platinum spark plugs

[freakshow]

I recently aquired a 1990 infiniti m30, it came with new plugs and wires in it. the plugs were bosch platinums, had one of my guys who works at a parts store spend a while looking them up and the platinums out of the infiniti are the same heat and size as the ones out of the infiniti. the infiniti had the vg30e v6 in it, i scrapped the motor in favor of a v8 swap in the works, but put the plugs in my 79 datsun, worked like a charm, starts on the first crank every time. I just thought this would be helpful since there isnt a listing for the bosch plugs for my zx at autozone, dont know about other places. btw the nut size is different on the two plugs, but not the threads and seat.

[woldson]

Personally I like them.

The current consenses is NGK (mostly).

Might check the gap?

[freakshow]

gap is the same too, ive always had good luck with the bosch plugs, i run them in all of my vehicles, 82 delta 88, 92 s10, 89f250, 2000 impala, and of course the 79 280zx now.

[tommyboy]

I'm runnin NGK Iridiums in my '81 N/A 280ZX and I freakin LOVE em. They perform a lot better than the platinums I used to have, PLUS they came with a 5 year warranty!!! I mean, I've never heard of a spark plug comin with a warranty. Anywho, here's a link to the ones I have.

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/products/cars_trucks_suvs/iridiumix.asp?nav=11000&country=US

[woldson]

^^ Very nice plugs indeed.

 

Check these out. http://www.boschautoparts.com/Products/SparkPlugs/IrFusion

 

The only problem, at least a couple of years ago they did not make these for the Zx. But mabey I need to order them for that other car and I will be able to get them.

[naviathan]

Every time I've put a platinum plug in a Z or ZX it runs great for about a month then it's time for new plugs because the electrodes look like they've been sprayed with acid.

[woldson]

Of course I believe you, just never had that issue myself.

[jtl260z]

NGK is the only way!

[naviathan]

Of course I believe you, just never had that issue myself.

Well I wasn't trying to say that everyone would have these results, that just been my experience.

[Savage42]

Yep, Platinums are good (as long as they aren't Bosch!) and Iridiums are better, either in NGK or Denso. Typically the Denso plugs are 50% more in cost, so go with NGK. We never put Bosch stuff on any of the cars at the shop due to such high failure rate of parts. Our Techs won't even put the stuff on. Just our experience.

[woldson]

Well I wasn't trying to say that everyone would have these results, that just been my experience.

 

No problem, got that from the get go:).

 

Yep, Platinums are good (as long as they aren't Bosch!) and Iridiums are better, either in NGK or Denso. Typically the Denso plugs are 50% more in cost, so go with NGK. We never put Bosch stuff on any of the cars at the shop due to such high failure rate of parts. Our Techs won't even put the stuff on. Just our experience.

 

Bosch is a very old German company. They have produced extraordinary stuff since forever. So I must ask, do you have an example of any such failure personally? Mind you, I have no problem with NGK.

[Savage42]

Bosch is a very old German company. They have produced extraordinary stuff since forever. So I must ask, do you have an example of any such failure personally? Mind you, I have no problem with NGK.

 

At the shop (the local Z specialists, as the Nissan dealership sends all of the Z cars (aside from the 350Z) to us), we have more ignition related problems that involve Bosch plugs and wires. While I agree that they do make some great OEM parts for German cars, some of there other stuff is found to be substandard. There is no denying that Bosch does mass produce a lot of stuff and they are less expensive, but you often get what you pay for. Also, who would chose to put German stuff in their Japanese car?

[BSD]

In my experiences with bosch, they weren't worth the money I paid for what I got.. I ran platinums in my 1990 delta 88, made the car run worse.. I went back to AC Delco and had less problems, more reliability, and more spark.

 

They work Amazing in my Jetta, but every other car I put them in I was a little disappointed with.

 

I was running them in my Z once I took them out of my olds, and took them off again and put some NGK's in my ZX and have been happy ever since.. Basically.. I don't like them for their price and they don't last very long, again, this is just from my experiences with them... The End.

