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I used to use Champion copper core spark plugs but decided to use Bosch super 4 plugs last year (these have the 4 electrodes). I found no difference in performance or fuel consumption though. I've recently read that the multi-electrode plugs are worse on performance. So, I'm going to try NGK plugs this year. Has anyone tried using NGK's iridium plugs? I would be interested to know whether the iridium plugs really are noticeably better than the traditional copper core plugs. Would the OEM Volvo plugs be best for a 740?
Cheers
Will
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Recently installed a rebuilt '85 B230FT into '88 760 and changed to NG iridiums.
All appears fine to date.
Now plan to change to M46 transmission.
Will advise.
rhodee
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Bosch Platinums are different from any others in that they only have a tiny platinum electrode flush with the face of the insulator. My results with them have been mixed and I don't buy them anymore. Personally I think that some of the issues people have with Bosch Platinums are unfairly considered to be endemic to Platinum or other rare metal tipped spark plugs.
NGK and Denso Iridium plugs, on the other hand, perform extremely well in every vehicle I have tried them in.
John
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I use the NGKS in my 90 740t, so far so good. I am pretty much stock tho, with the exception of a K&N and Browntops, so I honestly havent noticed a difference, but they appear to work fine.
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When I had the '83-240 scoped at the dealer looong ago, the tech wrote "High secondary resistance - car has Bosch platinum plugs". The service manager said they advise against them in the 240's...and presumably all red blocks.
Since then: $2 standard copper NGK BP6ES in everything. 25k-30k miles is usual, but I have seen the gaps open up some at that mileage...though the cars ran fine.
I don't like to leave plugs in an aluminum head for overly long mileages - possibility of the dissimilar metals (steel plug body) undergoing galvanic corrosion and galling the threads in the head upon removal. Always give the plug threads a smear of anti-seize when installing.
And always let aluminum heads cool down before removing the plugs.
--
Bob (son's 81-244GL B21F/M46, dtr's 83-244DL B23F/M46, my 94-944 B230FD; hobbycar 77 MGB, and a few old motorcycles)
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I've tried Bosch platinums in various configurations with underwhelming results. My NGK Iridiums work just fine in four 940 cars (turbo and NA)and have the added advantage of virtually zero gap erosion over many miles. You can indeed get 100k out of a set with no degradation in performance. The only thing to watch is seizing in the head: I use antiseize (with 40% lower torque on installation) and I loosen and reinstall them every 50k miles to prevent seizure.
--
See the 700/900 FAQ under 'Select Link' button on the top right.
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The consensus seems to be that the plain copper plugs are the best, as long as you use a good brand, like NGK or Bosch. FWIW, in my RX-7's rotary engine, which eats plugs, the NGK plugs don't last as long as the Nippon Denso ones do. NGK = about 3,000 to 5,000 miles, Nippon Denso = 12,000 or better. But the ND plugs are much, much harder to find. Any of you guys have experience with Nippon Denso plugs in Volvos?
--
Scott Cook - 1991 745T, 1985 RX-7 GSL-SE, 1986 Toyota Tercel (Don't laugh, it is reliable, faithful AND gets 41 mpg!)
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Hmmm, a few Japanese engine makers have listed NGK and ND interchangeably as OEM spark plugs. Even the ones that used Denso as their primary supplier of electrical accessories.
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I'm with Blue on this; I use NGK BP6ES or BP7ES in my B230s for normal and high performance driving.
Chumpions have lousy insulators; they break off inside & outside the cylinder.
I just pulled a set of BP7ES form my 740T after ~30K mile and 4 track days; I coulda regapped 'em, but decided to put another set in for <$8. Big spender.
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In my experience with several Volvos (140-240-740) I have found NGK plugs (the regular copper ones) to be the best in terms of value, performance and life. Bosch Super (copper) are a fairly close second, but avoid the ones made in India as they don't seem to be up to the usual standards. Bosch platinum are a waste of money---they don't seem to run any better and foul out fairly quickly. Worst of all are Split Fire. I once bought a car with these in it, and the terminal where the wire attaches was broken off on three out of four of them. I was amazed that it ran at all after finding that.
