Iridium spark plugs?
 

What do you guys/girls think about the Iridium spark plugs? I just saw a sale ad for them in the MM&FF. Are they really as good as the ad claims or is it just a sales sceem? Also what kind of ignition systems do you think are the best for the money. Im talking like just coil, ignition module and wires right now, later i want to add a ignition box but that will be after some other mods. thanks

go full MSD:

coil, wires, distributor, MSD 6xx, etc...

I haven't heard either way, but I'm a little curious.

Take care,
-Chris

actually, I can add, I totally forgot about this:

friends camry 4 cylinder from 92..

base dyno was 98 HP
added pulley and denso iridium plugs dyno was 104
added catback dyno was 108

SO, there was a 6 HP increase by adding a crank pulley and changing 65,000 mile plugs.. conclusion, on a camry, worth about 1 HP total...

I know a mustang might be different, and I know these platinum plugs do great on a supercharged car vs. standard plugs.. so I guess we need a blower guy to tell us the story..

you shouldnt be running platinum plugs on a supercharged car. Platinim plugs are long life plugs, not performance plugs.

Well i guess ill just buy those Iridiums. If i dont like them ill replace them with stockers If i like them ill post a review. Anyone ever heard of or used Performance Distributors Ignition package?

hey, you must be reading this months MM&FF, I'm looking into that same distributor, BUT, I think I'm just going to go full MSD, its $100 cheaper for the dist.....

yeah actually i was. I subcribe to it. Im not to worried about changing out my distributor yet, just primarily the coil, ignition module, wires, cap and rotor. Im liking their dyna coil, dyna mod, and live wires. I think its like $230 for the whole kit. MM&FF tested it and gain 8 hp even on a stock car. If i cant trust MM&FF who can i trust?

about time someone has got this correct! as for the Iridium plugs.... i dont understand what is wrong with conventional spark plugs? if Nascar uses them to go around a track 500 times at 150mph or more, then why would you go wtih something else? when professional race cars start using them in their machines(does anyone know if they do? iradium or platiniums) then i will start using them in mine. that is how i look at it. if it sustains Nascar, why wouldnt it sustain your street/strip?

hey, mach1, not that I believe it anymore than you do, BUT, I've got a MM&FF I'm going to dig up where they put platinum plugs on a vortech 5.0 pumping 400 RWHP, and just by changing the plugs, they were able to push the timing higher and gained 22.4 rear wheel HP from it...

If that is MM&FFs' results, lets say we the real people could see a gain of 5HP, isn't that worth it???

anyone else read this article??

Why? Why did the platinum allow higher timing? Platinum plugs retain heat, which goes against allowing higher timing the way I understand it.

If you can present a logical explanation, Im game, but to the best of my knowledge, platinum plugs dont conduct as well as your standard copper core, and retain more heat, both bad for performance.


And you must quit believing everything you read in a magazine, MM&FF or not. They lie most of the time, and they are paid by advertisers, whos products they push, which produces results that are fudged. 8 hp from a "dyna coil"? The late model factory ignition system is very efficient, and I dont buy that much gain from an aftermarket ignition, especially on a stock car.Hey, I got some beach front property Ill sell you real cheap....its in Kansas.

what would happen if they just put brand new plugs in it instead of the platiniums? probably the same thing.

as for MACH, he hits the nail right on the head! dont care what mag you are reading, you cant believe everything. ever realize how many ads that are in MM&FF issue? more than articles about cars itself. why so many? how else would you make money? use you best judgement when it comes to reading any car mag.

hey, "I KNOW" MACH is a smart guy, I've been at this mustang game only 2 years now, so I know I don't know everything..
but when you can't believe a MAG article, what can you believe??
:) (at least the pictures are nice to look at..)

and as for plugs, I only run conventional plugs as well, they're cheaper, and do me good...

and lethal5oh, here's what I'd do if I were you (AND you plan on souping your car upto the 300 hp levels, otherwise stock ignition is good enough) ... get their distributor module only if you've got high miles on your car, get normal motorcraft plugs, gap at .049 (32ASF's), get the wires and coil, and you should be good to go..

You cant believe anybody or anything! TRUST NO ONE! The sooner you learn that little rule of thumb, the better off youll be.

well i wouldnt go that far. hang around people, ask questions, see their combo. learn from others mistakes and from your own. people who publish books on 5.0's usually are pretty good. they have done the research. another rule of thumb, K.I.S.S.
my best rule and it never failed me yet.

Mach1, i too do kind of find it hard to beleive 8hp from an ignition, maybe some serioud throttle response but i dont know about HP, maybe if you could add more fuel and burn it all i could see it. But its not just a coil, its a ignition module also that gives more electronic dwell to let the coil saturate better for a better spark. The coil allows you to open the spark plug gap more, I think they said like .55. i dont know but my motto is "if its stock it sucks" ex. exhaust system. Next on the list of replacements.

Actually, the stock ignition system is very good. It has to be. Why? For good gas mileage and emissions that are required by government regulations.

An efficient engine (complete combustion) requires an efficient igniton system, and most new cars have powerful and good ignition systems for the reasons I stated.

But if you can get 8 hp from the "dyna Pack", go for it. I want to see you get that money into the economy.

Let's not confuse platinum and iridium, completely different elements. Iridium plugs seem to fire better in more turbulent conditions such as a turbocharged engine (I'm not sure exactly why, though, with their chemical configuration it doesn't make sense to me). I would not expect to see that big of a difference on a N/A motor, and they're a long life plug as well. Platinum can fire with less voltage but aren't considered to be as hot of a spark, although platinum plugs are copper on the inside if you cut them open, platinum lasts alot longer than copper, which makes them perfect for OEM's.

Where abouts in Kansas?

:)

Take care,
-Chris

Near the center...you know, close to the beach.