motor602
Enthusiast
how often do you think one should change the plugs? and if any have used other than the stock plugs, which plugs give the best performance???
spark plugs
- Thread starter motor602
- Start date
motor602
Enthusiast
anyone??
Ron Hickey
Enthusiast
The general recommendation for plugs is to change them every 15,000 or so miles, along with the wires. For plugs, the stock Champions are preferred. The stock or Mopar Performance wires are fine. I have MSD wires and am pleased with them. If your car has 15,000 miles on it, cleaning the throttle bodies wouldn't be a bad idea, too.
If your car is heavily modified, there may be better plug alternatives; I can't speak to that.
If your car is heavily modified, there may be better plug alternatives; I can't speak to that.
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
Repeat what Ron said. 'Cept I change my plugs and wires at 20K. Champion plugs and Mopar wires.
slaughterj
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2001
- Posts
- 5,266
- Reaction score
- 0
Here's a few bits of info:
- I changed my plugs and wires at 30k, and must've waited a bit long, because I felt a "pep" afterward (i.e., didn't feel as good before). I took the wires back off (had put on blue wires, resulted in stereo static) and put back on the original wires, and did not notice a difference.
- Just prior to the 30k change, I had dynoed the car. Just this weekend I dynoed the car again (41k), now with 11k plugs and new wires I had put on that morning, but no difference in measured RWHP. Makes me wonder if the "pep" was in my mind, but I don't think so.
Summary:
- Change your plugs every 15k-20k, they're cheap anyway.
- Change your wires less frequently, maybe every other plugs change.
- Don't get the mopar blue wires except for track use, as you'll get static through the stereo (radio & CD).
- I changed my plugs and wires at 30k, and must've waited a bit long, because I felt a "pep" afterward (i.e., didn't feel as good before). I took the wires back off (had put on blue wires, resulted in stereo static) and put back on the original wires, and did not notice a difference.
- Just prior to the 30k change, I had dynoed the car. Just this weekend I dynoed the car again (41k), now with 11k plugs and new wires I had put on that morning, but no difference in measured RWHP. Makes me wonder if the "pep" was in my mind, but I don't think so.
Summary:
- Change your plugs every 15k-20k, they're cheap anyway.
- Change your wires less frequently, maybe every other plugs change.
- Don't get the mopar blue wires except for track use, as you'll get static through the stereo (radio & CD).
NCVCA
Enthusiast
John,
What did you do with the hi performance wires you took off?
What did you do with the hi performance wires you took off?
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
LOL I got 'em.
Thanks again, Slaughter.
MichaelP
Enthusiast
ON Chuck's suggestion I replaced with the hi performance blues and have had no problems.
slaughterj
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2001
- Posts
- 5,266
- Reaction score
- 0
Sorry Jeff, Chuck's got 'em
slaughterj
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2001
- Posts
- 5,266
- Reaction score
- 0
No one had posted of these problems, 'til after I did, then several others piped up (search if you care too
), so I would say you're lucky and recommend people not to do it (unless they want to risk wasting $100).motor602
Enthusiast
good info thanks guys. whats up with the static though?
MichaelP
Enthusiast
No one had posted of these problems, 'til after I did, then several others piped up (search if you care too
Why would I want to search. They work on my car.
You lawyers always thinking you have to prove what you say is correct.
Don't fret Slaughter I don't doubt you bro.
slaughterj
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2001
- Posts
- 5,266
- Reaction score
- 0
No one had posted of these problems, 'til after I did, then several others piped up (search if you care too
BTW what would I search under.
And I said NOTHING about your lack of trouble, simply providing further info for others who could have a problem?! As for searching, gee I don't know, how about my username said I said I posted about these problems?!
slaughterj
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2001
- Posts
- 5,266
- Reaction score
- 0
Insufficient wire shielding I suspect. I experienced static with the radio on and the CD player on, and it appeared a bit worse with the CD player on.
V10 MOJO
Enthusiast
if you are getting that high humming noise (RFS) you need to get to radioshack and get yourself a 75ohm ground loop isolator. i developed the unsavory humming noise after the dvd/cd player and the 40 gig hardrive were installed, just too d*mn much stuff i guess, anyway it helped out alot.
slaughterj
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2001
- Posts
- 5,266
- Reaction score
- 0
I really can't believe you'd stop something like that in your car
Oh, and I was getting static/crackling...
joe117
Enthusiast
The resistor wires keep the spark pulse from being quite as sharp. If you looked at the pulse on a scope, you would see a more rounded leading edge with the resistor wires. This rounding won't hurt you with a stock engine. The time involved in the rounding isn't enough to bother the timing.
A sharp pulse causes harmonics. These harmonics are little radio signals, up and down the frequency spectrum. Some of it get's into your radio and tape or CD player. It has nothing to do with shielding.
If you had a radio transmitter with an old style key that you used to send morse code, you would need a circuit to keep the key pulses from being too sharp or they would cause harmonics just like the spark plug pulses. The harmonics would be heard as key clicks over a broad frequency range. This would bother people trying to use other frequencies. Of course, you would have to be a real geek to be sending morse code. My ham radio call sign is KY3F. I would rather think of myself as a former geek.
A sharp pulse causes harmonics. These harmonics are little radio signals, up and down the frequency spectrum. Some of it get's into your radio and tape or CD player. It has nothing to do with shielding.
If you had a radio transmitter with an old style key that you used to send morse code, you would need a circuit to keep the key pulses from being too sharp or they would cause harmonics just like the spark plug pulses. The harmonics would be heard as key clicks over a broad frequency range. This would bother people trying to use other frequencies. Of course, you would have to be a real geek to be sending morse code. My ham radio call sign is KY3F. I would rather think of myself as a former geek.
jcaspar1
Enthusiast
It is the lack of resistance as Joe says. The Mopar blue wires (I have them) have much less resistance than the stock wires (and probably a lot less than the Magnacores) which results in a cracking sound at rpms less than 2000. I only notice it when idling but it is a bit annoying at times.
Thanks for the nice explaination Joe.
Thanks for the nice explaination Joe.
1TONY1
Enthusiast
- .... .- -. -.- ...
.--- --- .
N4VFG
.--- --- .
N4VFG
onerareviper
Enthusiast
Can only speak for myself - I have the Mopar Performance Blue wires, and have had no problems with radio/CD.
Snake Bitten
Enthusiast
I had the humm/static when I replaced the stocker wires with Magnecor's...installed 75 ohm ground loop isolators from Radio Shack, just like the Doc suggested, and no more noise...It does take about 10 minutes to install these, maybe a bit longer if you still have the stock audio system (GenII only, GenI's...less than five minutes)
I changed my plugs at 15K miles...the old ones looked brand new, and the gap was the same as the new ones I installed...Seemed like a waste of money to me, but at about $1.75 per plug, was worth the peace of mind...I changed the wires at the same time, but only because the red Magnecor's look really cool under the hood...
I changed my plugs at 15K miles...the old ones looked brand new, and the gap was the same as the new ones I installed...Seemed like a waste of money to me, but at about $1.75 per plug, was worth the peace of mind...I changed the wires at the same time, but only because the red Magnecor's look really cool under the hood...
