Re: Best Spark plugs Tested

[Phil Marx <BMW@xxxxxxx>]

Richard Nott offers:
>     Yesterday I read an article in a magazine (Hot 4's I think) that
>     tested all the spark plugs including platinums for performance and
>     measured the output on a dyno.
>     There were only two that showed any improvement.  One of these was
>     only slight and was expensive, but the other showed a measurable
>     increase above all the others.
>     It was the Champion Gold, which also had the cheapest price.  It
>     seemed all the platinums and unusual electrode designs made 'bugger

Of course that would depend on your particular ignition system, combustion
chamber shape, etc.  And then there's performance over the long run as
current BMWs are only scheduled for plug changes every 50,000 miles or so.
Sounds like maybe it's applicable to whatever truck they ran it in but may
not hold true for your fine German sled.  After 28 years of driving and
working on BMWs I still find the tii runs best in normal driving with NGK
BP5ES, the 1600 Cabriolet likes the standard Bosch who's numbers change
every decade (W200T30), the bikes like the standard Bosch (W6D, W230T30)),
the 3.5L E28s won't run worth a cr*p on Bosch Platinums and need the
$ilver$, and the 2.3L Stage IV 2002 doesn't seem to care what brand it
gets.  A friend gave me a pair of Sh*tFires for my motorcycle (do you
realize they cover all applications with about 8 different plugs?) and I
took them right out.  I've driven M50 engined BMWs with the Autolite 3923
that actually felt less smooth and provided worse highway fuel economy when
switched back to Bosch F7LDCRs, and I've seen BMW R11 DME/FI bikes become
driveable when the Autolites were installed and the Bosches taken out.  And
I'll never forget the time I tried Champion N7Ys in my BMW bike and the
electrode fell off.

To each their own.  (And all waxes make cars shine, too.)

- -Phil Marx

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