Copper vs iridium plugs for modified car?

[silviaz]

Hey all, I was wondering for a modified car which spark plugs do you use? My mechanic recommended copper for modified cars but from what I understand they don't last as long?

[Murray_Calavera]

BCPR7ES. I change them every 20,000 kms.

A search will probably dig up quite a few threads on what spark plugs to use.

[Duncan]

6 hours ago, Murray_Calavera said:

BCPR7ES. I change them every 20,000 kms.

A search will probably dig up quite a few threads on what spark plugs to use.

Exactly the same, I just run coppers and change them every oil change or 2. Iridiums or factory platinums just won't last long enough to make the much higher up front cost make sense

[admS15]

Another for copper. I didn't listen to the sau gods intially many moons ago and bought platinum. Don't think I even got to 20k KMs before they fouled up.

[Kinkstaah]

I had iridiums in my RB and they lasted a decade, through hell and back.

You should routinely check them anyway... hence coppers aren't such a bad plan. They can be pretty easy to change in a RB which is why most people are OK with it.

[silviaz]

5 hours ago, Duncan said:

Exactly the same, I just run coppers and change them every oil change or 2. Iridiums or factory platinums just won't last long enough to make the much higher up front cost make sense

Holy crap, that's often.

[silviaz]

3 hours ago, admS15 said:

Another for copper. I didn't listen to the sau gods intially many moons ago and bought platinum. Don't think I even got to 20k KMs before they fouled up.

Is that an issue with the car running rich or lean, or just simply because it's modded it requires more frequent maintenance? 

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Plenty of 600kW~700kW RBs from Birrong Automotive just use NGK Copper plugs.

In today's day & age of E85, you could just slap in Iridium plugs and reduce the number of times you change your plugs.

I personally just use copper plugs, and get them for about $3.50 each when there are discounts on Sparesbox or Supercheap Auto, etc. I run them until the car starts to misfire and then bin them. This usually happens after a few years of use though.

I still have 24 plugs on the shelf, whoever buys my car will get all the plugs, 20L of Penrite 10th Tenths, 5x Z442 oil filters, etc.  LOL

 

7 hours ago, Duncan said:

I just run coppers and change them every oil change

Duncan is a Wolf of SAU

[GTSBoy]

6 minutes ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I still have 24 plugs on the shelf, whoever buys my car will get all the plugs, 20L of Penrite 10th Tenths, 5x Z442 oil filters, etc.  LOL

Geez. It's almost worth buying your shitbox to get that stuff!

[Duncan]

well, the truth is I change the spark plugs every time I rebuild the engine, I can't wait until an oil change is due.

[Kinkstaah]

29 minutes ago, Duncan said:

well, the truth is I change the spark plugs every time I rebuild the engine, I can't wait until an oil change is due.

Rookie. My iridiums lasted through engine rebuilds....

[MBS206]

Not an RB, but our EJ25T has been on the same set of plugs for over 100k KMs...

No idea what's in the motor cause screw changing shit on a daily if it's not needed!!!

[hardsteppa]

I used to use coppers, but now use the IRIWAY's  cos yes plugs aren't hard to change on an RB but, still is maint and time, and wear on the aloominum (go USA lol) head threads everytime they're changed. The IRIWAYS have been great, but will foul a little if you putter around too much, so good excuse to give it some full volume regularly and keep them working properly. I replaced the IRIWAYs around 50,000k's? and don't know why I bothered, they still looked fine. Only on my 2nd set now for don't know how many years, but it's alot.

[ACTIVE-LSD]

I use Denso Iridium Power. $58 for set of 6. heat range 20 (aka 6) right in the middle. shouldn't foul with my brand new coils. for the price alot easier than pulling plugs out on every few services.

Edited August 3, 2023 by ACTIVE-LSD

[burn4005]

I use Denso IK01-24/NGK R7434-8 as I have R35 coils

RB26 coils use IQ01-24/NGK R7436-8

they are platinum iridium and make an excellent spark and last a long time as the ground strap is pure platinum

can be had for reasonable money from rhdjapan. they're VERY expensive in australia.

Edited August 4, 2023 by burn4005

[BK]

On 04/08/2023 at 10:04 AM, burn4005 said:

I use Denso IK01-24/NGK R7434-8 as I have R35 coils

RB26 coils use IQ01-24/NGK R7436-8

they are platinum iridium and make an excellent spark and last a long time as the ground strap is pure platinum

can be had for reasonable money from rhdjapan. they're VERY expensive in australia.

Only plug to use on a 500kw onwards RB mainly because of the Platinum ground electrode, as all other plugs can grenade the nickel ground electrode right off with any detonation quite easily.

[TurboTapin]

On 8/3/2023 at 8:34 PM, burn4005 said:

I use Denso IK01-24/NGK R7434-8 as I have R35 coils

RB26 coils use IQ01-24/NGK R7436-8

they are platinum iridium and make an excellent spark and last a long time as the ground strap is pure platinum

can be had for reasonable money from rhdjapan. they're VERY expensive in australia.

 

On 8/30/2023 at 9:46 AM, BK said:

Only plug to use on a 500kw onwards RB mainly because of the Platinum ground electrode, as all other plugs can grenade the nickel ground electrode right off with any detonation quite easily.

I've been running R7436's with R35 coil packs on my RB28. I was wondering what made you jump over to R7434's with the R35's coil packs?

Thanks, 

[luke gtr]

Pro tip:

If your car doesn't run, you don't need to change the spark plugs.

I'm at 8 years and counting.

[BK]

On 13/10/2024 at 11:53 AM, TurboTapin said:

 

I've been running R7436's with R35 coil packs on my RB28. I was wondering what made you jump over to R7434's with the R35's coil packs?

Thanks, 

The R7434 and R7436 are the same plug except the 36 is a 2.5mm longer overall plug as the insulator 2.5mm longer. The 34 is the BKR length and the 36 is BCPR length, which RB26s use as standard.

I'm still on the 36 because stock is BCPR. I will change to the 34 next time as the 36 tends to jam in hard to the coilpack stalk when used with the full height RB R35 coil pack kits, so the 34 just "fits" a little nicer by comparison.

[TurboTapin]

3 hours ago, BK said:

The R7434 and R7436 are the same plug except the 36 is a 2.5mm longer overall plug as the insulator 2.5mm longer. The 34 is the BKR length and the 36 is BCPR length, which RB26s use as standard.

I'm still on the 36 because stock is BCPR. I will change to the 34 next time as the 36 tends to jam in hard to the coilpack stalk when used with the full height RB R35 coil pack kits, so the 34 just "fits" a little nicer by comparison.

Sounds good, thanks for the explanation. I'm not on stock height coils, so I doubt 34's would be an option but I'll measure to confirm. Reason I ask is the 36's have been discontinued since the beginning of 2023. NGK has no direct replacement. I just ordered another spare set. 

Thanks!