NGK/Denso Iridium IX vs Standard Laser Iridium

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My 2002 Camry's spark plugs replacement is coming up due. (105,000 per manual, currently at 100,400).

I am a strong believer of using OEM plugs spec'd in by the engineers that designed the engine, and installed by the factory. The factory plugs I have work great and I cannot feel any degradation over the 100K. The OEM plugs would be NGK or Denso's Laser Iridium.

That said, I notice that both NGK and Denso offer a finer tip version of their OEM style plugs. They claim the finer tips will improve firing efficiency, but the plugs won't last as long.

Does anyone have any experience with their fine tip offerings? They can be had for a 6.99 (8.99 for standard). Do they offer any observable performance enhancement? If chosen, I would probably replace them at 50K, instead of 100K for OEM.
 
I to am a OEM plug kind of guy. I will only put AC Delco in GM's, Motorcraft in Ford's, NGK in Honda's, Denso in Toyota's. But where i differ is i will always pick a good old copper core over the "100,000" mile plugs(fine tip). I have seen no advantage to using such plugs other than not having to change them so often! I feel you get a larger flame kernel w/ the copper cores there for a more complete burn.I haven't seen any observable performance from using the fine tip plugs IE better MPG. Buy having to change my plugs every 30,000 instead of 100,000 miles i have fresh plugs in there more often and another opportunity to inspect the engine for any leaks or other potential problems.
joe
 
You will not see any advantage in anything close to a stock car..

Put another set of OEM plugs in there and call it a day.

I might have changed them before 100k miles though, it has been 7 years. I would worry about them getting stuck in there.

I usually just change plugs every 3-4 years regardless of mileage, and have never had a spark plug problem.

I was told that the manufacturer for the delco plugs in my saturn were NGK, so I bought a set of ngk plugs, I think they are $2.39 each for the platniums.

Car runs perfect, no problems.
 
I do not think I can go copper. There is a warning label on the valve cover stating that replacement must be Iridium. I wonder why? Do Iridium plugs have different voltage requirements and the ignitors are design for them?
 
Go with the factory plugs- some of the alternate NGK{and others} are iridium on only one firing surface and standard metal on the ground electrodes- whereas the NGK laser plugs use precious metals on both the center electrode and ground- big difference between the two!!!!!!!!!!
 
You can get platinum and iridium with copper cores, if you like
It is only a method of heat dissipation in the core.
It's one way to do it.
If resistance is needed to mate with the system, they use a resistor in line, internally.

I could care less if there is any copper in a spark plug. Neither should you.
 
I installed Champion Iridium platinum on one of my mitsubishi 1.5l and they are exceptional. i own 3 or these mirage vehicles, and i run NGK regular iridium in another - also a superb plug, and i run autolite xp, which is an iridium / platinum in my 3rd mirage and also excellent!!! one of the mirage was running standard champion copper, and the engine simply ran slower, and would die during idling; popping in a set of NGK regular iridium made it run like new.
I highly recommend the platinum/iridium plugs. they last for over 100,000 miles, with virtually no gap erosion. just be sure to VERY CAREFULLY check the gap before installing. i regularly see most of the plugs fairly close to spec, and also very common for one plug in the set that you buy to be WAY OFF. because the electrode is so fine, you need to use a feeler gauge when you are checking the gap. having a very uniform gap between the plugs is MOST important. I also have a GM Venture 3.4l - the owners manual says you must use iridium/platinum. I always find my vehicles run better with iridium/platinum, no matter what the make, what the engine. One of my subaru with the 2.2l flat four has double platinum plugs, and they work excellent, as well. i really cannot tell the difference between double platinum, and iridium/platinum, but the comment about being meticulous about the gap still holds.
 
Have you guys ever seen those spark plug indexers by Jacobs Electronics/Accel?

They allow you to align all your plugs electrodes when installed into the head. Supposedly this helps with engine refinement and smoothness, equal burn rate, etc.

plug indexers
 
I have a 1997 Honda Accord 2.2 and a 1998 Honda Accord V6. The V6 is a pain in the rear to change plugs, but I can do it in about 1 hour. The 4 cylinder takes about 30 minutes if I am taking my time. I replaced the V6 plugs with copper plugs at 70,000 miles because I didnt feel like paying $10 a plug and i wanted to see if there was any difference in putting in $2 densos. After running the copper plugs for 60,000 miles the car still ran beautifully and gas mileage was unchanged. I am trying the Denso TT plugs right now in it, they are cheap and double platinum..and I am not even going to look at them for another 70,000 miles. I have essentially done the same with the 4 cylinder, I have used coppers, iridium IX, and platinum plugs.. I can see no difference in any of them.. Both Hondas run great, start well, and the gas mileage is only affected when using really cheap gas.

My opinion.. If you do it yourself.. and you are frugal. Run the Denso TT and dont worry about it for 70 or 80K miles.

Take a peek at the distributor cap while you are doing it, replace at 80K miles with a quality cap and button and keep driving it till the wheels fall off.
 
i am currently using denso iridiums, good plugs no issues with it in my honda.

The gap is a bit different thoe, denso says it is 0.35 where as standard gapping on platinums and even ngk iridum is 0.44 for my car.
 
Instant improvement and that was years ago. Second set on Mazda. Local dyno shop owner/operator fitted them first time and was so impressed he fitted them to both his turbo Subes. Look at the NGK picture, explains why. Cheapest vehicle upgrade ever for me.
 
Spark plug indexing has to use a dyno to get results. Tough to do, and time consuming.
You can not assume that the electrode should be pointing at or away from anything.
A 1% improvement would be a lot.
 
I installed the NGK iR-IX in the old CRV which had gone 60k on the last NGK v-Powers. They seem to run nice and the AA coupon brought the price in at $18/4
 
Iridium long lasting plug from now on for me.

I went cheap on a Honda in the past, replacing with copper type plugs every 40-50k miles. Which IMO, when replacing, you wear a little bit of aluminum off the threads of the head. At about 185k miles, spark plug blew out due to stipped threads.

From now on, I change them as less as possible.
 
Originally Posted By: qship1996
Go with the factory plugs- some of the alternate NGK{and others} are iridium on only one firing surface and standard metal on the ground electrodes- whereas the NGK laser plugs use precious metals on both the center electrode and ground- big difference between the two!!!!!!!!!!


Do you think the NGK Laser Iridium plugs are worth it over double Platinum plugs?

From what I've read they hold their GAP over the long haul.
 
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