Platinum vs Standard plugs

[jag-1978]

Hi All

For the last two changes I’ve been using NGK platinum plugs. The first set lasted about a year… before I started noticing what think were hesitations when idling or crawling in traffic. I’ve had my current set of plugs in for about a year again… and I think I’m getting similar symptoms. I’m thinking of reverting back to standard NGK’s as I would then just change them during my regular service cycle… Anyone else have any ideas… Hesitations seem to happen in petrol and are a worse in LPG which I expected.

If I go for standard NGK’s should I just be going for the ones that are meant for my car or something specific – by the way it’s a 1997 – 523i SE Auto with about 122k on the clock

Anyone have any opinions on this??

Regards

Jag

[capcarap]

Hi
You can use any good sparks .Better with one ground electrode because no meter how many electrode you have you'll get only one spark on closest one .

[mak-uk]

Hi

I switched to Iridium plugs (NGK first and then Denso) and the NGK's lasted around 60k so definitely worth it.

I wouldn't bother with the Bosch 4-prong by the way. Stick to single electrode.

[jag-1978]

Can someone someone recommend a single electrode NGK Plug that I can use in my 1997 523i SE Auto. The recommended one for my car is BKR6EK, but I believe it's double electrode.

Regards

Jag

[mak-uk]

NGK Iridium single electrode: BKR6EIX

[jag-1978]

Did you have to re gap them or did you put them in straight out of the box??

Jag

[mak-uk]

Re-gapping not recommended on Iridium plugs as far as I know.. they went straight in.

[jag-1978]

Hi All

Okay an update... Ordered some NGK Iridiums as per Mak’s suggestion, couldn’t believe how expensive they are... Last time I ordered them about 2 years ago I paid just under £30 for a set of 6. This time round I was getting pricing for about £45 upwards... Luckily found a cheap ebay supplier and with the help of an ebay voucher I paid about £32 delivered next day. I wasn’t convinced that the Iridiums would have any benifits as I assumed I currently had them in my car in the first place. I used to use a indy up until a year ago and when I had my car serviced, I told him to put in Iridiums which he said he did and charged me for!!!

Anyway this morning I decided to change the plugs... but before doing this I thought I’d run my carsoft diagnostics to see if I could identify what was causing my misfire. This is what I got.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Diagnosis DME / DDE
30 Ignition Coil : Cylinder 3
The ignition timing was to long or to short. Verify the ignition coil the spark glugs and the spark plug electrode distance. If there is no ignition at all. Verify if there is an open circuit at the conduction of the ignition coil or in the power supply of the ignition coil. Verify also if there is an short circuit to ground or positive in the primary or secondary circuit. Verify also the wiring and the connection from the ZSR measure resistance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So obviously this lead me to believe there was an issue with either a coil pack(s) or plug(s). I cleared the fault and started with removing coil pack 3 and when it came to removing the plug I found it to be quite loose as if it was hand tightened, and the same was for a couple of other plugs??? Maybe that was the problem... What was worse still was upon taking the plugs out I find them not to be Iridiums as I thought... but Bosch 4 prong!!! I stood there for about 10 minutes swearing and cursing my ex Indy!! I couldn’t believe it. I have a right mind to take them back to him and throw them in his face! And ask for my money back!! Maybe I will.

Anyway put in the new plugs and coil packs and drove the car around for about 30 minutes... I wasn’t expecting to experience any misfire as it’s was intermittent. I guess when I experience some serious traffic then I’ll find out for sure!!

On the flip side the car does appear to be idling quieter, maybe I’ll get some improvement in MPG too!!

Thanks for those to responded and helped

Regards

Jag

[mak-uk]

Hi Jag,

That's the reason why I do most of the work on my own car - it's very difficult to trust garages these days unless you actually stay there and watch what they are doing. What indy did you use?

It could be just as you said - a loose plug. If not, it could be the coil pack; if so, swap that to another cylinder and see if the error moves with it.

Mak

[jag-1978]

It was a garage called M&M on St Johns road just off Stratford road in Sparkhill. I'm suspecting a loose plug or connection as after my 30 drive I re-ran carsoft and the error didn't appear again so I'm hoping it's solved it.

I now have a much much better Indy up in Tyseley - Actually MAK the garage has now started to do LPG conversions using Prins systems, which might benefit you if your looking for someone local, let me know and I'll give you the details and you can check them out yourself. Anyway this guy takes care of my major maintenance work on my car. I know he definitely wont rip me off, and I trust his work!

Regards

Jag