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04-07-2010, 12:12 PM | #1 |
Drives: 07 Yaris Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 109
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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? |
04-07-2010, 12:34 PM | #2 |
Drives: 08 Yaris sedan auto / Fit auto Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: northeast
Posts: 2,897
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calls for iridium .
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04-07-2010, 01:27 PM | #3 |
Steals terrorist's lunch
Drives: 2007 Yaris Liftback Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Reno, Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,299
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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.
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- 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. |
04-07-2010, 01:34 PM | #4 |
What?
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
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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. |
04-07-2010, 01:59 PM | #5 |
Drives: 08 Yaris sedan auto / Fit auto Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: northeast
Posts: 2,897
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changed iridium plugs for 2000 PRIZM ( Corolla ) around 75,000 miles and it had more pep and little better mileage .
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04-07-2010, 02:16 PM | #6 |
Half a Bubble Off Plumb
Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA
Posts: 1,593
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04-07-2010, 02:46 PM | #7 | |
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Drives: '10 Yaris5drHB+99 4runner LTD Join Date: Sep 2009
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Quote:
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 |
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04-07-2010, 02:56 PM | #8 |
Drives: 07 Yaris Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 109
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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 |
04-07-2010, 03:31 PM | #9 |
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they look fine
3) either crud got on the outside of it, and it is fine or twas dropped and has an internal crack |
04-07-2010, 05:12 PM | #10 |
Steals terrorist's lunch
Drives: 2007 Yaris Liftback Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Reno, Nevada, USA
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Could that discoloration be a burn mark?
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- 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. |
04-07-2010, 06:36 PM | #11 |
What?
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
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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. |
04-07-2010, 07:13 PM | #12 |
Drives: '08 Yaris LB 5M Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 31
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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. |
04-08-2010, 10:20 AM | #13 |
Drives: 07 Yaris Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 109
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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? |
04-08-2010, 12:33 PM | #14 |
What?
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
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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)
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04-08-2010, 01:13 PM | #15 |
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.
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04-08-2010, 01:56 PM | #16 |
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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... |
04-08-2010, 02:20 PM | #17 |
Drives: 2013 Chevy Spark 1LT 5-speed Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 1,185
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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.
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04-08-2010, 02:43 PM | #18 | |
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Drives: '10 Yaris5drHB+99 4runner LTD Join Date: Sep 2009
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Quote:
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. |
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