Why the hate for Champion plugs?

meep said:
We had Bosch plugs bring an 89 FI accord to a point it would barely idle. Returned to NGK and it was fine. Being a fan of Bosch plugs, I enjoyed Volvo ownership.

Never had a problem with champions in OPE. I prefer NGK, denso, and Bosch in the right application.
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I put a set of Bosch platinums (+2? +4?) in a 94 Honda Accord if I remember correctly. It was a late night service before a weekend outing and it would not start the next morning. I was beside myself as to what went wrong, finally put the old NGKs back in and it fired up and ran fine for the rest of the year.

For the most part that was my first/last experience with Bosch plugs. NGK have never steered me wrong, before or since.
 
I rode snowmobiles a lot in my 20's-40's. Champion plugs were useless in a sled. Once they fouled slightly they were done, and could never be returned to running properly. A fouled NGK could be cleaned with a torch or put into a dry cylinder, and it was like it was never fouled. I've never had issues with Champion in a 4-stroke, but after dealing with them in 2-strokes, I never bought them anymore.
 
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I've never had a problem with Champion plugs in OPE engines and the couple of Chrysler vehicles my dad owned.

I always had fitment issues with Champion and Autolite plugs going into GM engines (hard to get started and properly seated. On the other hand, I had fitment problems with ACDelco and Champion plugs going into Ford engines.

Hence, I stick to factory recommended plugs for a given engine.
 
Gus_Mahn said:
I rode snowmobiles a lot in my 20's-40's. Champion plugs were useless in a sled. Once they fouled slightly they were done, and could never be returned to running properly. A fouled NGK could be cleaned with a torch or put into a dry cylinder, and it was like it was never fouled. I've never had issues with Champion in a 4-stroke, but after dealing with them in 2-strokes, I never bought them anymore.
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Same with me. New Champs were a trunk plug for in a pinch. Easy start Champs have been fine in my OPE flat head snowblowers. I ran a set of Iridium NGK in a Polaris 700 2 stroke for over 5k miles, sold that sled with them still in it without any issues.
 
Bosch made the first platinum plug and NGK the first iridium. No one else had ever caught up on quality it seems.

Champion is owned by federal Mogal and run by accountants. They’re not first in anything. Although I do use them in my lawnmower and it seems to work fine, but now I’m wondering if I should not?
 
Federal-Mogul is no more. Both business divisions (Federal-Mogul Powertrain (the OEM business) and Federal-Mogul Motor-Parts (the aftermarket business)) were sold to Tenneco 2018.

Now it's likely run by a bunch of accountants, MBAs, and investment bankers because Tenneco is owned by Apollo Global Management.
 
Some Champions from today.

IMG_20241105_131626_1.webp
IMG_20241105_131844_1.webp
IMG_20241105_131900_1.webp
 
I used to install Champion plugs exclusively in Mopars. I don't recall ever having any come-backs. A lot of the "complaints" was that one heat range covered a wider range than other brands. According to a distributor rep, CHampion re-did their application catalog when they went to copper core.

I haven't installed an Autolite since the 1970's?
 
paulo57509 said:
I used to install Champion plugs exclusively in Mopars. I don't recall ever having any come-backs. A lot of the "complaints" was that one heat range covered a wider range than other brands. According to a distributor rep, CHampion re-did their application catalog when they went to copper core.

I haven't installed an Autolite since the 1970's?
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True enough, I run copper Champions in my non-profit's '98 Ram and '12 Ram 1500
 
Chris142 said:
India
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I think Bosch makes their copper plugs in India or Russia now. The last Champion I installed for a B&S engine was made in Mexico. Champion/Beru has a joint venture in Korea, Yura. I think Hyundai Kefico or HL Mando is the Korean side of the equation there.

Autolite and new ACDelco(same stuff) is made in Mexico or China.
 
For me it depends on the brand of vehicle as to what plugs go in it. Fords get Autolite or Motorcraft, Toyota and Honda get NGK or Denso, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram etc get Champion. German cars get Bosch. So I don’t hate any brand of plugs but I’ve had multiple occasions where you put one brand of plugs in and it runs like crap that’s why I only use recommended brands for each brand.

All my small engines usually get Champion if that’s what comes in them.
 
Pablo said:
Bosch ONLY work in Volvo. Not sure how they do that magic!
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It's been a while but I think I remember Volvo (or Mazda?) working on spark plug plasma sensing. Something like, applying voltage to the spark plug in between spark discharges to monitor for knock and combustion qualities. I could see how this might require unique plug design. Maybe

it was from Bosch?
 
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Paco Pena said:
As Toyota guy its OEM plugs only. Denso or NGK. I do like Champion for small engines.

Paco
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Same here. I try not to outsmart the car manufacturer and use the oem plug. Pretty much all my cars came with NGK, so I use the NGK oem plugs. Not sure what my newer BMW has, but told they are made by Champion, not NGK. I will need to investigate that more.
 
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