Platinium plugs on Supercharged cars

[Schulmann]

I am working on a new supercharger project.
It is a brand new supercharger model that I am testing.

One of the questions is the plug selection.
I know that on many cars Platinium plugs are not recommended.
However a VERY experienced guy keeps telling me to use a platinium plug.

I have a question: Why many tuners stay away from platinium plugs ?
This guys even didn't tell me to use irridium plug.
I have the impression that tuners are like cats: once they get used to something it is difficult to change the habits.

Irridium plug are great to ease the stress on the ignition system. Mercedes has been using irridium plugs on its SC cars. Are irridium plugs resisting knocking as well as regular plugs ?

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Schilmann,

In order to be helpful, we would need to know more specifically just how radical your thinking of going in your build out....and how you are expecting to drive this rig.

 

[Joseph Dell]

Run a platinum plug on a supercharger or turbo car and I can pretty much guarantee that you'll get a nice BOOM sound when you get on it. Platinum is nice in that it doesn't require as frequent a plug change, but take out a platinum plug and touch it... hot as hell! a plug that retains heat is more prone to detonate. also, platinum plugs are more prone to fouling.

I know one person who swore by platinum plugs in his SC mustang... until he blew up the motor and the engine shop's first question after looking at the pistons was 'did you use a platinum plug in this thing???'

Now as for iridium, that's the _only_ choice for striker heads right now (striker's use a special spark plug for the head and $13/plug is the best you'll find for that denso iridium) and iridiums seem to work well. I run them on my car too. I heard _one_ person tell me that they had an issue w/ the insulators on the iridiums going to *** in forced induction... but other than this one case pretty much every TT viper out there with strikers is running the Denso Iridium ITV27 plug.

I hope this helps a tad... just be safe. don't hurt your motor. copper plugs are cheap (like the NGK 4554 also known as the R-5671A-8) and work well too.

Joseph

 

[Pitt Formula Racer]

From what I know, good old fashioned Copper is a better conductor and usually has a much larger electrode. These two things combine to allow a stronger spark which will initiate a better flame front and the larger electrode on a copper plug dissipates heat better (of course Copper also is one of the best thermally conductive materials on earth too). I would stick with a quality Copper plug for your build. Good luck.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Looks like you got some good advice above....

 

[Schulmann]

This is a very mild boost supercharging project. Everything stays 100% stock. Boost is 5psi. Basically what you say is that the platinium plug is red hot at the tip. That`s good start for pre-ignition. I think my source keeps that factor in mind. In fact running hot allows the plug tip to stay clean in all conditions. The plug is a platinium bkr6. I will try the irridium or a regular copper bkr.

 

[KenH]

The other issue I have heard of with Platinum is that in boosted applications the electrode can come loose from the plug and bounce around the cylinder. I am partial to the iridium plugs myself and run the NGKs.

 

[Evil Snake]

Platinum plugs + forced induciton or nitrous = Rebuild