NGK plug or Champion EZ Start?

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Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
I have always had good luck with Champions in MOPAR engines. There is no E3 available for my application. I checked at O Reillys for an E3 to maybe just give it a shot.

The local farm store is cheaper than O Reillys anyways, especially on oil.


Champion coppers work well in cars that comes with them as OE. Like the Jeep 2.5/4.0L Engines, those always ran best on Copper champions. Anything else, especially platinums caused problems for some reason.


If there were Bosch platinums I'm not surprised. I've had really bad luck with Bosch platinum plugs in several application, even though I have had good luck with Bosch products in general and think well of the company. On the other hand, I've had very good luck with NGK Iridium plugs though I wouldn't use them in an OPE application.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R

Champion coppers work well in cars that comes with them as OE. Like the Jeep 2.5/4.0L Engines, those always ran best on Copper champions.

I know this is the small engine forum and I don't want to take this off topic but...

I have been a MOPAR guy my entire life. Muscle cars to modern day cars and truck. I have NEVER had a MOPAR I owned run better on Champions than on other brands. I always swap out the OE "Cra-p-pion" plugs for other options( depends on the application )as soon as possible. Idle and acceleration( smoother ) as well as plug life is always superior to the OE "Cra-p-pions". Never seen plugs so easy to foul out as "Cra-p-pions". I worked a lot of years selling parts and hands down Champion had the most cases of bad plugs right out of the box as well. The overwhelming majority of mechanics I dealt with did not want anything to do with them either. Not even in MOPARS where they were OEM.

Originally Posted By: Nick R

Anything else, especially platinums caused problems for some reason.


Platinum vs Copper core is a whole different discussion and has nothing to do with brand. Lots of vehicles out there who have ignition systems that do not do well when you step up to Platinum or Iridium plugs. The MOPAR 5.7L HEMI is one. That is one of those motors that just seems to do better on standard Copper core plugs. Iridiums do ok but there have been tons of issues with Platinums in the 5.7L( some people have good luck - lots don't ). The OE Copper core plugs in the 5.7L HEMI are "Cra-p-pions"( RE14MCC4/570 ). The overwhelming favorite replacement plug for the motor is not the OE Champion plug however it is the NGK V-Power 5306( Copper core ). Just a better plug.

I would bet dollars to donuts that those 2 Jeep engines you talk of would run just as good, and most likely better, on NGK's or some other brand than "Cra-p-pion" as long as you stuck with Copper core plugs if the ignition systems are finicky. Just been at this too long and dealt with that JUNK plug brand too many times to ever use them willingly.
 
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
I have always had good luck with Champions in MOPAR engines. There is no E3 available for my application. I checked at O Reillys for an E3 to maybe just give it a shot.

The local farm store is cheaper than O Reillys anyways, especially on oil.


Did you look up the application or try and cross your OE plug to an E3 on their site or did the store do it? I have not had goood luck having the stores get the #. Best success for me is to get the # myself and then go find the E3 by plug # at the store.

Not saying you are wrong or anything. However it might be worth another look. What plug brand and plug # do you use now?? I will try and see if I can find an E3 # for you.
 
Well I went with the champion ez start and I bought an NGK plug for a backup. They had to order one in by the time I got back there. Figure its never a bad idea to keep a spare around anyways. I will see how they work out.
 
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
Well I went with the champion ez start and I bought an NGK plug for a backup. They had to order one in by the time I got back there. Figure its never a bad idea to keep a spare around anyways. I will see how they work out.


Take out the champion. Put the NGK in. There is no reason to use the champion plug over the better ngk.
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus
Originally Posted By: 84zmyfavorite
Use a Champion if possible.


Uhhhh........Why?


I have to agree. In the last 30 years I've had a few dud plugs, and most of the duds have been Champion/AC Delco/and a few Bosch but I've never had a bad NGK, and I've been using them exclusively for at least the last 10 or 11 years.
 
The only duds I can recall were two Champions. Both were from small two cycle engines (a Tecumseh powered ice auger and a chainsaw engine). The ice auger plug was fairly new but the chainsaw plug was fairly old.

I'll only use another brand of plug if I cannot get a suitable NGK.

I've got many NGK plugs well over 20 years old still working fine. With so many engines running nothing but NGK plugs and virtually no problems with them for decades on end, why would I want to use anything else.
 
Earlier in this thread i had posted to never having a small engine plug fail ! . This is true. I did have a plug fail in one of my cars in which i had completely forgotten about. Are you ready for this it was the almighty NGK the plug was leaking combustion gas between the insulator and plug body. and no the plug wasn't dropped or caused by mechanical failure . Also the plugs were torqued properly. So yes even ngk can have duds.
 
Originally Posted By: hemitom
Earlier in this thread i had posted to never having a small engine plug fail ! . This is true. I did have a plug fail in one of my cars in which i had completely forgotten about. Are you ready for this it was the almighty NGK the plug was leaking combustion gas between the insulator and plug body. and no the plug wasn't dropped or caused by mechanical failure . Also the plugs were torqued properly. So yes even ngk can have duds.


All plugs can fail, I've just noticed a lower failure rate with NGK. Others have a well, but obviously you may have a different opinion. To each his own.
 
No actually as replacements i do buy NGK. The only champion i bought was the EZ start. It was alright. all of my ope equipment came with champions except the honda. As replacements well its been NGK. I feel my stuff did run better on the NGK plugs i personally never had a ope plug fail, but i do swap them out every few years so maybe thats why.
 
O.E. or NGK. Most of the problems are due to improper size &/or heat range. Different brands do not always cross reference good. That being said, NGK has a great reputation. I ran only champion OE in small engines for years with no problems, but my Stihl saw and honda generator get NGK.

I think most of the Champion problems were poor resistor design in the 80's & early 90's. I had them fouling and misfiring in an old jeep at 10k around 1994. Replaced them with new champions and ran great over 30k before junking it.
 
In a well-running engine a spark plug replacement should make no difference. That is why it is so funny to watch advertizement for E3 and Spitfire plugs.

- Vikas
 
See, from my experience, NGK plugs have given me all the trouble. From two-stroke chainsaws, dirt bikes, weed wackers, four-stroke snow blowers, dirt bikes, roto-tillers,...even a Toyota Tercel that had a low mileage NGK plug blow apart and scar the cylinder walls and piston,..Ive had bad luck with NGKs. I know, most people like NGK plugs. There are people that like myself, have had bad luck with them. From easy fouling, to disenegrating, I havent had these issues with Denso, Champion, or Autolite. The only good luck Ive had with NGK plugs, has been in Honda lawnmowers. And it has been good luck with every Honda lawn mower Ive worked on, if I remember correct. Champion makes a plug for everything that needs a plug, so based upon my experiences with NGK, and champions availability, thats,...Um..., why i recommended a Champion plug.
 
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Sorry to hear that you have nothing but trouble with NGKs. On the contrary: I'm a big fan of NGK, Denso, Bosch, etc. They have not failed me so far.

Champions EZStarts have been used as a replacement for RJ19 in all my B&S appliances, and none of them disappointed me yet (I do repairs on B&S products: from 3.5hp to ride-mower twins).

Resistor plugs are a norm these days (there is no valid arguments for not using resistor plugs there days, other than some funny car owners claiming otherwise).

Q.
 
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