troe666

Need to know stock plug gap for Evo 9 FQ280/Aus delivered
plug is NGK ILFR7H.

Guys,
In aus we get the NGK plug ILFR7H stock in our Evos and I have the following mods:
500hp fuel pump
Ecutek reflash
MRT TBE
ralliart filters etc
running about 19-20psi using ecutek/stock ecu boost control

anyway we reflashed the ECU the other day to up the launch control and it threw a fault code about 10 minutes later as I drove off for no apparent reason. So I took it back and we reflashed it back to the original tuned map and no fault code on the way home this time but I thought hang on i did the plugs just before the reflash then when i checked them they were at like .4mm which is way way too low.

i need to know the stock plug gap. i set them to .8mm (about .032" in your terms!) and it was OK but i thought maybe lost power from going too wide. So i just now (carefully) regapped them (because theyre iridiums) to .027" (.68mm) and now im worrying is that too low?

i see many many people on here running .023 and .026 and theyre fine but a lot are evo 8s and most are more modified than my evo 9.

can you help me out?

what is the best gap I should run. tell me in inches or mm whatever.
its an evo 9 FQ280 running 220kw at the wheels up from its 169kw at the wheel stock. it just has the mods listed above and a nice tune


Trav

4WS Tuning

iTrader: (73)

from doing my own research. doesn't seem like people change from the .28 setting. thats what my friend runs on his ix and when i get new plugs within the next couple weeks i plan on doing the same thing. our mods are similiar too.

cheers!

troe666

ok so that's .711mm or thereabouts, ive set mine to .68mm. might have to open it back up in the morning, again, nooo lol sigh

anyone else got thoughts on this with Evo 9s using Iridiums on stock heat range?


Trav

troe666

hang on though i just found this image posted by another evo 9 owner

and this matches my part number exactly

so i should probably have left them down at .55mm (.22ish)?

why does everyone like 0.026 on near stock cars when the factory service manual says to gap them much lower??
wont you lose power opening them up so far...

also bear in mind my car is nearly stock and using stock heat range plugs....what is the best gap in all seriousness?

can someone put this to bed please

Trav

kouzman

iTrader: (6)

This was my question too but never posted it...

i bought these sparkplugs from sparkplugs.com and the were gapped 0.021 so i guess i will leave them as is. that's great news...

EvolvinEvo

iTrader: (4)

ix's are gapped tighter like: .020-.023

WhiteEvo05

iTrader: (12)

Why not start at the beginning...What was the fault code thrown? Could it be as simple as you didn't get a plug wire boot on tightly in futzing around with changing plugs and the problem was rectified after swapping back?

Before getting all bent out of shape, I would find out what code was thrown and then address that.

Just a thought...

troe666

the code was a misfire event; but it's irrespective.

i just bought new plugs and want to know what to gap them to,

come on guys everyones giving me a different bloody story!

that Factory Service Manual image I posted above IS from the IX manual so why do people say 'ix's are gapped tighter' - ??

does anyone even KNOW what the IX gap is STOCK on the NGK ILFR7H.
please post back only if you can help.

Trav

troe666

Sigh.. doesnt matter. I have set mine to 0.58mm, or just under 0.024.

As per the above factory service manual.

thanks for posting that image up which has helped clarify it.

EVO 9s with stock plugs, stock heat range, i.e. ILFR7H, should be gapped 0.020 - 0.024 (or in metric, that's 0.5mm to 0.6mm)

OK glad we sorted that out.

Trav

boostedwrx

iTrader: (27)

+1 on the .020 to .024. The factory manual says it.

Warrtalon

iTrader: (6)

FWIW, you're not supposed to re-gap Iridiums.

fromWRXtoEVO

iTrader: (18)

I eco what Warrtalon just said. You really shouldn't be changing the gap on the iridiums, not only the mnaual says so but also the risk of damaging them is great.

I could only consider messing around with the gapping if I was having issues with the spark otherwise I wouldn't touch it unless you get the copper ones.

The cooper ones are more reasonable when it comes to the gaping, they tolerate much more bending. Too close or too open could hurt you equally, do you have the need to regap them?, is your car misfiring?

Carlos

troe666

thanks for the info guys,

the only reason you wouldnt gap iridiums or platinums is because of the risk of breaking the electrode,

I use a gapping tool that does not touch the electrodes or place any pressure on the tip. youre safe to regap using this generally speaking,

I will be buying new plugs tomorrow and checking their gap before they go in,

FWIW, always check plug gap before putting them in. ive seen 'factory 1.1mm gapped' SR20 plugs from nissan come gapped at .8, .6, 1.2 and 1.0, as a set.

My Stock IX replacement plugs were all gapped around .4mm and caused a misfire event the second they went in.
I regapped them to the .58mm the factory manual suggests (.5 to .6mm), and it is now running great.

I will be replacing the plugs tomorrow with fresh ones that will hopefully be gapped correctly from new and I wont touch them,

Thanks again guys


Trav

mdsevo06

iTrader: (41)

According to NGK Techs, the OEM comes pre-gapped at .024"
ILFR7H - OEM GAPPED AT .024" PLATINUM TIPPED ELECTRODE
LFR7AIX - SAME DIMENSIONS, GAPPED AT .028" (WILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTED) AND ELECTRODE IS NOT PLATIMUM TIPPED.
Difference is the OEM will last longer, but at a price. The second one is the same, except needs to be adjusted and will not last as long.

kouzman

iTrader: (6)

so what if you use these plugs but gapped to .021" ?? ?? ?? will they work?