My own little spark plug thread

[volvotuning]

Good point Adam happens to me all the time, so here's my simple man's sparkplug indicator.......................lol

A simple test to see if your plugs are the right one’s is to remove a plug from your engine, if you have just dropped it then it was to hot, if not look at the plug end (dot in the middle) and move your head in and out, if it starts revolving (see example below) then it’s to cold. A correctly chosen plug will remain in your engine for thousands of miles, so long in fact that you will forget they are there lol.

LOL, where did you find that? That's quite good!

Adam.

[Engineer]

LOL, where did you find that? That's quite good!

Adam.

Only moves when Im p----d mate don't know about anybody else lol.

[weasel]

'Easy on guys! Its' so easy to misread people's tone in posts cos half that time we don't use emoticons.'
not a problem.... we can all be hoisted by our petard occasionally:-)

'Anyway, just want to add that I think using a good quality oil is probably common sense. The word "quality" being the operative word here. There are many quality oils out there, of which Shell Helix is one such example.'
ah but quality is not necessarily a useful term for some. you supply valvoline semi synthetic as part of your standard servicing don't you?

i also use the ecp plugs without any problems and change every 10k, but that's because i just don't think they should be left in for that long - perish the thought of helicoiling all the way down there! i was once told by someone who'd been 'in the trade for 16 years' that the volvo recommended plugs 'never existed' because he wanted my to pay loads for his ngk set and when i said 11 quid a plug was too much, he dropped the price to 8.50.... i went to ecp instead.

you guys should be less suspicious, i've not brought anything from you yet.

[LeeT5]

... but that's because i just don't think they should be left in for that long - perish the thought of helicoiling all the way down there!

Well heres a top tip from me and i've been in the trade for 16 years also. On replacing plugs with new if you smear a tiny amount of copper slip onto the thread then you will prevent the above from happening. Also it will ensure that you screw the plugs in at the correct torque.

If you leave the plugs dry then they have more chance of rattling themselves free even if torqued up!! Trust me it works fine. Been doing it for years with no probs.

I went out to a guy with a v8 audi on a 54 plate with a misfire and strange engine noise. b4 i looked he told me the car had just had a full service. All the spark plugs had been replaced and i found two to be loose and one nearly falling out - hense the misfire. Guess what.....it had been done at the main dealer, upon inspection the plugs were all bone dry. So i copper slipped 'em, torqued em up and hay presto. Got a tenner tip too

Dry plugs in a very dry head is asking for stipped threads.

[Engineer]

Well heres a top tip from me and i've been in the trade for 16 years also. On replacing plugs with new if you smear a tiny amount of copper slip onto the thread then you will prevent the above from happening. Also it will ensure that you screw the plugs in at the correct torque.

If you leave the plugs dry then they have more chance of rattling themselves free even if torqued up!! Trust me it works fine. Been doing it for years with no probs.

I went out to a guy with a v8 audi on a 54 plate with a misfire and strange engine noise. b4 i looked he told me the car had just had a full service. All the spark plugs had been replaced and i found two to be loose and one nearly falling out - hense the misfire. Guess what.....it had been done at the main dealer, upon inspection the plugs were all bone dry. So i copper slipped 'em, torqued em up and hay presto. Got a tenner tip too

Dry plugs in a very dry head is asking for stipped threads.

Dead right mate, long term problems do happen with left for ever screwed items, been around a long time in the trade myself 36 years and counting lol.

[volvotuning]

ah but quality is not necessarily a useful term for some. you supply valvoline semi synthetic as part of your standard servicing don't you?

you guys should be less suspicious, i've not brought anything from you yet.

I think we use several types of oil depending on the type of car, but that's the "service" department which I'm technically not involved with so I can't say for sure. You would need to ask Hamish because I'm not 100% certain.

I ain't suspicious about anything except anyone who tries to put cheese in my food - I hate the stuff!!! LOL

Adam.

[siamblue]

Hi,

The fact that the Platinum or Iridium Plug will last 30k and a copper plug will not suggests to me that the copper plugs are clearly inferior.
Gary's statement that people are wasting their money using a quality oil is quite frankly ridiculous !
My best advice, especially for a performance car, is fit the best. That applies to Spark Plugs, Oil, Tyres, Petrol, Brakes etc etc.
And in the case of Spark Plugs for a T5 Standard or Tuned a good plug is the NGK Platinum or Iridium. (circa. £8). If you really do want the Best we stock a NGK Competition plug (circa. £18).
Fitting a mundane copper plug to a T5 engine, and then driving it anything other than carefully is just asking for trouble !

