KR and Colder Plugs

[Qluber]

So I have been entertaining the thought of running 1 step colder plugs. My question is for you guys with Dashawks and other monitoring devices, are you seeing a significant reduction in KR with 1 step colder plugs? With my basic mods, is it worth it? Please chime in

[subparpunk03]

Generally speaking I think colder plugs will prevent pre-ignition, but not so much detonation. I went 1 step colder and didn't notice a difference in KR.

Seafoam to clean out the carbon deposits made a difference. As did fixing boost/vacuum leaks, as did pulling timing w/ the standback, as did water injection.

New spark plugs probably will not cure the KR.

[Qluber]

Originally Posted by subparpunk03 Generally speaking I think colder plugs will prevent pre-ignition, but not so much detonation. I went 1 step colder and didn't notice a difference in KR. Seafoam to clean out the carbon deposits made a difference. As did fixing boost/vacuum leaks, as did pulling timing w/ the standback, as did water injection. New spark plugs probably will not cure the KR.

Thanks for your input, where are the most common vacuum leaks?, I agree about the Seafoam, man these cars run rich, and rich equals carbon build up..............

[superskaterxes]

do a pressure test and make sure everything is sealed.

[toprock]

how do you do a pressure test?

[kingpin748]

I didn't notice much change going to colder plugs.

I don't have leaks either.

[ChrisK]

I used something like this on my old DSMs. Was like $15 to build at Lowes.

You have to have an air compressor or access to one. Connect that to do turbo, or you could probably get away with hooking it up to the turbo inlet. Then pump air into it and try to get to 10psi + on the gauge. And then listen for leaks.

here's a build thread.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/arti...ternative.html

[wassup61]

TERRIBLE for your turbo bearings, but it works. Colder plugs work to reduce pre-ignition due to advanced timing for a more controlled burn. Denso is the way to go, either ITV22 or ITV24, as they come pregapped.

Jeff at PG

[Qluber]

Originally Posted by wassup61 TERRIBLE for your turbo bearings, but it works. Colder plugs work to reduce pre-ignition due to advanced timing for a more controlled burn. Denso is the way to go, either ITV22 or ITV24, as they come pregapped. Jeff at PG

aren't the NGK's much cheaper, and you can get them from AutoZone..

[ThEsHoCkEr]

Originally Posted by Qluber aren't the NGK's much cheaper, and you can get them from AutoZone..

I think they are a little bit cheaper, but the densos come pregapped like wassup said.

[Qluber]

Originally Posted by ThEsHoCkEr I think they are a little bit cheaper, but the densos come pregapped like wassup said.

well heck, I have a feeler guage..............

[ThEsHoCkEr]

Feel away then

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by Qluber well heck, I have a feeler guage..............

Just be forewarned, it's MUCH MUCH harder to gap platinum tipped plugs than it is standard plugs. You may end up bending one of the electrodes and rendering the plug useless. What works for me is tapping the ground strap with a small body hammer while holding the plug in my other hand. If I go to far, a micro-screwdriver between the ground strap and the threads (being careful to not crack the porcelain insulator).

For me, 1 step colder and 93 octane and no knock at all.

[subparpunk03]

The NGKs come with a larger gap so you have to bend the ground to an angle to get it to the right gap. The denso come with a smaller gap (you still have to set the gap yourself, they are NOT pre-gapped correctly) but you can keep the ground at an optimal angle.

Now I've had both NGK and Densos in mine (they're cheap and I'm a mod slut, I like to try everything) and I didn't notice a difference between the two.

[mazdaj]

its been said many times, but i cannot stress it enough to check all your boost tubes and vacuum connections. the other day i redid all of my vacuum lines for my boost gauge because i my stft/ltft's were out of wack and i knew i had a leak somewhere.....i skipped over the boost tubes because i thought they were trivial and i tightened them a few months ago....well, after resetting the ecu, i was still getting wacky fuel trims (25+- stfts) so i looked over it last night and low and behold my cold pipe tube was practically falling off and my the hot side was loose as well as the turbo inlet was pretty loose....again, evenif it seems dumb or obvious, just double check you work......

[mazdaj]

subparpunk, what is the proper gap for the spark plugs, you say the densos are not pregapped? .30 -.32 is what haltec says in the spark plug sticky, is this good?

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by mazdaj subparpunk, what is the proper gap for the spark plugs, you say the densos are not pregapped? .30 -.32 is what haltec says in the spark plug sticky, is this good?

.30 is what I've done and had no knock or blowout.

[subparpunk03]

My ITV-22s were just a little off, and I have mine gapped to whatever is in the sticky.

The densos might be advertised as pre-gapped, but I did a check and found them to be gapped just slightly higher than reccomended in the sticky so I closed 'em up a little. They will probably run with the slightly larger gap, but ehhh I wanted 'em right

[mazdaj]

cool thanks, do u use one of those little 1 dollar discs from autozone to measure your spark gap or is there something more accurate to use?

[wassup61]

Technically you arent supposed to gap iridium plugs at all. I called Denso, and was told that if the gap isnt where its supposed to be (.029-.032) to send it back for a new one. The Densos are pre-gapped, and just need to be checked with a FEELER GAUGE not a disc.

Jeff at PG

[subparpunk03]

hmmmmm...... interesting.

[Qluber]

I have gapped iridiums before on previous cars, just take your time and don't get in a hurry, or try to adjust too much at once.............