Do Iridium Plugs Last Forever?

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You can easily get 75 K out of NGK platinums, which are cheaper, with a clean rnning engine, and adjust the gap at that point to get some more. Less spark shrouding, too. If your plugs are a bear to get to, go for the iridium.
 
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Originally Posted By: Pontual
I've used iridium 8eix in a carbed ZX9r bike and they got ruined in 15k miles. All carboned (fuel rich) ... Is there a way to clean it up, like with a torch or a fscleaner?


If the fuel soaked into the porcelain they are ruined. If they just have carbon build up they are probably fine.

In the late 1970s all the spark plug makers eliminated a step [¿glazing?] in the manufacturing process and plugs made since then are no longer resistant to flooding.
 
Originally Posted By: Cardenio327
Originally Posted By: Pontual
I've used iridium 8eix in a carbed ZX9r bike and they got ruined in 15k miles. All carboned (fuel rich) ... Is there a way to clean it up, like with a torch or a fscleaner?


If the fuel soaked into the porcelain they are ruined. If they just have carbon build up they are probably fine.

In the late 1970s all the spark plug makers eliminated a step [¿glazing?] in the manufacturing process and plugs made since then are no longer resistant to flooding.


True story. I tried to use NGK iridium in my boat and they all died due to hard starting and occasional flooding. When they went they took the coil with them. I learned that iridium is not good for all applications.
 
Originally Posted By: artbuc
A few years ago I read a Denso paper (still have it if anyone is interested) describing Denso's effort to develop an iridium plug which would last 200k miles BEFORE dropping off in performance. They presented all of the test results which showed they had accomplished their objective. I have changed out a few sets of iridium plugs at 120-150k miles and they all looked as good as new. Last night I changed out the NGK iridiums in my niece's 2007 TSX with 130k miles. I looked at them under magnification and the electrodes looked just like the new ones. It was amazing. I changed them out but I have no doubt they could have easily gone 175-200k miles.


I agree that Denso iridium Twin Tip are indestructible. I have them in RAV4 and no visible wear and people replaced them at 120,000 miles and they looked like new. I'm not there yet. I'm converting all my cars to those, as they are the best spark plugs on the planet.

On the other hand, some other iridiums don't do as well.
This is ACDelco iridium I replaced at 135,000 in saturn ion.
Notice irregular wear due to waste spark. The bottom is new Denso iridium Twin Tip:

IMG_20141227_120350_zps598a5c42.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: berniedd
Originally Posted By: Pontual
I've used iridium 8eix in a carbed ZX9r bike and they got ruined in 15k miles. All carboned (fuel rich) ... Is there a way to clean it up, like with a torch or a fscleaner?


I poured lacquer thinner into my plug's end and waited an hour till the liquid evaporated. It made the carbon brittle, which I could pick off with a needle.


Nice, but I think mine got fouled by fuel and won't have salvation. But I'll try, thanks for the imput.
 
Originally Posted By: Cardenio327
Originally Posted By: Pontual
I've used iridium 8eix in a carbed ZX9r bike and they got ruined in 15k miles. All carboned (fuel rich) ... Is there a way to clean it up, like with a torch or a fscleaner?


If the fuel soaked into the porcelain they are ruined. If they just have carbon build up they are probably fine.

In the late 1970s all the spark plug makers eliminated a step [¿glazing?] in the manufacturing process and plugs made since then are no longer resistant to flooding.


Wow, that sure is a involution, a step back. Never more a Iridium in my carbed engines ... Thanks for the headsup.
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: Cardenio327
Originally Posted By: Pontual
I've used iridium 8eix in a carbed ZX9r bike and they got ruined in 15k miles. All carboned (fuel rich) ... Is there a way to clean it up, like with a torch or a fscleaner?


If the fuel soaked into the porcelain they are ruined. If they just have carbon build up they are probably fine.

In the late 1970s all the spark plug makers eliminated a step [¿glazing?] in the manufacturing process and plugs made since then are no longer resistant to flooding.


True story. I tried to use NGK iridium in my boat and they all died due to hard starting and occasional flooding. When they went they took the coil with them. I learned that iridium is not good for all applications.


We both learnt the hard way, since my coils are acting up, also.
 
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Originally Posted By: Pontual
Originally Posted By: berniedd
Originally Posted By: Pontual
I've used iridium 8eix in a carbed ZX9r bike and they got ruined in 15k miles. All carboned (fuel rich) ... Is there a way to clean it up, like with a torch or a fscleaner?


I poured lacquer thinner into my plug's end and waited an hour till the liquid evaporated. It made the carbon brittle, which I could pick off with a needle.


Nice, but I think mine got fouled by fuel and won't have salvation. But I'll try, thanks for the imput.


Test them with good ohmeter. It they have any measurable resistance (lake several MOhm, should be infinity), they are toast and there is nothing you can do about it. Believe me, I tried a number of things.
 
For around $30, if I was going to pull them to check them, I'd just go ahead and change them. I do the same with the PCV valve.

I changed my plugs at around 55k, and will change them again when the timing belt needs to be done at around 100k.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
To the best of my knowledge Iridium plugs are cheaper than Platinum plugs.
Kind of a generalization, I think. Check the NGK on line catalogs.
 
Funny how the Skyactiv engines (per bulletin from Mazda) require iridium/platinum plugs and neither NGK nor Denso show these plugs on their own web sites. The only plug listed for the Skyactiv engines on Rock Auto (VIN 7 or 8) is made by Champion. I guess if you want the OEM NGK plug you have to go to the dealer.
 
^^^Not really funny when you have the sophisticated ignition systems of today. I just finished reading about a new Mercedes gasser that can fire the plugs up to 100 times per combustion event!

Modern engines likely have several things we really don't hear much about...
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: Pontual
Originally Posted By: berniedd
Originally Posted By: Pontual
I've used iridium 8eix in a carbed ZX9r bike and they got ruined in 15k miles. All carboned (fuel rich) ... Is there a way to clean it up, like with a torch or a fscleaner?


I poured lacquer thinner into my plug's end and waited an hour till the liquid evaporated. It made the carbon brittle, which I could pick off with a needle.


Nice, but I think mine got fouled by fuel and won't have salvation. But I'll try, thanks for the imput.


Test them with good ohmeter. It they have any measurable resistance (lake several MOhm, should be infinity), they are toast and there is nothing you can do about it. Believe me, I tried a number of things.


I'll measure, thanks
wink.gif


What about that sand blast jet, wouldn't it remove the foulings from soaked fuel?

Some people throw plugs on gasoline and light it on a fire. That's a bad practice, as I got from this thread...
 
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Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
^^^Not really funny when you have the sophisticated ignition systems of today. I just finished reading about a new Mercedes gasser that can fire the plugs up to 100 times per combustion event!

Modern engines likely have several things we really don't hear much about...
"Multiple restrike ignitions" have been used in NASCAR and drag racing for a long time. Trust the Germans to overcomplicate it by a five factor and then claim it as their own idea. In reality it's a form of "pluse width modulation" by a series of smalll pulses rather than one big pulse. A good system will provide a long pulse series for firing lean low speed mixtures and a shorter but higher amplitude pulse series for high RPM running.
 
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