Best/Favorite Spark Plugs?

[boy&hisdogs]

Is there a go-to make/model for plugs for our engines? I've always liked NGK for my dirt bikes and mowers but I wanted to know if there are better options specifically for our trucks. Mine is a '98 5.7.

 

[98chevy2500SS]

ACDelco Double Platinums for the Vortec's, I've been told that's what GM recommends so that's what I use.

 

[Erin]

I also use the AC Delco Platinums for my TBI.

 

[Zerio29]

x3 on the AC Delco Platinums. Seem to be the only ones that last.

 

[Frank Enstein]

Anybody's platinum is fine. I prefer NGK because their catalog gives more information than anyone else's.
Double platinum plugs don't do more than platinum plugs with the platinum in the center electrode with an engine with a distributor. They don't hurt though. The platinum helps to ionize the gap allowing the spark to jump the gap at a lower voltage leaving more current to light the hole. Because the platinum is so wear resistant, it allows a fine wire tip without excessive wear. The smaller tip is also better at blasting deposits off the tip making it more difficult to foul. This also allows platinum plugs to have a wider heat range than a conventional plug.

Double platinum plugs help on engines with a waste spark ignition because one plug of the pair fires from the center electrode to the side and the other plug fires from the side to the center.

BTW Iridium plugs last 3 times as long as platinum plugs. Platinum plugs last forever (100,000+ miles) so exactly how long is three times forever?

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Whichever plugs you use be sure to get proper ones for your heads. On TBI and Vortec iron heads you use "taper seat" plugs, hence the "TS" on AC Delco. On aluminum heads some require/suggest flat gasket seat plugs and longer reach like 7/8" instead of 5/8". On AC Delco the "LTS" means Long Taper Seat. I started using those on my aluminum heads until I asked Summit Racing. They suggested using Champions, something like N12YC IIRC. I went with NGKs instead, I crossed them over and got 2 heat ranges cooler. With NGK plugs, the higher the number, the cooler they go. With AC Delco and Champion, the lower the number the cooler they go. I've been running those NGKs for ~2 years now.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Anybody's platinum is fine.

I disagree with the assertion that anyone's platinum is a good choice. While it seems our engines are fairly spark-plug tolerant, there are many engines that are not. When I was a Nissan tech, Champion was trying to expand in the spark plug market. They were selling their platinum plugs cheap, and we got a rash of Quest minivan engines misfiring. I don't know what it was about the VG30 and Champion plugs that disagreed, but we'd throw the Champions in the trash and put in a fresh set of the factory Nippondenso plugs and they'd run great. Here's what I was taught:

GM - AC Delco
Ford - Autolite or Motorcraft
Chrysler - Champion
Japanese or Korean - NGK or Nippondenso
European - Bosch or NGK

There's a lot of anecdotal evidence that NGKs work in pretty much everything, and I've known guys who'll only run NGK in their small block Chevys. YMMV.

 

[Manimal]

Autolite platinum or NGK...cant stand AC Delco plugs, never had any luck with them in any of my engines.

 

[Dropped88]

AC delco iridium or ngk iridium

 

[thegawd]

Iv had AC Delco Iridium in my burb for about 9 years now. hmmmm

is there a reason most of you guys use platinum? I thought Iv read somewhere that Iridiumin is much better than platinum? But I do understand that they were manufactured with Platinum, I kind of believed this was one of those situations where a new product has superceded an older one. am I grossly wrong? I was not a member of any forums back then.

my Burb gets 17+ mpg routinely ever since I did that tune up 9 years ago... same **** is still on except I have changed the dist. cap n rotor and the fuel filter.

prior to the tune up I got epa advertised average numbers of like 14 mpg.

I dunno but I'd like to hear from all you expert's. shes prolly due for new plugs soon simply based on age. LOL

Al