All of this is in reference to stock engines and may not apply to highly modified ones.
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I avoid Champion plugs like the plague as they have threads cut on a lathe-like machine, which come to a knife edge. (Bosch and NGK use rolled threads, with a slightly rounded edge) This makes them a lot more prone to cross-threading, which usually leads to stripped threads in the soft aluminum head, and an often unsatisfactory Heli-Coil repair. This was less of a problem on the cast iron V8s they were designed for, and should be left to. (they would probably be OK in a B20, but I still wouldn't want to use them)
Another thing I have seen a Champion do is break off, leaving the threaded part stuck in the head. Due to poor accessibility the head had to be removed to get the broken piece out.
Other than that, they are probably OK. My circle of automotive friends usually refer to them as Chimpanzee plugs---who else would want to use them ?
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We were running a B20 with 14:1 compression in our race car, and it blew the whole center out of a Champion. The metal facets and threads were fine, but the ceramic made a bullet hole in the hood!
I'm running a warmed up B20 in my PV544 now, and I put in Denso Iridiums and have never had a problem in the ~4K miles on them. They seem to fire very nicely, and for some reason are less prone to flooding. Maybe the MSD ignition is firing right through the gas, I don't know. The car got new braided plug wires at the smae time; I'm tired of finding broken carbon threads in the cheap ones.
If you can't come up with a set of real metal wires that are also radio supressed, try your local tractor supply house.
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That's funny! I have also avoided Chimpanzees since forever. I used to see compression leakage around the shell, mostly on J numbers found in Chevys and BB Mopars. I know some guys that used to play with VW pancakes powered cars (bugs). They always knew that if the spark plugs threads were coming out of the head, they were attached to a Chimp L88A or L87Y.
Growing up with Fords, I have used Autolites all along. Dad used them before they were called Motorcraft (which happens to still use the original Autolite numbering system). Yes, they're even in my Kawasaki crotch-rocket. #63 copper plugs easily go 30K in the bricks. I'm not going to fix what isn't broken.
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posted by
someone claiming to be volbro245
on
Fri Jun 2 08:40 CST 2006 [ RELATED]
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My 2 cents- I have worked on VW's for the past 35 years, lately Volvos. The Bosch plugs are nickle plated- one reason they cost more, so they won't seize nearly as easy as other brands. Champions seem to be the worst- zinc plated thread- great in iron heads, but zinc and aluminum like to get tight. I would rather change plugs more than try to helicoil a head any day. Volvo plugs are pretty easy to access.
I too have had mixed to poor results with the platinum plugs.
But I have had very good luck and even noticed an improvement off idle with the triple electrode plugs from Bosch. The WR7DTC ( T is key part) was used on water cooled Audi and VW's. It's been working great in our 240 and 740T. 30,000 miles is about as long as run them.
I cannot say I have tried the ND plugs. They appear to be cadmium plated, will have to see how that lines up with aluminum on the periodic tables.
Who makes the OEM Volvo plugs? Beru? Or?
Mike in Tacoma
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Volvo plugs seem to come from multiple suppliers. I haven't seen enough of them to know whether certain numbers come from one particular vendor or not. The few German ones looked like Bosch years ago but the last set I saw did not, so I assumed they were Beru. Many seem to be from France. The ones that have the Champion crosshatch and bright plating are probably supplied by them, the other French ones must be Lodge. Most outsourced parts are made to manufacturer's specs but these could be vendor's standard product.
As far as using Chumps in iron heads, only if the iron is for a boat anchor (not a running boat engine).
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Every Lodge plug I've ever seen was made in Italy. They are original equipment in Alfa Romeos. Some Alfa owners swear by them, but I thought mine ran better on NGKs.
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