Titanium plugs

The center electrode is so thin that it will apparently snap if you so much as look at it the wrong way.

The official word from the plug manufacturer's (Denso and NGK agree) is to avoid manhandling the plug at all cost, so much as to both recommend that you not even gap the plug. The claim is that spark will develop so easily, gapping is not necessary and add that most people don't gap plugs properly anyway.

Skeptical, I checked my gapping (carefully) anyway and found that it was only slightly higher than spec so I took a leap and ran them as delivered. It seems to run just fine. :blink:

Locozuna wrote:

Intriqued! Why is cleaning Iridiums out of the question?

He said pointing his Illudium P32 Space Modulator at earth and anticipating a BIG KABOOOOM!!

I was once given a set of Splitfires for my Nighthawk S and noticed no difference in performance, gas milage or longevity. Promises...promises...

The "splitfire" is the biggest scam in history. Same as the "fire injectors" that had six electrodes. As the spark builds up, it arcs across the first path that breaks down. Two electrodes doesn't give a double spark or a bigger spark or anything else. You still just get a spark.

So you're saying that I should stay with my 3 blade razor? Just kidding.


I was doing some reading on iridium plugs today. I suppose if they're the K and N of the plug world then I'll probably go with them. If they don't last 4 times longer, though, then it's obviously not worth it.

BeeSting wrote:

So you're saying that I should stay with my 3 blade razor? Just kidding.


I was doing some reading on iridium plugs today. I suppose if they're the K and N of the plug world then I'll probably go with them. If they don't last 4 times longer, though, then it's obviously not worth it.

If you have to take half the engine apart to change the plugs (like on some newer cars) longer plug life is worth it.

So do you think the work they did in researching a metal that is much stronger than the norm (in turn allowing them to use a MUCH smaller electrode) has no performance gain?

I think if a person's bike didn't respond favorable to it there's probably something wrong somewhere else.

BeeSting wrote:

So do you think the work they did in researching a metal that is much stronger than the norm (in turn allowing them to use a MUCH smaller electrode) has no performance gain?

I think if a person's bike didn't respond favorable to it there's probably something wrong somewhere else.

There is no performance gain. I replaced the Iridiums in my car with standard platinum plugs and there was no change at all compared to stock.

There seems to be a lot of urban myth surrounding spark plugs, but all they have to do is create a spark sufficient to ignite the fuel air mix. If they do that, that's as good as it gets... anything else is marketing hype.

I do believe the "upgrade" plugs like platinum and iridium last longer than copper core plugs, so that is an increase in value. I absolutely do not believe they increase performance one bit.

Well here's an urban myth for ya - I heard iridium plugs are a safe alternative to Cialis. The only drawback is that you have to call your mechanic if you have a spark that lasts over 4 hours.



I think it's good science, though. It would be safe to say that a stock vintage bike would be served well by having an easier time lighting the mix.

BeeSting wrote:

I think it's good science, though. It would be safe to say that a stock vintage bike would be served well by having an easier time lighting the mix.

But I don't know of any science that supports that Iridium lights any better than copper plugs or platinum or anything else. If a spark is there, that mix is going to ignite. If not, it won't. I am open to seeing data, but the only thing I know that the exotic metal types do any better is keep their surface integrity over a longer service interval. I have never seen or heard of any performance difference.

For example, even the claims of the people who make them are clearly specious:

Improved Horse Power(1)

Get more power with an optimal combustion cycle.
IRIDIUM POWER has a low required voltage and a high ignitability, resulting in less misfiring and no spark, the outcome being a dramatic improvement in combustion. Engine output is thus increased.

They claim that because their plugs don't "misfire and no spark", they put out more power.

REALLY?

Since when do conventional spark plugs in good running order misfire on a regular basis or enough to measure a difference on a dyno test?

More BS:

These features combine to achieve higher ignitability and require lower spark voltage than ever before.

So what? Most new ignitions put out at least 50 kV open circuit voltage, so they have plenty of kV to fire any plug that isn't fouled.

This is a load of crap IMHO.

www.globaldenso.com/PLUG/power/features.html

I don't begrudge them claiming they last the longest, they probably do. They sure didn't last the 100k miles that mine were supposed to last in my car, but maybe that's not possible for any plug. The rest is bogus IMHO.

I have never done any testing on the Iridium plugs, but I can see that they may have the advantage in a turbo bike that's running 15 psi of boost. It's a lot harder to get a spark under the higher pressures, so any advantage helps.

I don't know for a fact that the Iridiums work better than the copper plugs in a turbo, several turbo owners have claimed that they do, and my Nephew just installed them in his turbo, but I don't have any evidence either way.

Maybe so. One thing I really don't understand:

How can Iridium spark "better" than platinum or copper in any significant way?

The coil secondary winding is in series with the spark plug air gaps which the spark has to "jump" by building up a large enough E field to force the electrons to jump the gap.

When I looked at the Iridium plugs I took out of my car, the air gaps looked about normal size. Since the coil secondary, plug wires, and electrode resistances are all in series with the air gaps (which have far more resistance by many orders of magnitude than those conductors) I am not sure how the use of Iridium in the conducting nodes has any significant effect in the voltage drops in the series circuit. The air gap is by far the dominant resistance.

bountyhunter wrote:

Maybe so. One thing I really don't understand:

How can Iridium spark "better" than platinum or copper in any significant way?

[snip]

conductors) I am not sure how the use of Iridium in the conducting nodes has any significant effect in the voltage drops in the series circuit. The air gap is by far the dominant resistance.

I'm with you on this. Iridium plugs will probably last longer. The harder metal will take longer to wear down with normal usage in a properly tuned/operating engine.

If you look at some of the 'offical' sites, they show a 1-2% improvment (at least thats what I saw in the Denso website). The seat of your pants dyno can't feel this.
(Scientists argue that people need a 15-20% change to really notice something.)

Marketing hype sells loads of things even if it isn't really benficial - look at H-D! (oops was that my outside voice?)

Sam

Heck if you are going through inexpensive spark plugs now what makes you think that you won't foul out titanium plugs? They only last longer on bikes that don't foul plugs right away due to bad rings, worn seals and valve guides out of tune carbs or weak coils or bad wiring. All of these old bikes unless ridden and taken care of properly will give plenty a moments of frustration and angst. The rubber seals dry up and then oil passes through.