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opinion on iridium plugs

  • Thread starter Thread starter Biker326
  • Start date Start date
B

Biker326

Guest
Hi all,

I just ordered some iridium spark plugs for my '80 GS1000E. The ad for them made it sound like they were the equivalent of rocketfuel... I was more interested in their dependable performance record. What is the opinion pool of this forum on iridium plugs? worth the extra $'s? Hype?
I'll stick them in this weekend when they arrive (hopefully). Thanks!
 
Never heard of them before, so I read the Denso web site. What they write about iridium agrees with what I learned in inorganic chemistry. It sounds to me as if the advantage in a typical car engine is minimal except for longer life.

A motorcycle engine might be different. Two decades ago, Cycle had an article on spark plugs. The author contended that a plug gap of 0.035" was best in all applications. At the time, motorcycle plug gaps were considerably less, because the electrical systems weren't up to the demands. The voltage required to give a spark across a gap of 0.035" was just too much. So electrodes were placed closer, and that makes it harder to get good combustion. If all of that is true, the iridium plugs with a U-gap, which supposedly will give a good spark at lower voltages, might offer some real advantages in vintage bikes.

I'd be a bit surprised if today's bikes have any problem with a 0.035" gap.

I'd like to hear from GSers who really know what they're talking about. I'm just yakking.
 
Biker326 said:
Hi all,

I just ordered some iridium spark plugs for my '80 GS1000E. The ad for them made it sound like they were the equivalent of rocketfuel... I was more interested in their dependable performance record. What is the opinion pool of this forum on iridium plugs? worth the extra $'s? Hype?
I'll stick them in this weekend when they arrive (hopefully). Thanks!
Click to expand...

I've sold TONS of different style expensive "bling" plugs over the years, and my firm comment is that they are simply a gimmick. Years ago the big rage was "Splitfire" plugs. All the bone-headed Harley guys claimed "awesome power man"!!!!! Now 7 years later, nobody buys Splitfires anymore, they really don't do squat. It's all up to you, but me personally If you need a plug to upgrade engine peformance, you most likely have an engine issue elsewhere....
 
Speaking of NGK, I just bought some new plugs and they no longer have the same plating. When did this happen and why?


Oh yea, I have always used NKG or Champion plugs. All my Jap junk uses NGK. Why? Because as a kid I liked the look of the gold plate. How is that for scientific?
 
Previously, my bike was running VERY rich, and I was fouling plugs about once every 2 weeks. I don't know about performance gains, but when I switched to iridium plugs, which I assume burn hotter, and I had no more problems with fouling plugs (my MPG still really sucked, though).
 
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:shock: Somebody also sells a magnet that clips on around the fuel line that promises to "Polarize the hydrocarbon molecules, leading to more complete combustion, greater MPG and horsepower". I guess one of those combined with the Iridium Plugs and we should be able to really get some juice out of these dead old engines ......for me it's NGK D8EA thank you \\:D/
 
i got a friend that wears a bracelet with a magnet and copper wire its supposed to keep space aliens away. i dont think it works.
 
retchidxs said:
i got a friend that wears a bracelet with a magnet and copper wire its supposed to keep space aliens away. i dont think it works.
Click to expand...


Has he/she been abducted after wearing it?

Maybe it works rather well. :rolleyes:
 
Was given a set of NGK Iridiums to try after rubbishing NGK plugs to there sales rep.
No noticable performance gain, no noticable milage gain, BUT they dont foul up.
I have noticed no other advantage to them, they dont foul up; oh and mine were free!!!

Dink
 
Iridium plugs work wonders in high horsepower blower,turbo,NO2 applications. Everyday stuff will not see any real benefits....

I witnessed a dyno session on a blown 347 stroker motor....picked up 30 hp. It was already making 535hp or so\\:D/
 
I run Iridium plugs and the do improve performance in the low range (torque) slightly, but their biggest benifit is longer life and faster starts.

electricity arcs from a sharp point much easyer than a dull one.
the iridium plugs center electrode is a very tiny sharp point, it takes less current build up to generate a spark with the iridiums there for they have a bigger stronger spark.
 
Bosch +4 plugs do work good, just look at Nascar the winning teams run them!
moving the ground electrod to the side exposes the kernal (plasma arc) to the combustion chamber and alows it to ignite the fuel mixture faster and better.
 
Zook850GS said:
Iridium plugs work wonders in high horsepower blower,turbo,NO2 applications. Everyday stuff will not see any real benefits....

I witnessed a dyno session on a blown 347 stroker motor....picked up 30 hp. It was already making 535hp or so\\:D/
Click to expand...

30hp? From spark plugs?
 
Zook850GS said:
I witnessed a dyno session on a blown 347 stroker motor....picked up 30 hp. It was already making 535hp or so\\:D/
Click to expand...

Clean your glasses, "30 hp" was actually "3". I can believe 3, NOT 30 from a sparkplug.

Well, actually "maybe", I remember picking up an extra 27 hp from changing the seat foam on my GS1100
 
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Road_Clam said:
Clean your glasses, "30 hp" was actually "3". I can believe 3, NOT 30 from a sparkplug.

Well, actually "maybe", I remember picking up an extra 27 hp from changing the seat foam on my GS1100
Click to expand...

You can grab another 30 by painting the engine black.
 
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