Spark plugs

bobcat2

bobcat2

Tractorologist
Senior Member
Member
Hello all,

Was just curious if anyone has a preferred spark plug brand?

I guess I'm a bit biased in this regard, I'm not a fan of Champion, but that's all I run in older 4 stroke stuff and my outboard I know OMC ignition systems were a bit picky about anything but Champion, so I guess I stuck with them, don't want to drop a coil on the lake, and I guess most owner's manuals have Champion listed as a replacement.

My vehicles and 2 stroke engines get NGK, no particular reason why, just always did it that way, I know the weedeater and chainsaw call for NGK.

I used to get the performance plugs for vehicles like the iridium and platinum, but once they added ethanol to fuel, it chewed them up in half the time. Now it seems like the old standard electrode does best in my non scientific tests.

I used to have a Montgomery Wards tractor, I tried those e3 plugs in it, I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but I dropped a coil in the first 2 hours, pitched them and didn't look back.

How often do you change your plugs?

I'm of the mindset that it's cheap insurance to change them annually, especially in the outboards. I'll keep the old ones around incase I get a bad one or the neighbor needs one I have. I have one of those harbor freight plug cleaners I'll run them through, then they go into their labeled baggie...ahh to be a hoarder, lol.

Not trying to start any fights, lol...just curious what you use and why if you don't mind sharing.

Thanks,
bobcat2
 
bobcat2 said:
Hello all,

Was just curious if anyone has a preferred spark plug brand?

I guess I'm a bit biased in this regard, I'm not a fan of Champion, but that's all I run in older 4stroke stuff and my outboard w OMC ignition systems were a bit picky about anything but Champion, so I guess I stuck with them, don't want to drop a coil on the lake, and I guess most owner's manuals have Champion listed as a replacement.
Thanks,
bobcat2
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??? Somehow I think everyone hates Champion because everyone else hates Champion.

I knew a kid when I was young who had a hot rod '63 Impala that needed new plugs. To replace the Champions, he bought 8 ACs. He tested them on a compression plug tester and 5 of the 8 were defective. Of the 5 new ones, 2 more were bad. He ended up putting the used Champions back in.
 
I trtied one of the E3's in a hand mower, didn't see a difference until it quit running. I removed the plug and the electrode was loose inside the plug. Maybe I got the freak one but never tried another, I usually just use champion in everything but Kawasaki, I use NGK or Denso in them.
 
Many years ago when I worked for the state we had several tractors and mowers run almost daily all summer long. Every time I turned around one of them needed plugs cleaned or replaced. Most were Champion as that is what was in there when I took over. Started to switch everything over to NGK plugs and issues started disappearing. Had three snow machines at the time. One was a small 5 hp unit the kids rode. That thing would eat a Champion plug a day. Went to NGK and the kids could run it a week with faster starting and longer life. Everything I change plug(s) in for the last 40+ years gets NGK plugs. Second choice is AC Delco. If all they have is Champion I walk.
 
I'm about the world's worst at checking plugs until there's a misfire issue. I just bought several random spark plugs (First Fire) at Lowes the other day for 70% off, so some day I'll see if they are any good. I've had pretty good service out of Champion myself, BUT they are the easiest to gas foul when there's a rich running issue. I always got good service out of AC Delco in auto's, but they don't do so well in small engines. NGK is about the best in my opinion.
 
I use NGK, and they get replaced in the spring when I do oil changes. I have tried the e3 plugs, but it seems that I am always switching them around to see if it’s “just the plug.”
 
I'm with Daniel on this. If it is running good I leave them alone. As far as brands go NGK's have given me the best service in most applications. The Champion surface gap plugs in my 40hp Mercury seem to last for years. I think the first set went more than 15 years without a miss. If you stop and think about it most cars today go more than 100,000 miles on a set of plugs. Can't even remember the last time I changed plugs in a vehicle. Used to be every 12,000 miles was a set of points and plugs.
 
Now I'm one that puts champion plugs in everything. Cars, trucks, tractors, weed eater, leaf blower, everything.

Yeah I get one go bad once in a while but they're a whole whopping $2 bucks or so.
More often I find myself digging an old champion out of the trash to see if something with a plug of a different brand is bad.
 
I don't know what it is, but all my K series Kohler's love Champions. I got 4 NGK's one year for 4 different tractors, within a year they all went bad on me. I have Kirk Transdensors on all my tractors, makes me wonder if that has any effect.
 
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I change my plugs when it doesnt start on my equipment.

I dont keep cars past factory powertrain warranty so I dont need to change those
 
I run my trucks till the wheels fall off. My '01 tundra had 225,000 on it when I traded it in. Only reason I traded it was because of the frame rot, 15 years wasn't bad.
 
Well, guess I should add, I got about 60k miles out of a set of NGK, once they switched to ethanol, I was lucky to see 25k, that was on iridium plugs. Switched back to standard electrodes and got 35k before they eroded away. Take my advice, no such thing as a 100k plug as long as ethanol is around.
 
dodge trucker said:
I have yet to have a vehicle with any sort of warranty. It's quite rare for a vehicle to come my way, with less than 100k miles on it.
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The only vehicle I've ever owned with less than 80,000 miles on the clock when purchased was my very first car, a 73 Millionth Edition Vega with around 20 grand on it.
 
bobcat2 said:
Take my advice, no such thing as a 100k plug as long as ethanol is around.
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Geez - - Now ethanol gets blamed for eating up spark plugs. No end to it. My 04 Chevy has over 221K on it, 60K + was put on by me and have no idea when or if the plugs were ever changed. Certainly have not been done by me and no plans to change them anytime soon either and I buy nothing but ethanol.
 
chieffan said:
Geez - - Now ethanol gets blamed for eating up spark plugs. No end to it. My 04 Chevy has over 221K on it, 60K + was put on by me and have no idea when or if the plugs were ever changed. Certainly have not been done by me and no plans to change them anytime soon either and I buy nothing but ethanol.
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I don't buy it either. My old ranger has 127k on the clock and its on its original 8 plugs.
 
dodge trucker said:
I have yet to have a vehicle with any sort of warranty. It's quite rare for a vehicle to come my way, with less than 100k miles on it.
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My wife's van has 40k it has 100k power train. My subaru has 30k. It has a 70k power train. I'll keep the Subaru past its expiration date since I want to keep it as a toy car and go crazy with an engine build (closed deck block, forged internals, huge turbo and beefed up driveline. I'll daily drive it for 2 or 3 years before I buy something new to replace it. However my wife's van will be gone in another year and replaced with a new SUV.
 
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