OK, I have just fitted a set of NGK Iridium plugs to my '89 NA My question is this, I have just been told by a "NISSAN EXPERT" who will remain nameless that these are no good for Z32's, either tt or NA I have worked in the parts industry for over 30 yrs & have never seen a car that does not benefit from using a better spark plug regardless of make or model. This person has told me that my cold start issues will be fixed by running a hotter plug for winter & std heat range for summer. Different plugs for summer & winter seems strange considering the climatic conditions are much more extreme in Japan than here on the GC, or anywhere in Aus for that matter. I await feedback & opinions. Pete:br::zlove:
Not going to get in to discussions about using different plugs for different seasons, but I will comment on Iridium plugs(and my experience with them failing). Numerous users(myself included)have experienced the total breakdown of Iridium plugs after having been drowned in fuel. Subsequent attempts to get them to work satisfactorily and/or reliably have failed miserably. This is not reported as often when using Platinum plugs(and is hardly ever heard of with Copper items). Suffice to say that this is NOT only applicable to use in a Z32 engine(I had similar issues when used in a Mitsubishi Cordia Turbo and a 97 Commodore). This has been widely discussed over the past few years(by a number of other members)so I doubt that it could be classed as an isolated occurrence.
ANY Copper tipped spark plug that is listed as an equivalent suitable for fitment to a Z32 engine. Copper tipped plugs are extremely common items(and have been around for decades).
I will add that when I have had either an iridium or platinum plug fail due to whatever reason that is the end of it. This has happened at least one in every vehicle I have owned or had relevant working time on and run these plugs in they include my 02 Fireblade, a Eunos 500 my Z and a 5 litre VR commodore. When a Copper plug fails often it can be given a cleanup or at worst it is a new set of plugs at a quarter the price. And as Chili has stated the copper plugs tend not to be so fussy when something goes a little sour. I do however still have iridium plugs in my Z and fireblade.
Oh ok , all this talk about special plugs etc thought there was a bit more to it . Good to know run of the mill coppers work
Thanks for the input all. Having just forked out $100 odd bucks I'll leave them in & see how they go, as I have used them in other cars without problems. Most notably my BA XR6 SUPERCHARGED & it copped a flogging on the track. Thamks again all Pete
if the car is running right. no flooding issues/overheating/etc issues.. the iridium plugs work best i think. if you are having problems i would say stick to coppers.. in my opinion platinum have been around for a long time and it seems like iridium's have come in to replace the plats.. so i wouldnt bother with using plats. i used to work at autobarn and i have never sold a set of plat. plugs. everyone gets either copper or iridium.
I agree with aazn..... If your zed is not running 'right', you'll have trouble with iridiums because they don't like getting 'wet'. Having said that, all you need to do is pull plug No.1 and blow it dry, then you'll fire up okay and it'll clear the other plugs. I've always stated that coppers are better if you're still trying to get your zed sorted, but once you have your tune/mixtures set, iridiums are the only way to go I've been using iridiums for about 9 years and would not use anything else :zlove:
This all started when I began having cold start problems. Only the first start in the morning basically. once it fires up runs fine no miss or anything. When I pulled the old coppers no wet plugs, good colour, just the expected erosion on plugs over 30k old. In the process of doing this I found a fuel house with a pin hole in it(replaced) & my coil pack connectors are pretty brittle so will have to replace those. I'm with you zx299 & aazn, I have been using iridiums exclusively for many years without problems. On my XR6 SUPERCHARGED, Mustang, VR SS, HQ 350 Chevy, so as I said I will continue to use them unless they prove to create a problem which based on past experience I don't see happening. Thanks again everyone
I have always used coppers exclusively in the zed for 3 reasons. 1) They will recover quickly from a fouling 2) They are about $4 a plug retail! 3) If shit goes wrong in a bad way, leaning out, detonation, etc. The coppers will disintegrate. Great when your tuning or pushing the limits. However, in my daily drives where the cars are basically new, then I use platinum's or iridium's. They last a lot longer and give a better spark, and they are usually in the car to start with so I never have to touch them :rofl: All 3 types of plugs have their place.
my bike plugs died at 12000kms sorry thats all but brand new for iridiums the shop claims that it is too much town commuting at too lower revs causing them to foul. My Eunos 500 plugs died at about 30000 kms hard to tell why the car had 120000kms on the clock was regularly serviced and no other issues other than it was turned off one evening and then would not start the next morning. My bike was stopped at the petrol station for a fill up then when it started was only firing on 2 cylinders by the next morning (and a total of 5 kms away) it would not fire at all. other vehicles I have driven including my Z have had issues so the plugs may have been compromised but the 2 listed above are engines with no problems and both have run fine after new plugs. I sold the eunos with at 180000kms still running the replacement iridiums. my bike is about to clock 20000 on its replacment iridiums. My Z also had cold start issues when I got it turned out to be the air regulator (see here> http://www.zedcare.com/sensorspecs.html ) pulled it apart and cleaned it. it can also be the coolant temp sensor - the 2 pin one for the ecm.
10 years and 50k on the same iridiums And I had an AFM issue that saturated the plugs. Z starts the moment I turn the key every time.
I use iridiums in every engine I have since I was first able to buy them. 2 and 4 stroke, road and race. Once they go in, I never change them. In fact I dont even look at them. They have been in my race car for around 5 years. More or less the same in everything else. I dont use funky heat ranges or gaps settings, just whatever the plugs come as which is usually about 1mm or so. I have had ONE plug "fail" in the race car. Got a missfire. Thats not too bad over the extended time Ive used them and thats on an old aircooled Kraut with a carb. Jetted "somewhere" to run OK flat out and black fumes at othet times! I wont use anything else. L8r E
Hotter plug or cooler plug depends on how you drive it anyway, not just where you live. Personally I always use iridiums, never had spark problems.
Hotter and colder plug choice depends on your motor, it's compression, it's fuel type and how much boost your ramming down it's throat. Not how you drive and not the ambient air temperature.
once the engine is warm the heat soak- the turbos, the coolant systems thermostat all have a more prominent factor on your engines running conditions. IMO Ambient air temps here have negligible effect especially with the turbos. that is unless you have a colling system problem then its not a cold issue but the reverse.
