SoCal280ZX

I work at an auto parts store and have about half a dozen choices for plugs. I myself would prefer Platinums, and I am running Bosch Platinums now, but my question is are there any plugs you guys have had better success with on an L28E? 212.000 miles and still going strong (I have NGK wires, too) I am considering those Uridium IX if y'all have heard of them ( I think they're Champion) but they're $12.00 x 6...

Thanks, Later

Carl's Z

NGK BP6ES-11

Standard plug, but I saw a difference when I went to these from the Bosch Platinums. DO NOT get those nasty Champions...

Dorifto

Right now I've got Denso's in my Zed, only because I didn't have the budget at the time for NGKs. I run NGK plugs in my Rx7, and wouldn't reccomend any other brand.

pete8717

And now you tell me dammit...

apollo

I used to work at a parts store as well. When I had access to denso uridium plugs, they made a HUGE difference in my NA. But being 13 a piece i wouldnt buy them now for street use on my budget. I prefer either Bosch or NGK. All depends on what I get from the people that I still know that work there. Never burn your bridges!

RodMoyes

I know this topic has been covered about a million times or so already, but spending the extra money on platinum plugs, or split fires, or +4's is a total waste of money. There are cars out there that can get a great benefit from running those kinds of plugs but the 280ZX ain't one of them. If you want it to run like it should, you use the stock NGK. Denso is the only other acceptable stock type plug (and they are very similar in style and quality to NGK). If you want to splurge and buy Iridium plugs, they will work fine but not so much better that it justifies 13+ dollars each. Some plugs will make your Z run like caca as well. Champion, AC Delco and Bosch are bad choices for this car. Bosch makes incredible plugs if you drive a Porsche or a BMW or a lot of other cars. They don't like the Z car.The best part is, unless you're going to a really lame parts store... The NGK's are cheaper than most other brands anyway.

Rod.

lww

Rod is correct.

Carl's Z

Rod's the one that got me on NGKs. Never been happier!!

jfairladyz

NGK or Denso baby. Hands down. NGK of course being the first choice. I only get the Denso's when I go to autozone cause they don't carry NGK (atleast not at any of the ones I've gone to). Bosch is the Anti Christ and they are extending their evil out through an Autozone store near you. Try asking for a part at autozone without being specific and see if the box don't say Bosch on it .

91Zman

im putting the Bosch Platinums in my car next weekend

RodMoyes

Dude, I hope you're kidding... Otherwise, what part of Bosch sucks did you not get? Granted, the Z31 and S130 are very differnt cars but, it should be said that ALL NISSANS HATE BOSCH. It's just a fact. Putting those plugs in your car is not an upgrade, it's a downgrade. When you buy a BMW, by all means run Bosch. More expensive does not always mean better. Your car will not run better by putting any other type of plug in it besides the stock NGK. It will only run worse.

Rod.

91Zman

Its not like i went out and bought them after reading this, haha, iv had em

so ill see how they go =P

RodMoyes

Take 'em back... Trust me. Or, instead of taking my word for it, just search through all the forums for this topic and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Rod.

jfairladyz

You can take em to any autozone and they'll give you store credit for em if they're still in the box. Even if you didn't buy them there. Just don't them that. Just say that you bought them there a couple weeks ago and never got around to putting them in the car and you ended up selling it. So return em, get the credit and buy some new ones. Look at it this way: These engines were engineered by a team of engineers. When they engineered the engine, sparkplugs were NOT an afterthought. They are part of the design. They have to be. They don't just grab a plug off the shelf and stick it in the engine and say this is the plug you should use. They test that kind of crap. The plug the factory recommends it the plug you should use on your stock engine. You combustion chamber and ignition system (if they're stock) are not optimised to run off of any other kind of plug. The 350Z most likely comes with platinums stock. So it's safe to say thats what you should use on that car. Don't fall victim to the spark plug hype the plug manufacturers feed you. The gains they claim you'll get don't apply to new plugs. They say you'll gain so much more fuel mileage and this much more horsepower. Well guess what, that's over the OEM plugs when they are in a condition that warrants their replacement. Most plugs will show an improvement when they are replaced only because the old ones needed to be replaced. That doesn't mean that they are the best plugs to use. You'll soon learn this with the platinums. Here's the experience that I and a couple others have had using the Bosch Platinums. When first installed I didn't notice any power gain and no noticeable difference in fuel economy. But at the same time, no problems either. So it was all good right? WRONG. A platinum plug is supposed to last like 100,000 miles or something like that. Well not quite in the case of the L. THe car started acting up. The plugs started fouling and misfiring. I started to lose power. And this was after only like a couple thousand miles, if that. I replaced them with a standard Bosch plug and immediately the cars behavior went back to day one when I first put the platinums in. It was fine. And it stayed fine. The plugs wore much more gradually. But they still didn't last very long. I stated to see excessive wear in the Bosch Super plugs in a little more time than it took the Platinums to completely crap out. I then replaced those with Denso's. Those worked great for me. They lasted a very long time. I put several thousand miles on those and then drove my car from CA to SD with no problems. No misfires or anything like that. Just before coming out here to VA I replaced the Densos with NGK's and I haven't noticed any difference from the Denso's. The only reason I now prefer the NGK's is because that's what the factory recommends and as a technition, those were what I put in customers Z's because they were factory recommended and never heard any complaints about them. I have no complaints and after pulling them twice so far they are as good as new after about 3500 miles. Stick with what the manufacturer suggests. That's always good advice.