[Phantom]

I've always run NGK's in my Z's. Even the guys over on the LS1 websites recommend NGK's for the GM V8. Mine still has the original GM plugs in it from 1998, but then they only have 30K miles on them at this point. If I start seeing any breakdown the NGK iridium will be my first choice.

[woldson]

At the shop (the local Z specialists, as the Nissan dealership sends all of the Z cars (aside from the 350Z) to us), we have more ignition related problems that involve Bosch plugs and wires. While I agree that they do make some great OEM parts for German cars, some of there other stuff is found to be substandard. There is no denying that Bosch does mass produce a lot of stuff and they are less expensive, but you often get what you pay for. Also, who would chose to put German stuff in their Japanese car?

 

Understood. I know Honda built there own fi systems when most of the world was using Bosch. So they have there own special and incredible fuel and ignition systems today.

 

I was only pointing this out because I (personally) did not want to see a broad brush stroke over a very fine company. Cheers:)

[m4xwellmurd3r]

thats the weird thing I find about spark plugs. German plugs work GREAT in german cars, but not so much in a japanese car. Where as NGK's work great in japanese cars.

I guess that means the american plugs work good in american cars?

[Daeron]

I was only pointing this out because I (personally) did not want to see a broad brush stroke over a very fine company. Cheers:)

There is no manufacturer like Bosch.....

 

Two kinds of comments come out of my mind generated towards those fine people: either superlatively positive (wiper blades are awesome, they make good "hard" electrical components like alternators and starters, and I am sorta partial to their FI system since most of the world essentially just copy-catted it ) or OUTSTANDINGLY negative (spark plugs, old wiper blades, any component "rebuilt" in the third world.)

 

It seems that while they have a fantastic business model as a manufacturer, they have been overzealous in using the name to brand sub-par products and make more money; Just a simple case of greed. At least it isn't such astronomical corporate greed as many other firms are showing us these days.

 

Bosch is a good good company, who earns every drop of nasty criticism they get... but you can never lose sight of their overall policy of quality and longevity. Most bosch products/components that are trouble-prone are so trouble prone that they are "knwon" factors; my friend had an early 90s volvo with a faulty EFI computer, and the whole volvo community knows about the 561 versus 951 computer issue.. they simply released a more reliable piece of hardware that superseded the failure-prone one.

 

I have never spoken a single word about bosch spark plugs that was NOT bad.. but I hold my tongue when german vehicles come into the conversation; The way I see Germans and Germany (being 1/4 german and a student of history) it makes PERFECT SENSE that bosch plugs could function perfectly well in german-made cars and not in any other.

[johnc]

I've NGK, Bosch, Champions, and Autolite in various Nissan L6 engines. For a mildly tuned (200hp) L6 running SUs, the Champion projector tip plugs were the best, IMHO. They needed replacement every 10,000 miles, as expected, but they were the most consistent on the dyno. Autolites were a close second.

 

On my 13.6 to 1 CR L6 the NGKs worked the best, but needed replacement every 5 hours, mostly due to lead fouling (I ran 112 octane leaded fuel). The Champions would not lead foul but had problems above 7,000 rpm.

 

What was the most important variable was indexing the plugs. An indexed NGK was better then an indexed Champion and vice-versa. Moroso sells plug indexing washers.

[freakshow]

I checked all 6 plugs in my 280zx, ive run them for maybe 50 miles, they are barely starting to brown. how long will they run? they are platinum 2's, and were free, so i dont want to run out and buy a brand new set of plugs, as of now the car runs great, havent looked into tuning the car beyond making sure the timing was set to factory standards, this is a stock daily driver other than a cheap fab cold air intake and making the exhaust come out the drivers side instead of the passenger side

[Daeron]

What was the most important variable was indexing the plugs. An indexed NGK was better then an indexed Champion and vice-versa. Moroso sells plug indexing washers.

 

GREAT data, and thanks for hammering home a lesson I hadn't yet learned.