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Re: Iridium sparkplugs



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
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