Wrong Spark plugs?

Aug 14, 2004 3 Replies
M

Hi can anyone tell me what sort of damage running the wrong grade of plug in my



1984 T16 might do? I did a full service and fitted new NGK Platinum plugs today. I noticed the plugs I removed were standard copper core items made by BEAUY (??). When I drove the car down the motorway earlier today before I changed the plugs, it got quite hot. Also got hot sitting in traffic and took a while to cool down once I got moving again.

Now I've changed the plugs, It's boosting more and not getting too hot at all. I presume the extra heat etc would be pre-ignition caused by the wrong plugs? Am I right? If so, what damage would likely occur. I don't know how long the previous owner has been running on these plugs. Seems a weird way to maintain a car - he's spent loads on recon gearbox, turbo, ball joints and dampers, then other items have been scrimped on!



Thanks all Mike


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P

in article snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de, Mike P at snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net wrote on 14/08/2004 21:35:

NGKs ... And the right NGKs are the *only* way to go. I'll bow out to the more eloquent explanations from the others here who actually know *why* ... You're right though - non-NGKs in a C900 are pants! And that's a fact!

I run the cooler T16 type plugs in my T8 (BCP7EV) and she just loves 'em. She's slightly uprated though 8) At over 4 quid each, they're expensive, but last for 25-30K miles! I gather they're now called BCP7EVx or something ... It's been a while since I had to buy plugs :)

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
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F

While cars with DI are *very* picky about the plugs due to their being used to sense combustion by the ECU, the more standard coil and dizzy engines from says of yore are not so sensitive...

-Fred W

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G

IME the turbos really are - it can make a difference of several PSI.

I believe it's a combination of things. In turbos, plugs have to work across a significantly bigger temperature range than NA engines. They also have to produce a consistent spark under increased pressure - higher pressure requires a higher voltage to initiate spark propagation.

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