Re: Iridium sparkplugs

[Joe Elliott <jee@domain.elided>]

I use (Denso) Iridium plugs in my GTV6.  They cost $13 each from AR Ricambi 
and probably aren't worth it.  But the guy on the phone said he dynoed his 
V6 Golf with Bosch Platinums and then dynoed it again after changing only 
the plugs (to Denso Iridium), and picked up 6 horsepower.  Probably a huge 
lie, but I choose to believe it <foolish grin>.

And now for something completely different, I have a potentially 
ignition-related question regarding my GTV6.  Why does the idle drop as the 
draw in the electrical system increases??  It is most noticable when the 
fan comes on and off.  After the car has been running for a half hour or so 
it tends to idle at about 1200RPM, but when the fan comes on it drops to 
800RPM or so, and it'll go down to 700 if I turn on some accessories.  Do 
my Denso Iridium plugs make an appreciably bigger spark when they can hog 
all of he alternator's output?  Is it my cheap aftermarket coil?  I don't 
know what else it could be.

Joe Elliott
'82 GTV6

--On Friday, November 29, 2002 5:14 PM +0000 alfa-digest 
<owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided> wrote:


> Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 21:55:51 -0500
> From: christian147@domain.elided
> Subject: Re: Iridium sparkplugs
>
> > but know that Iridium is another of the
> > very heavy metals in and around Platinum.. and share most of the similar
> > qualities, i.e. very heavy, rather inert, very high melting point..
> melting point higher then Platinum, electrical resistance lower then
> platinum.  This may allow the use of a projected electrode where a
> non-projected nose was necessary with a lower melting point electrode
>
> They have gained favor in the "import tuner" crowd.  You know the Mitsu.
> Eclipse and Honda B20B's with turbo blowing at 3+ bar and 785 Hp at the
> flywheel.  They last longer in these extreme engine conditions.  That
> creates a market by allowing the guy in the street to use the same spark
> plug as his hero in the track  Now every Eclipse and Supra boy racer has
> to have his Iridium plugs in his street engine.  To each his own , they
> can be very fine plugs.
>
> Chris Hall
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided