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type of spark plugs - platinum vs iridium


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On a: 97 Subaru Legacy L

 

what are the optimal spark plugs to use? the car has ~130k + miles..

 

i saw on another site.. many people suggested iridium NDK plugs for a certain toyota..... so i figured id ask....

 

thanks for any ideas...

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The NGK V-power BKR6E-11(by memory). They have green writing. I've tried the more expensive plugs by other manufacturers, and the lsee expensive NGK's (blue writing).

 

I've witnessed some success with Autolites.

 

I pay 1.80 for the NGK's and that's what I keep on the shelf now.

 

Dave

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NEVER use Champion or Autolite in a Subaru
I agree with not using the Autolite, but my 97 Impreza manual states that the Champion plugs are the ONLY ones to use if I can't get the NGKs.

 

However, with the recommended NGK plugs costing about $8.59 for all 4 at National, I just buy those. Heck, I'm going to swap them every year, so why fuss about the plat/iridium bit?

 

What you'll spend getting plat/iri plugs which might last 100k will be more, probably, than you'll save getting into your engine yearly and just changing the plugs with new NGKs and being done with it!

 

Hey, it's only 4 plugs, remember? I've worked on bas**** V-8s which were a real pain. I don't miss that Chevelle at all.

 

That MIGHT have been a car which deserved the expensive plugs, just so I could ignore them for longer.... not..... I was too cheap to buy them then and I'm still too cheap now. Why all the fuss? Open manual from your Subaru. Read recommendation. Buy those plugs. Put in. Obsess about something else!

 

(Wait - no flaming the girrrl here, please :) )

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NGK sucks unless you spend $12 each

 

Autolites rocks.......

 

Have done extensive testing in 100s of engines and what I say rings true.

 

How you will ask.

 

I run a motorcycle forum, NKG plugs are standard for all bikes.

NGK plugs gas foul, air foul and just go bad by looking at them.

Pop in autolites and folks bikes not only run better but no more funny starting problems or bad plugs before their time.

 

NGK sucks

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NGK sucks unless you spend $12 each

 

Autolites rocks.......

 

Have done extensive testing in 100s of engines and what I say rings true.

 

How you will ask.

 

I run a motorcycle forum, NKG plugs are standard for all bikes.

NGK plugs gas foul, air foul and just go bad by looking at them.

okay, that makes sense, but think about this for a minute. in the same way i wouldn't go applying subaru logic in your motorcycle forums, you might want to consider this. in the bike world - what applies to one bike may apply to every other make, model and engine, i do not know motorcycles. but that's not the case with cars, or even different Subaru's.

 

what applies to bikes, does not apply to subarus. even further...i wouldn't make many of the statements that are true to Subaru's on a Honda, Ford, or Dodge Neon board. for instance - i would never tell those guys to use NGK.

 

and if you really know what you're talking about you'll know that certain Subaru's are more forgiving of spark plugs than others - the EJ series engine being talked about here is not one of them though - NGK should be run in this motor.

 

keep an open mind - what applies to one make, model or engine doesn't always apply to the rest.

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1 cylinder, 2 cylinder, 3 cylinder 4

 

NGKs suck

 

2 stroke, 4 stroke

 

suck

 

CDI, TCI

 

suck

 

Carb or computer FI

They still suck ;)

[unless you buy fancy ones. just the standard NGK plugs suck.]

 

 

Also in my Buick they work much better then the standard AC's

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Not wanting to buy 8 AC Delco Iridium plugs for my '02 Silverado when they came due I went with NGK since I had heard good thinks about them in a Chevy truck forum. In less than 8k miles they started random misfiring at an idle.

 

Still not wanting to spend the big bucks on Iridiums I went with Autolite Platinums. They've been in there for 90k miles now without a hickup.

 

My ea82 happened to have Autolites in it when I bought it. I don't see any reason to change them, though I guess I should check them for wear. :rolleyes:

 

I'm not going to condemn NGKs based on that one experience though. In fact I'll probably give them a shot when I change them in the Loyale. Some brand plugs just work better in some engines than others. Though I will admit I haven't found an engine yet that didn't like the Autolites, and I install them in more customer's cars than any other brand. Obviously, ymmv.

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There was a time when you wouldn't find me saying that but, and id tell ya to use a standard cheap NGK as they use to be good plugs but not anymore.

 

And things could change yet again, product quality is never constant.

 

BUt right now first thing we tell folks is to change to autolite plats and run some seafoam in the gas. Both perform mircales on fussy bikes that other products just can't do.

 

Sub I4 engine is just a fancy bike engine, why they run so darn good and last so long.

 

=

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Sub I4 engine is just a fancy bike engine, why they run so darn good and last so long.

 

 

OMG, Subaru engines are not I4s they are flat 4s.

 

Stick to you're buick and you're bikes and stop giving bad advice to people about their Subarus

 

NGK or Denso only for plugs for Subaru. They do list a champion plug in the manual, but they were never installed OEM. The listing is likely there for people who are in places in the world that may not have NGK or Denso.

 

The old FSMs used to specifically say NOT to use Champion or Autolite.

 

I have personally solved misfire problems in Subarus by replacing very new Autolites with NGK

 

and oh yeah, what is this 90k mile BS? The plugs are one of the only regular maintanence item's on a Subaru. Every 30k miles along with the fuel filter they should be changed.

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and oh yeah, what is this 90k mile BS? The plugs are one of the only regular maintanence item's on a Subaru. Every 30k miles along with the fuel filter they should be changed.

Now now, calm down. I was the one talking about 90k on my Silverado where the interval is 100k for Platinum plugs, as are many cars. I was also the one that said I would probably put NGKs in my Loyale when I do change them. I'll even go so far as to say I will likely use NGKs in customer's Subs. But you'll never hear me dissing Autolites. ;)

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and i am sure there are some people running different brands of plugs in each cylinder bank. :dead:

 

In general, Subarus will always run great on NGK. throw in some other plugs, most people have had or developed issues, all traced back to not having NGK.

BTW NGK plugs are 1.53 each here.

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I have had NGK IX iriduims in my Brat for a couple of years now with no problem. The IX were like $4 when I got them, not $12. In my 1200 Suzuki I run Autolite as that is what Dale Walker recommends and he is considered an expert in high performance bikes. But that is apples to oranges. Never heard of a Subaru having a problem with NGK. I did slip Bosch in few years back and the little Sub developed a miss right then. They went in the trash.

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