Regards,
Hamish.

All i ever do on here is try and make sure people are not getting ripped off and i always look for the cheaper options, as not everyone can afford AP brakes or Shell Helix, etc,
In my experience I have used cheaper equivalents where i can, I have read a lot of info on Volvospeed and they do know their stuff, hence why i changed to the Coppers, and no problems at all,
I should've worded it a bit better earlier but;
As for the oil i am happy putting fully synthetic 5w 40 in my car every 5k at £15 a gallon, instead of £60 odd for Shell Helix,
My car has had a hard life being ex Police and i am sure the Police mechanics in Notts did put anything on the car they knew would be wasting money,
The old girl has done 147k now so that is testament in its self IMHO.

Gary

[weasel]

gary are you using the same oil as the plods did then?

adam, you do realise this cheese thing is very worrying especially when considered along with: hamish appears to not know the correct plugs for the car and uses oils according to the manual or the next best thing he can get..... which might be porridge for all i know. i do hope wobbly dave's there if and when i come for a remap;-)

[siamblue]

gary are you using the same oil as the plods did then?

I don't know what they used, but i have been told by a Policeman that if they can get it done cheaper then they go with it, one thing is for sure it would not be expensive.

Gary.

[BlackBeast]

Forget about the oil, there's a 'my little oil thread' all for that

Why should i pay £35+ for platinums/iridiums when i can get coppers for £10 or less that do the job just as well?

What about VT doing some testing with coppers vs platinums vs iridiums? Adam? Hamish?

[siamblue]

Forget about the oil, there's a 'my little oil thread' all for that

Why should i pay £35+ for platinums/iridiums when i can get coppers for £10 or less that do the job just as well?

What about VT doing some testing with coppers vs platinums vs iridiums? Adam? Hamish?

Go over to VS and post £8.50 or £50 for plugs and watch the flames

Gary.

Those guys are very very knowledgeble.

[LeeT5]

Forget about the oil, there's a 'my little oil thread' all for that

Why should i pay £35+ for platinums/iridiums when i can get coppers for £10 or less that do the job just as well?

What about VT doing some testing with coppers vs platinums vs iridiums? Adam? Hamish?

Isn't that as broad as it is long though??

If you get the coppers then you will be replacing them every 10k, but if you fit platinums or iridiums then you will be replacing every 30k. Even the oe plugs conveniently packed as 5 spark plugs are platinum and replaced every 30k. So you are not really spending out, £10 a year V £30 every 3!!! Surely the issue here is which plug is better for performance. Thats what i want to know.

I currently have oe platinums fitted, but am considering iridium NGK's for £5.08 each (thats what i can get them for).



Has anyone fitted NGK iridiums after oe and noticed a difference??

[racer]

Just out of idle interest <FX: looks at empty package>, what's the word on the Volvo R6 plugs they supply for the T5s?

[LeeT5]

Just out of idle interest <FX: looks at empty package>, what's the word on the Volvo R6 plugs they supply for the T5s?

R6 plugs???? dont know what you mean. Who supplies them?

[racer]

Err.. Volvo. They are the ones the dealers have listed for my V70 T5, just marked with a blue R6 on the enamel bit. Rufe probably knows the part number.

[LeeT5]

Err.. Volvo. They are the ones the dealers have listed for my V70 T5, just marked with a blue R6 on the enamel bit. Rufe probably knows the part number.

Ahh...they be good ones m8. Platinum tipped i believe...same as what i got fitted.

[racer]

That's a relief. Just fitted a new set, so I was dreading a "They're a Bag of ££££e" type response! Cheers Lee.

[LeeT5]

That's a relief. Just fitted a new set, so I was dreading a "They're a Bag of ££££e" type response! Cheers Lee.

no probs

[jp850R]

Just my 2pence worth dont hold me to these but,
Plugs:

Specified = NGK BKR7EVX

Alternative:-

Denso IK22 Performance

NGK PFR7Q Performance

NGK PFR7B Enhanced

Champion RC6PYP Enhanced

NGK BKR7EIX Performance

Denso K22PR-ZU Performance

NGK BKR7EKC Standard

Champion RC7BYC Standard

NGK BKR7E Standard

Champion RC6YC Standard

Champion RC7YC Standard

[siamblue]

Very nice work Jon i tried the IK20 in mine as they were a colder plug than the IK22,