Spark Plug choices

bumblebeecaz · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:43 am Post subject:

T man that built my 1641 for me also races acvw's and he said the all he has ever run on stock to mild up to 1914cc is ngk.

55veedub · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:43 am Post subject:

I pulled the plugs on mine and they are BOSCH W7AC.

Whats the difference between W7AC and W7BC?

I went to the autoparts store and they only had champion RL87YC which is what the parts books say is the plug.

the cross reference says that W7AC is RL86C in champion and W7BC is RL87YC.

which is right? the AC's are what is in it but it calls for BC? help anyone?

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme4/skidoolympique/SPARK_PLUG_CROSS_REFERENCE.htm

usel42 · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:51 am Post subject:

I beleive the lower the number the "hotter" the plug. In other words the 7 will produce slightly more spark that the 8. Of course comparing those numbers across different brand names would be apples to oranges. When I rejetted and changed exhaust on my motorcycle I had to go with a hotter plug to make sure there was complete combustion. I doubt this answers your question. Just another useless factoid I picked up.

raygreenwood · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:15 am Post subject:

Platinum plugs...are not crap....but they are definately NOT for our ignition systems. I spent a ton of time researching....and testing...plugs of numerous types with various ignition systems about 10 years ago.

When Bosch platinum (standards) first came out back on the 80's they were fairly careful in their ad compaign wording. It was also relatively precise.

Their warranty was that if you did not see improvements in starting in a hard to start car....they would refund your money.

Platium plugs FIRE easier. However, they produce a much smaller spark. Because the end of the elctrode (not the core)....conducts cleaner and has a much smaller cross section it reaches ionization point quicker with less current saturation.
In short...it covers up weaknesses in high milage ignition systems (old wires, cap, rotor orweak coils). Typiclaly platinum plugs arc easier on weak or old sytems but produce smaller, "pinkish" lower temperature sparks.
As modern cars (after the age of crappy gas...late 80's and on) started coming with higher compression again and better computer control.....it was found that platinum plugs did quite well also...with high voltage ignition systems...where spark size is not an issue. The problem is that the platinum electrodes have issues with high plug and combustion temperatures.

However, the copper and nickle copper with full sized electrodes...have a much larger spark on lower voltage saturation systems....like our 18+KV systems.

The new irridium plugs are actually a high end improvement on platinum. They conduct even better than platinum, are much higher temperature...and cheaper material...so you end up with an electrode that is roughly 3/4 the size of copper or nickle copper. So you get big hot sparks. Still smaller than nickle copper...but hotter.

For instance....through the mid 90's....most watercooled VW's...came with double electrode NGK silver electrode plugs. Superb...and expensive. Silver plugs have huge sparks. And...silver has no high temp problems like platinum.
Since the early 2,000's....most new VW's are running Bosch or NGK irridium plugs. Mainly because they function as well as silver or copper at high compression ,have a reasonable spark size....and can run 30-60K miles without apparent wear. They are also nearly impossible to gap without damaging theelectrode. Very brittle.

The multiple electrode format.....like you see on platinum plus fours...ahs been around since the late 70's or early 80's....and is proven and very effective.

The functional point is that when properly gapped...and used on high compression engines....you get much better flame travel as compressed gas is interspersed throughout the "cage" created by the multiple electrodes. There is a much higher chance of NEVER missing a firing point.

I think they call this omething like base ground effect or ground air effect.
But an example of a very succesful version of this plug...and it is all I use on my type 4's for instance...are Bosch W7DTC tripple electrode nickle coppers. Awesome plug for high compression. But it takes a lot better than the 18kv we have with the stock coil to drive them properly. Use 40kv or better.
Ray

Win Or Break! · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:47 am Post subject:

ive heard that the bosch is awesome performance wise......... but ive had bad things about the platinum series............but the ngk are the longest surviving dam plugs you can get..... but thats the only thing good about them Very Happy

glutamodo · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:53 am Post subject:

GatorJZ · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:07 am Post subject:

PEI Jonny · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject:

Hi everyone, I was told to get BR6HS NGK plugs for my bug by a local bug guru in my area. Has anyone ever heard of these plugs? or something equivilent? Thanks
_________________
'70 vert
'72 super
'73 std beetle( not running)
74 std beetle ( not running)

jared8783 · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:00 pm Post subject:

Rusty O'Toole · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:22 pm Post subject:

I would NEVER use a Champion, AC or other american plug in a VW. Especially Champion.

They seem to be a hair longer than the stock plugs and stick into the combustion chamber a hair farther. When the plug is old and coated with deposits they are awfully hard to unscrew from the cylinder. The knob of deposits on the end of the plug chews the threads of the plug hole and after a few plug changes there are no threads left.

I noticed a long time ago this only happened with Champions not with Bosch.

Since then I use only Bosch or NGK plugs in a VW. In fact I always use the original equipment brand of plugs in any car if I can get them and this is one of the reasons.

johnnypan · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject:

Just ran a set of Bosch platinums for twenty thousand miles...good performing plugs,was going to change them out not from a miss,but I figured its time with a conventional ignition system.Low and be hold,three of them are beautiful,holding gap and ashy grey at the tip of the electrode...but the forth one...electrode and porcelain completely gone all the way up inside the plug bore....it was still firing too...pulled the head,all ok,I figure it passed out the exhaust valve in pieces...going standard copper bosch from now on....

ashman40 · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:00 am Post subject:

fred69vert · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:49 am Post subject:

scotty-o · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject:

Been running Auto Lites for a few thousand miles now. Got them because my FLAPS was out of Bosch and NGKs and I needed some plugs to get me on the road ASAP. They seem to be fine and the car runs great. It's the only time I've ever run plugs other than Bosch or NGK in my VWs but will be putting Bosch or NGKs back in when its time for new plugs.

FWIW
-Scotty

jared8783 · Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:38 am Post subject:

Yeah I got a set of cheapo autolite copper in mine right now too

When I first bought the car it had bosch platinums that weren't even corroded
they were in very good shape

just a few days after I bought the car I replaced them with the autolites
Immediatly I noticed a difference in performance and they work well

FYI rusty o tool
Bosch AND Champion were the factory recommended spark plug for all Beetles year 1970-1978

Probably some earlier too but I dont know because my chiltons is only for 1970-1981

glutamodo · Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject:

VW listed Champion spark plugs in the Owner's manuals all the way back to the early 1950s. I'm sure it was an availability thing, you'd use what you could buy. But just because they fit doesn't mean they were the best choice though.

mlorrell · Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:38 am Post subject:

Has anyone tried the E3 Spark plugs justwondering about them.
http://www.e3sparkplugs.com

Ry-dog · Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:47 am Post subject:

How about the Bosch Super Plus with Yttrium? (on a 1970 1600SP)

I recently did a tune up and installed these (purchased from BD). Bus ran great, then died out on me mid-flight on a nice quiet road (thankfully). I have been troubleshooting for a bit and still can't get it started and suspect the plugs. . . Certainly some more troubleshooting to do, but figured I'd check in on how these Yttrium plugs perform and if this could (hopefully) be the source of my non-starting issue.
_________________
'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel

Yellowbeard · Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:57 am Post subject:

Just FWIW...

I've been running nothing but Champion plugs in my cars for a bit better than 20 years now and haven't had a problem.

YMMV.
_________________

fastinradford · Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:08 am Post subject:

a spark is a spark...
unless you are going for peak performance or preference.

lighten up.


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