
__________________

----------------------- Loren@InvisibleSun.org -----------------------
Loren is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2010, 07:13 PM   #12
Rick
 
Drives: '08 Yaris LB 5M
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 31
That discoloration is combusted gas residue. The glass to metal seal is leaking combustion gasses oh so slightly. It's not a problem unless it becomes excessive. It usually won't on a naturally aspirated engine. It happens pretty quickly on my 2 BAR supercharged Cobra though. I do monitor it on that beast because the hood and plug wires don't like flying spark plug guts.

Motorcraft plugs hold out the longest but I doubt they make unobtanium plugs for a Yaris.

Oh yea, in that picture you can see it has begun on plug 1 also.
Rick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2010, 10:20 AM   #13
Hard_Yaris
 
Drives: 07 Yaris
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 109
This is all great information thanks!!

one more question about dielectric grease... Is there a place where you should not put it? Electrically speaking. spark plug wires and every electrical clip?

Aly experience with this?
Hard_Yaris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2010, 12:33 PM   #14
Loren
What?
 
Loren's Avatar
 
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
Dielectric = non-conductive. You can put it anywhere you like. It's purpose is to keep out moisture and prevent corrosion. (also prevents the possibility of the arcing that I mentioned above by keeping out the moisture)
__________________

----------------------- Loren@InvisibleSun.org -----------------------
Loren is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2010, 01:13 PM   #15
YarisSedan
 
YarisSedan's Avatar
 
Drives: 08 Yaris Sedan
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: California - Bay Area
Posts: 2,773
Send a message via AIM to YarisSedan
Not sure if this is true but ive heard some vehicles that use coil over plugs generate a stronger plug than a vehicle that uses a distributer/rotor combo and seperate wires. Typically those type of cars call for copper plugs and up can always upgrade from those put in a platinum or iridium. But vehicles that have coil over plugs if you downgrade they will wear through a copper plug abnormally fast. Typically they last 30 thousand miles but you will only get maybe 15k miles or less.

I think there is some truth to this as well because some coils do generate a really strong spark than others ive been shocked by normal distributers from arching wires and its just a tiny zap and then ive been shocked by some arching coils and its literally put me to my knees one time i felt the electricity go from my hand to my foot and the next few days my muscle was sore in that part of my body. I know if my body was positioned a difference way and it went through my heart it might have stopped it.
YarisSedan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2010, 01:56 PM   #16
127.0.0.1
Banned
 
Drives: '10 Yaris5drHB+99 4runner LTD
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: NE
Posts: 672
don't put dielectric grease inside the plug wires.

the grease doesn't conduct electricity, and for a large pulse
like a plug has, it can restrict it a bit (less metal-metal contact)
and overheat the wires.

dielectric is best for low voltage...like ordinary 12v or 5v electrical connectors
elsewhere in the vehicle that may be splashed with water, snowed or slushed on...
127.0.0.1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2010, 02:20 PM   #17
1stToyota
 
1stToyota's Avatar
 
Drives: 2013 Chevy Spark 1LT 5-speed
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 1,185
That's funny because some new ignition wire sets come with the dielectric grease already pre-applied in the boot. And almost all of them throw a pack of dielectric grease into the box. And I always thought it was designed to dissipate heat, not cause a build up of heat. A little applied to the insulator saves the knuckles, and maybe the wire, when it comes time for the next tune-up.
__________________


1997 Lincoln Town Car - SOLD
2008 Scion xD
(w/ automatic) - SOLD
2008 Yaris HB - SOLD
1stToyota is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2010, 02:43 PM   #18
127.0.0.1
Banned
 
Drives: '10 Yaris5drHB+99 4runner LTD
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: NE
Posts: 672
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1stToyota View Post
That's funny because some new ignition wire sets come with the dielectric grease already pre-applied in the boot. And almost all of them throw a pack of dielectric grease into the box. And I always thought it was designed to dissipate heat, not cause a build up of heat. A little applied to the insulator saves the knuckles, and maybe the wire, when it comes time for the next tune-up.
ok it depends on the type of grease. there are a hundred types.

some dielectric grease makes better contact or allows closer mating of metal to metal. in a plug boot, with some types of grease, there will be a bit less contact, and if the voltage has to squeeze through less contact surface area, it could heat up more than normal. it can also cause small arcs and burns if the voltage is great and the contact small. that is what I meant.
127.0.0.1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Where can I get iridium spark plugs??? fidgell Canada 4 03-01-2010 12:10 AM
article on spark plugs and the fit kngrsll Performance Modifications 4 08-01-2009 11:50 PM
did autolite spark plugs screw up coil or coils ?? la_scanner DIY / Maintenance / Service 20 04-09-2009 02:07 PM
Where do I buy ngk iridium tip 7 heat spark plugs? PETERPOOP Performance Modifications 23 03-08-2009 08:34 PM
Upgraded Spark Plugs For Boost whooppee777 Forced Induction Forum 9 02-14-2009 01:53 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:04 AM.




YarisWorld
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.