From a cost perspective whilst modding a TT, I would recommend copper plugs as you'll probably find you'll foul plugs regularly in between retunes of your fuel trimming device. At $12 a set vs $120 a set, you can afford to change coppers every 10,000km or earlier. Gap down to 0.7mm before going down a heat range as fuel economy and cold start/idle will be slightly more affected by a colder plug than a gapped down warmer plug.
Also keep en eye out on your O2 sensor as they tend to fail when you're running rich as you are modding before fuel trimming - I'm on my 6th and have a dead one atm!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 09:39 am, by: Richard Tan
Hi Emanuel - I was just trying to search through my emails that i got from you a while back in regards to spark plugs.. i am running the DENSO - IK22 gapped to 0.75
The Denso IK22 equivalent to the NGK BKR6EIX-11?
Is Denso a better plug to NGK (It does costs more, but is there any diff)?
I know the NGK IRIDIUM BKR7EIX-11 is rated 1 colder than the standard.
WHen I run the HKS DLI - I can run my factory gap at 1.1 - but what i am not sure of is do i just get standard iridium plugs or do i still need to get the colder plugs?
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 10:34 am, by: Toan Nguyen
I run copper NGK at 7 heat range.
It's true what Manny says about platinum and iridium plugs. I've melted a fair number of sets!
I remember buying a set of iridiums before a track day back in my noobish years. Doing a full day of racing. Comming home for the strip down and check... then finding the tips have disintergrated.
Richard Not certain on the Iridium cross compatabilities as I've only run Denso IK22 in the past and now trialing some of those Uber German Iridium plugs. I'm sure if you dig through the specs and cross compatibility guides from the manufacturers or distributors, you should be able to work out equivalency. Not sure on which is better with Denso vs NGK ; getting a matching set of each and running them back to back would probably prove very little but if anyone has anything to add, I'd be very willing to listen. A 7 plug is colder than a 6 plug with NGK. With the HKS Twin Power DLI, you'd run the same heat range as before but move back up to a full size gap, 0.8mm for TT and 1.1mm for VVTi JZZ30 engines.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 10:26 pm, by: Cihan Aday
I think ill stick with the copper plugs, gapped at 0.7-0.75mm with one colder heat range.
Is my assumption about there being a benefit when running higher boost correct? will dropping the gap size and cooling the plug help keep it reliable and increase power?
Im getting an SAFC II, so i want to keep it all tuned and proper!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 11:32 pm, by: Freeman Tang
Hi Emanuel, since u mentioned dead oxy sensors, i wanna change mine too. Where do u get urs mate? Autobarn told me $280 from Toyota!! (and 3-4 weeks of waiting) my lord!!!! also anyone know where to get a new stock TT fuel pump? coz my TT has this hi flow fuel pump put in by last owner and it makes the car run really rich at cold start. Even when warmed up, I dont think my SAFC2 can control the car's idle mixture properly...ta.
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 01:30 am, by: Mustafa Akgul
Cihan, safc makes a fair bit of difference.. worth it.. i havnt had it tuned yet,only my own tinkering with it.
Freeman,
Votes: 0 (Vote!) Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 03:51 pm, by: Adam Brown
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Okay, here is the deal: Go to Repco, and order an OX203PF60. Cost $125. It is a 3 wire, permanent flange unit. No connector. The only thing is that is has a 6ohm heater resistance, which apparently means it will just take longer to warm up. I should get it tomorrow, and have it changed tomorrow night. I'll let you know how it goes, but at the moment my car is behaving normally, so i don't know if it is the problem or not. Expensive way to find out. But from what others have said about robbing power and poor(poorer!) fuel economy, it could well fix it. P.S. The three wires are 2 black for the heater element (not polarity conscious), and a blue for the computer signal. What are the factory colours? (probably a question for the electrical section.)
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 09:37 am, by: Richard Tan
Manny, you mention to run the same heat range as before ,meaning now with the IK22's (colder plugs) or before as in factory standard which is equivalent to the IK20's.
Friday, August 12, 2005 - 09:21 am, by: Adam Brown
Thanks Mustafa! Finally I've made myself useful!
I finally changed it last night, as the day after i ordered it my waterpump went, so i had to fix that first. A problem i came across was that the hole in the dump pipe is about the same size as the base of the aftermarket sensor! A rat tail file, some emmery tape, and elbow grease fixed that little hitch though. No noticeable difference yet, and it didn't fix my idle (or no idle) problem. Can someone give me a part number of these copper plugs you are all talking about please? And what heat range should i use with 12psi and 200rwkw?
Cihan Surging is a type of misfire where the engine feels like its jerking quickly back and forth under heavy load - like a carby car when cold if you know what I mean.
Joe Not sure about IK27s/9 but that seems very cold for a street car - I was talked into running a heat range 8 for street/track use when I last changed plugs and got a retune but I'm going to try to go back to 7 again as it's not as smooth or fuel efficient as I'd hoped and I really had no issues with 7 on the street - I'll use my 8 range for track days instead.
What boost and fuel are you running when misfiring? Odd that even with the AEM CDI amplifier you are still misfiring.
Saturday, August 13, 2005 - 04:38 am, by: Joseph Reno
Manny,
Boost is at 1.4 to 1.5 depending on how I feel. Fuel is Optimax. It was only happening at the top end when it was last Dyno'ed. I have the sheet if you would like to try to make some sense out of it...
The car goes back into the tuners on the 23rd for the new turbo/manifold. I might do as you are and drop down a range on the plugs to 8's. I am running quite rich at the moment which I assume has to do with the colder plugs....
Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 12:31 am, by: Callum Finch(Sigeneat)
*Gets out a shovel*
Everyone still love Manny's mandated plugs? NGK BKR6E's ?? (Copper things, 6 heat range is it?) I'm running ~16psi and looking at ~220rwkw next retune; would they be appropriate?
Tuesday, January 02, 2007 - 02:07 pm, by: Lindsey Swan(Banzaibattlecrazzzy)
Ill ask in this thread to avoid another one..
But im about to put in a Mines ecu and Safc2, car is stock otherwise, and just wondering what spark plug i should be using since the petrol is going to be leaned out.
Emanuel Spinola wrote on Friday, August 12, 2005 - 09:43 am:
NGK BKR6E - standard heat range copper plugs for only 12psi/200rwkw. Gap down from 0.8mm if you get any surging
Should i go with what manny has said here?
What does the gap down from 0.8mm mean?
Just making sure before i go and get it tuned. Thanks
Tuesday, January 02, 2007 - 04:29 pm, by: Daniel Clarke(Dieseltrain)
It means Make sure they are Less than 0.8mm Lindsey. I would suggest 0.75mm with your mods. They will work fine for up to 16psi of boost.
As for the NGK vs Denso Plugs. Zoom did a back to back test on these in a 220rwkw ( detuned) GTR and the NGK Iridiums showed 3.4rwkw MORE than the Denso's.
I have been using NGK Iridiums at 0.8mm gap. Have done around 13,000km's and still going strong. Each to their own i guess.
I WIll beusing the NGK Iridiums again but will degap them down to 0.71-0.75mm gap instead.