Best Vortec head spark plugs for reliability and performance?

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Schurkey

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I installed a heap of Cummins and Detroit "Diesel" engines that ran on CNG or LNG. Yeah, spark plugs in "diesel" engines; they aren't really "diesel" any more.

Wonderfully quiet-running. PITA to fuel, at least at the facility I was at.
 
AuroraGirl

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Schurkey said:
AC hasn't made spark plugs in decades. Far as I know, they're bought-in from NGK. At least, some part numbers are NGKs with different markings, in an ACDelco box. I like NGK.

I was big on Autolites until they moved production to China.

My Trailblazer came with Iridium plugs. The originals lasted 160K miles, coming out at 90K--and they looked so perfect they went right back in, even though I'd already purchased a new set. I wouldn't put Iridium or Platinum plugs in a carbureted engine, or even a TBI. But for a port-injected OBD2 engine that doesn't have a history of oil consumption...sure.

Haven't bought a Champion plug in decades; I swore I'd never buy another Champion when I figured-out they had the most-brittle porcelain in the industry. Soft, fast-wearing electrodes, too.

Not real big on "gimmick" plugs, either. Splitfire, E3, the Bosch plugs with two or four ground electrodes...No, thank you.
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The stronger the ignition (especially if its NOT a distributor type) the better iridium is, if its also waste spark, then iridium is moved higher even. platinum is good for things that dont have waste spark and are not prone or likely to chip a piston or just generally "hold heat" in the combustion chamber and cause predet.

Copper is good , cheap, but you dont want chinese autolite cheap lol!
Also, if possible, a smooth ceramic and new plug wires(unless the plugs removed were smooth as well) is better than ribs if possible. especially with the larger gaps engines.
 
L31MaxExpress

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454cid said:
I had no idea.
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I had a customer that bought hundreds of caps, rotors, wires and thousands of plugs. They were using Vortec 5.7L engines on natural gas for small compressor sites. Some of the larger ones had 8.1s and 8.8s and then some were Cats on natural gas.
 
Schurkey

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AuroraGirl said:
The stronger the ignition (especially if its NOT a distributor type) the better iridium is, if its also waste spark, then iridium is moved higher even. platinum is good for things that dont have waste spark
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Waste-spark ignition is the reason for DOUBLE-Platinum plugs. Single-Platinum plugs don't work well on the half of the cylinders that fire "backwards".

AuroraGirl said:
predet.
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Huh?
Preignition and detonation are not the same thing.

AuroraGirl said:
a smooth ceramic and new plug wires(unless the plugs removed were smooth as well) is better than ribs if possible. especially with the larger gaps engines.
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What is the reasoning for smooth ceramic at the plug boot? I was told early in my career that ribs were better.

Insert condom joke here.
 
AuroraGirl

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Schurkey said:
Waste-spark ignition is the reason for DOUBLE-Platinum plugs. Single-Platinum plugs don't work well on the half of the cylinders that fire "backwards".


Huh?
Preignition and detonation are not the same thing.


What is the reasoning for smooth ceramic at the plug boot? I was told early in my career that ribs were better.

Insert condom joke here.
Click to expand...
im aware of the double platinum thing. I just dont see any reason to use them when iridium works better and last longer in that situation.

preignition from multiple causes was found to be more prone by GM on 3800 and 3400 engines when using the factory platinum plugs which is why they got iridiums in like 2002 or 2003 or so.
The reasoning for the smooth ceramic is on a plug with a smooth porcelain and a plug boot using dielectric compound for ignition systems, its more likely to seal and keep spark from carbon tracking and similar failures. Ribs on plugs create molded impressions on boots, and removal and reinstall is less likely to put them "perfectly" back in place. Its not a big deal when you are talking about .030 to .040 ish plug gaps as much as engines using .060
 
SAATR

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454cid said:
I'm confused.... Cat as in Catapiller? Spark ignition???
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Yessir. They share a block, crank, rods, and other sundries with the diesels, but are otherwise designed for spark ignition of gaseous fuels. They're primarily used in power generation and as prime movers for a variety of natural gas compressors.

Some of the smallest of the line are actually based off of our Vortec 5.7's with a natural gas carburetor, and a generator end attached. Rated at 50kW.
 
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