Iridium plugs - any downside to using them?
Iridium plugs - any downside to using them?
I know this has been discussed before and I did search...please read on.
It is time for a new set of plugs and I would like to try out the Denso Iridium IK22. Other than the obvious cost factor (who cares about $50 on a car like this??!) are there any performance reasons to not use these plugs?
I know that copper plugs are cheap and work fine, yadda, yadda...but I am willing to pay the price for the Iridium plugs if they offer the same or better performance with a longer life. Sure I can change my plugs every 20k miles, but I'd rather only have to change them every 40k miles! I am not however willing to go backwards in performance compared to copper plugs.
I don't believe everything I read, but the Denso website (http://www.densoiridium.com/irid_racing.php) reads very well and is quite convincing. On top of this, many of the latest high performance cars (M3, EVO, etc) come stock with Iridium plugs and HKS and Ralliart specs them for these high boost engines. I know that platinum plugs are poor for performance...let's not confuse the two.
In a previous spark plug thread timzcat does a good job trying to steer us away from these plugs, but is this proven fact or engineering theory?
With cost out of the picture, why not use a good Iridium plug in the EVO?
It is time for a new set of plugs and I would like to try out the Denso Iridium IK22. Other than the obvious cost factor (who cares about $50 on a car like this??!) are there any performance reasons to not use these plugs?
I know that copper plugs are cheap and work fine, yadda, yadda...but I am willing to pay the price for the Iridium plugs if they offer the same or better performance with a longer life. Sure I can change my plugs every 20k miles, but I'd rather only have to change them every 40k miles! I am not however willing to go backwards in performance compared to copper plugs.
I don't believe everything I read, but the Denso website (http://www.densoiridium.com/irid_racing.php) reads very well and is quite convincing. On top of this, many of the latest high performance cars (M3, EVO, etc) come stock with Iridium plugs and HKS and Ralliart specs them for these high boost engines. I know that platinum plugs are poor for performance...let's not confuse the two.
In a previous spark plug thread timzcat does a good job trying to steer us away from these plugs, but is this proven fact or engineering theory?
timzcat
The small center electrode plugs suck because the surface area for the spark to jump to is small. It may require less energy but you will get a larger spark on a normal electrode. Look at a spark plug when it fires. It is not 1 simple spark but more of a broad spark. On a small center electrode there is less surface area. Especially in the case of a boosted car because the cylinder conditions are more demanding then an N/A car. This is why they are generally not recommended. Normal plugs or the larger center electrode are clearly better. Plugs like Iridium are harder surfaced for wear resistance. The monir amount of electrical resistance they offer is minimal and they last longer.
The small center electrode plugs suck because the surface area for the spark to jump to is small. It may require less energy but you will get a larger spark on a normal electrode. Look at a spark plug when it fires. It is not 1 simple spark but more of a broad spark. On a small center electrode there is less surface area. Especially in the case of a boosted car because the cylinder conditions are more demanding then an N/A car. This is why they are generally not recommended. Normal plugs or the larger center electrode are clearly better. Plugs like Iridium are harder surfaced for wear resistance. The monir amount of electrical resistance they offer is minimal and they last longer.
