Spark Plugs - Should I stay or should I go?
#16
Pole Position
Originally Posted by sha4000
the ngk iridiums are $7 in strauss while the denso is $13 everywhere else i checked(streets & online) except on the denso site which they are $9 as i stated earlier. do you think there is a big diff. btw the 2?
#17
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (1)
Originally Posted by Lexusfreak
Nope, I'd go for the NGK Iridiums as long as they are OE iridiums. Both will last 100,000 miles.
#18
Pole Position
Originally Posted by sha4000
same thing i was thinking. the car rides good with the v-power in there but the only knock is that i can hear the plugs firing when i open up the hood and listen never heard it when i had the other plugs in there. has anyone ever experienced this? i took them all out and checked to make sure the gaps were all good and put them back in but i still hear it. pissed me off b/c i broke one of the bolts that hold down the ignition coil.
#19
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Lexusfreak
Yes, Iridiums are quite a bit more expensive over platinums, but that Iridium won't last nearly as long as the double (laser) platinums. I'd go with the PK20R11's as I don't think you can get the long life iridiums.......remember, the IK20's are only good for 30k miles & double the price.
Based on the consensus that spark plugs do not add any appreciable horsepower/torque/performance, etc. and that lesser quality spark plugs can cause a decrease in performance, plus the fact that spark plugs will decrease in performance as they are used, I would say that the true benefit of any spark plug would be in it's longevity. In other words, just how many times can that plug fire and maintain it's like new manufactured performance.
So, I have to ask; What is the business/marketing reason for Denso to manufacture and market an Iridium spark plug for almost $12 that has a life expectancy of only 30,000 miles and also manufacture and market a platinum plug for $7 that has a life expectancy of 100,000 miles?
From a business point of view that's shooting yourself in the foot.
The only legitimate reason a person would spend $5 more on an iridium plug would be if it actually improved performance over platinum, but iridium doesn't improve performance over platinum.
So, is the market wasting it's time with iridium? Should we spend less for platinums and get more for our $$?
Wes
#20
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (1)
plugs
you are right, but on the same note the ik20 is $12 and my stock plug the sk20r11 which i had in after 120k and is in great condition is $9 dollars on the same site. plus the ngk iridium is only $7 dollars and offers the same thing as my stock plug. you know how you can have a regular pair of blue jeans for like $20 and then they slap a designer tag on it and then charge you $50, but ts basically the same jeans. go figure
#21
Pole Position
Originally Posted by additude
This doesn't make sense to me.
Based on the consensus that spark plugs do not add any appreciable horsepower/torque/performance, etc. and that lesser quality spark plugs can cause a decrease in performance, plus the fact that spark plugs will decrease in performance as they are used, I would say that the true benefit of any spark plug would be in it's longevity. In other words, just how many times can that plug fire and maintain it's like new manufactured performance.
So, I have to ask; What is the business/marketing reason for Denso to manufacture and market an Iridium spark plug for almost $12 that has a life expectancy of only 30,000 miles and also manufacture and market a platinum plug for $7 that has a life expectancy of 100,000 miles?
From a business point of view that's shooting yourself in the foot.
The only legitimate reason a person would spend $5 more on an iridium plug would be if it actually improved performance over platinum, but iridium doesn't improve performance over platinum.
So, is the market wasting it's time with iridium? Should we spend less for platinums and get more for our $$?
Wes
Based on the consensus that spark plugs do not add any appreciable horsepower/torque/performance, etc. and that lesser quality spark plugs can cause a decrease in performance, plus the fact that spark plugs will decrease in performance as they are used, I would say that the true benefit of any spark plug would be in it's longevity. In other words, just how many times can that plug fire and maintain it's like new manufactured performance.
So, I have to ask; What is the business/marketing reason for Denso to manufacture and market an Iridium spark plug for almost $12 that has a life expectancy of only 30,000 miles and also manufacture and market a platinum plug for $7 that has a life expectancy of 100,000 miles?
From a business point of view that's shooting yourself in the foot.
The only legitimate reason a person would spend $5 more on an iridium plug would be if it actually improved performance over platinum, but iridium doesn't improve performance over platinum.
So, is the market wasting it's time with iridium? Should we spend less for platinums and get more for our $$?
Wes
There are 2 kinds of Iridium plugs that Denso uses, that's what I've been trying to explain here in this thread......the IK20 is the shorter life of the 2 & only has a life span of 30k miles. I stress that folks get the OE Denso (SK20R11) or NGK OE iridiums, NOT the IK20.
Last edited by Lexusfreak; 09-23-05 at 08:07 AM.
#22
BahHumBug
iTrader: (10)
since im looking to tune my car up(really bad mpg) exactly what plug do you guys recomend?
http://www.ngk.com/results_app.asp?AAIA=1187502
http://densoaftermarket.com/online_c...US&model=LS400
http://www.ngk.com/results_app.asp?AAIA=1187502
http://densoaftermarket.com/online_c...US&model=LS400
#23
Pole Position
Originally Posted by PureDrifter
since im looking to tune my car up(really bad mpg) exactly what plug do you guys recomend?
http://www.ngk.com/results_app.asp?AAIA=1187502
http://densoaftermarket.com/online_c...US&model=LS400
http://www.ngk.com/results_app.asp?AAIA=1187502
http://densoaftermarket.com/online_c...US&model=LS400
#25
Driver School Candidate
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I double checked that 30k miles recommendation for Denso's iridiums and sure enough - interesting - they used to claim 75k miles on the iridiums (standard iridium, not platinum-iridiums).
So, Denso's current claims are:
IR Iridium - 30k miles
double platinum - 60k miles
long life (iridium-platinum) - 120k miles
But, theoretically, in terms of performance, the IR iridiums have a .4mm center electrode and the long life iridiums have a .7mm, so while the long lifes would last longer, the ir iridiums would perform better.
I can't find any plug life statements from NGK, but their iridium IX has a .6mm center electrode - thats really the only difference between the ngk iridium and the denso iridium, so ngks should last longer (although, densos should perform better)
So, Denso's current claims are:
IR Iridium - 30k miles
double platinum - 60k miles
long life (iridium-platinum) - 120k miles
But, theoretically, in terms of performance, the IR iridiums have a .4mm center electrode and the long life iridiums have a .7mm, so while the long lifes would last longer, the ir iridiums would perform better.
I can't find any plug life statements from NGK, but their iridium IX has a .6mm center electrode - thats really the only difference between the ngk iridium and the denso iridium, so ngks should last longer (although, densos should perform better)
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