If you've already got the plugs then go ahead and use them. But just beweary if the car starts acting up in the very near future. That's if it doesn't act up right away. And get that gap right

Oh and I thought I should add this too: Manufacturers don't use Platinum plugs now because they provide more power and better mileage. They use them now because they last longer. Period.

jfairladyz

Oh and quit knocking Champion: They're the official plug of NASCAR Oh and my Lawnmower

RodMoyes

Actually, If you try and gap a platinum plug, you will probably destroy it or damage it. The big thing with platinum plugs is that they are supposed to be pre-gapped and application specific. If you take them out of the box and find out that the gap is not right for all 6 of them, they are garbage. Ask any tech and they will tell you the same thing. Never gap a platinum plug. The most common cause of premature plug failure with a platinum plug is because they were damaged by trying to re-gap them.

Rod.

jfairladyz

Yeah, thats absolutely right. And a lot of people don't even bother checking the gap on platinum plugs. They just assume the gap is correct right out of the box because it's supposed to be pre gapped. They CAN be gapped slightly if they're off. But too much and you're going to crack the platinum. That's not a good thing The best thing you can do is check the gap right there at the parts store. Don't pay until you've got six correct plugs. It's no fun to get home and find out that one of the plugs are off and you need to go back and replace them. If they wont let you check the gap there in the store then take your business else where. If the gap is off then they can send them back to the manufacturer.

I had a big ol' shpeal here but I deleated it to say what I've already said in the next post

jfairladyz

I totally missed the point of what I was going to say. You're right Rod. I shouldn't have put it that way. It would've made more sense as "make sure the gaps right". Hows that

duowing

Well, since we are talking about plugs and what not. I have a question. How does this whole gapping thing work? If I'm correct, you buy the plug already gapped at what your car is set for, right? Now I don't understand how you go about gapping the plugs if they're off? Can someone explain this whole gapping business to me, while you do that I think I'll go check my plugs. I wonder if I have NGK, not really sure what the previous owner put in...

jfairladyz

The easiest way to gap them is with a standard wire gapper. Basically it has several wire 'hooks' around the circumference. Each one is labeled a certain thickness. You simiply find the one that is the recommended gap and see if it fits between the electrodes on your spark plug. It should have a slight drag. If it doesn't fit then you have to open the gap (these gappers usually have a hook like piece on them for doing this) You just hook this tool on and slightly pivot it. If the gap is too big then you simply do the opposite and pivot the tool to close the gap. Just remember that you want to keep the ground electrode parallel to the center electrode to ensure complete spark. Too small of a gap is bad. The stronger your ignition system the more gap you can have which will give you a longer burn which means more power. The larger gap also produces a more powerful spark. But if your ignition system isn't up to the task this can lead to misfires at higher RPMs and high pressures. But just follow those simple instructions above and you'll be able to check your gap. Generally speaking, a standard plug does not come gapped to the exact specifications of your car. It's usually pretty close though. A platinum plug SHOULD be pre gapped, but check it anyways. That's it. If you need a more visual decription, just hit up your parts store and ask one of the more knowledgable associates for a demonstration next time you buy plugs.

duowing

Thanks j. People always talk to me about the gap on spark plugs and no one has ever really explained it to me. My dad once told me that you just buy them gapped and you don't adjust it. I figured that couldn't be right.

WildmaN

I have always went by my dad's advice. Never assume they are already pre-gapped, and just throw them into the car. I learned that when I didn't heed to his mechanical advice, it bit me in the rear. And by the way my Z is gapped between 00.39-.0043 thousandths. That is what my workshop manual says. And when I got my NGK plugs, I checked them to make sure, but they were gapped right." But it is always better to do it right the first time. Then have to make more work for yourself."

91Zman

what do you do to make sure they are gapped right?

WildmaN

Just use a Spark plug gapper. It is a round metal tool, with all the different gaps. Just put the gapper carefully between the top curved piece, and the electrode. And see if it is to specs with your car. If not either move the top curved piece down a little for less gap, or push it up slightly for more gap. Hope this helps, and I can't quite recall what the top piece is called. But I think you get the idea.

duowing

What's a gapper cost? Can't imagine much.