Re: alfa-digest V8 #1270

[George Graves <gmgraves@domain.elided>]

It's interesting that you should bring-up spark plugs today. Yesterday, 
 I received my December issue of Forza (the Ferrari magazine - hey! 
Ferraris are ITALIAN cars too!). One thing I always read is Shop Talk 
by Joseph Glydon. He is the most knowledgeable guy about Italian cars 
in general and Ferraris in particular, that I have ever read. Anyway, 
this month's column is about - you guessed it - spark plugs. It seems 
that to him, there is only one brand of spark plugs in the world for 
Ferraris or any other italian car, and that brand is NGK. He has very 
little good to say about AC, Bosch, or Champion (which he designates 
brands 'A', 'B', and 'C') and he says that Champions are the worst 
spark-plugs he's ever used. He also says that in spite of what many 
car-cults have to say, anyone using brands like Lodge or KLG are 
"beyond rational influence." His rationale, on the other hand, seems 
pretty sound to me. He says that NGK plugs are designed RIGHT. They 
have a pure copper core, and he says that their build quality is so 
good that they are "far and away the most tolerant and durable product 
of their kind in the known universe." High praise indeed. He goes on to 
say that in his business, dealing as he does with many older and 
unbelievably valuable vehicles, the idea of a spark-plug shedding parts 
(like tips, pieces of ceramic, etc) into the cylinder to get between 
valves and valve seats is too horrible to contemplate. Therefore, just 
as important to him as performance, is reliability and build quality 
and NGK has that build quality in spades. He also goes on to say that 
especially with older cars, its better to use a plug that's too hot 
than one that is too cold. He says that a plug that's too hot might not 
last very long before it needs re-gaping but it will NEVER hole a 
piston the way a too-cold plug will. The rest of the article talks 
about how to read the NGK numbering code (such as BP5ES) and that the 
number is heat range from 4 to 10 with 4 being very hot and 10 being 
very cold, and the B refers to 14mm thread (what most of our Alfas 
would take), and E is for a barrel length of 19mm (also standard for 
most Alfa's, I believe) and S being for standard tip. Interesting 
reading. I might just try a bit 'warmer' NGK plug in my GTV-6 (I have 
Golden Lodges in there now. DEFINITELY better than Bosch Platinum +4s) 
as the valve guides weep a bit of oil when the car's been sitting and 
startup is often rough 'till then oil build-up in the pistons burns-off.

Cuss and discuss. I'd love to hear other opinions and other reasons.

George Graves
'86 GTV-6





On Thursday, October 31, 2002, at 08:34  AM, alfa-digest wrote:


> Date: 30 Oct 2002 15:52:50 PST
> From: "alfajess" <alfajess@domain.elided>
> Subject: My Bosch plat +4 exp - Not to start another plug war...
>
> A while back when everybody was saying how great/bad the
> Bosch Plat +4s are, I said I installed them just to see
> if they are as good/bad as they were said to be since I had
> them as spare parts.
>
> At first, the car was smooth... maybe a bit smoother than
> the existing Lodge 2HL's that's been in the engine for don't know how 
> long (I don't recall changing these, will have to check my service 
> log). Over time, I started to get some popping noise from the 
> exhaust.. it got worse and worse.
>
> Then I had my smog checked, the mechanic told me my engine's missing. 
> He asked me what have I changed, and told me to pull those suckers 
> out. I passed the smog but the numbers weren't as good as prevoius 
> smog check.
>
> The popping noise got worse and worse and I can hear almost
> constantly, when cold, when warm, at cruising speed, on
> gas, and even worse off gas.
>
> In preparing for the Laguna Seca (which I didn't make it in :( ) I 
> took out the Bosch Plat +4s and swap in my Old Old
> Lodge 2HL's.
>
> Yeepee!!! Car ran smooth again! cold! warm! gas! off gas!
> and no more popping sound that makes my verde sound like
> a salvage.
>
> So the Bosch Plat +4 did not work in my Verde, YMMV.
>
> I will keep the plugs and try in my LS when it needs
> new plugs.. probably in the next 3-5 years.
>
> I'll stick with the Golden Lodges for my verde.
>
> Jess
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