I went to Autozone to buy spurk plugs. The guy advised me to buy autolite double platinum instead of champions. So I did. But after reading old post, I have doubts. Should I return them and get regular champion spark plugs for 95 es, 3.3
I checked autozone's web site and found the following info for champion (much cheaper than autolite double plat.). Am I supposed to ask copper, gold or anything. Shoud I also need to buy a tourqe (sp?) wrench?
CHAMPION SPARK PLUG for a 1995 DODGE INTREPID
Unit Price: $1.69
Core Value*: $0.00
Part No.: 31
Weight: 0.15 lbs.
Warranty:
Note: GAP AT .050 (IN THOUSANDTH OF AN INCH)
I am new at DIY business as you can see from my stupid posts. I am just learning it, but I enjoy it very much.
Gee, I wonder why Autozone recommended them. They are probably running the same promotion Advance is with their employees. A double platinum autolite is $3.97 at advance, while a regular champion is $1.68. Managers get their asses chewed out about not having enough sales, so a $24 spark plug sale looks better than an $11 one.
put champions in and you dont need to use a torque wrench just tighten them snug dont overtighten. If this is your first time doing plugs you might want to consider getting one because you might need one down the road. I would suggest putting some antiseize on the plug threads and make SURE the engine is COLD before changing the plugs.
no, AZ computers say for every car "Original Equipment Plug is a Platnium"..... I contested this before I worked there, the guy behind the counter said "but that's waht computer says"........... long story short, I have his job now
No reason I can think of not to go ahead and use the platinums. I used Champion double platinums in my '96 3.3; pulled them after 75,000 and they looked like they'd have gone the advertised 100,000, but I changed them anyway. I'd use a torque wrench if I were you. That's an aluminum head and overtightening can strip out the threads. Definitely use antiseize.
I would return them and get Champions. I'm pritty sure these cars came stock with them. I have them and have not had a single problem with them. I had Bosch Plat. 2 and they looket like crap after 6 months.
Baloney. They worked great in my '96 for over 75K. I really get tired of hearing this with no proof. Why would your ignition system give a hoot whether it's jumping the spark between two iron electrodes or two platinum electrodes? I've put platinums in every car I've serviced in the last 10 years or so with no problems. This nonsense is like what happened when the Subaru dealer got the timing belt a tooth off on my sister's car--pulled a plug, saw it was a Champion platinum, called it junk and replaced them all with NGK's. Naturally it didn't cure the problem he caused with the belt.
I have a feeling that long ago some idiot ruined his plug wires when replacing plugs and when his car didn't run well he started this rumor.
Although I am no spark plug expert, I would tend to agree. Although different metals have a different electrical resistance. I would think anyone having problems are using a plug out of the recommended heat range.
On a side note, damn there are a lot of choices for that engine. Platinum (double, single), Iridium, and traditional from Champion, Autolite, Denso, and NGK.
Baloney. They worked great in my '96 for over 75K. I really get tired of hearing this with no proof. Why would your ignition system give a hoot whether it's jumping the spark between two iron electrodes or two platinum electrodes?
Why would the manufacturer spend the time and money researching this problem and feel it necessary to come out with a TSB for the 95 3.5L that specified only Champion copper plugs gapped at .035"? If they didn't have a reason, then they wouldn't have issued the TSB I would think.
Platinum schmatinum. They will not make your car run any better than Champion gold or copper. Platinum prolly won't cause it to run any worse either. Of course either plug when new will run better than the old worn out plugs. The only advantage of Platinum is they will last longer. The Platinum plugs have the platinum tips bonded to the electrodes. High concentrations of alchohol can deteriorate the bond , then you got trouble if the tips break off. Not a good thing if you have a flex fuel car, which can run up to 85% methyl. I change my coppers once a year (about 15,000 miles) whether they need it or not. At this change interval it is not neccesary to use anti-sieze. I like to use an inch/pounds torque wrench for my plugs. spec is 240 in/lbs. Go ahead and buy a torque wrench. I also use mine for the oil pan drain plug 300 in/lbs. I am not a professional mechanic, so I don't have a good feel for how much to tighten stuff. I use the torque wrench anywhere that has aluminum threads, and there are plenty of those on Treps.
Because you don't have to replace them as often, obviously, which reduces the number of opportunities for damaging a plug wire. Because the car will run at maximum efficiency longer. Because the gap doesn't widen as soon and as a result the car will start easier in cold weather.
Why would the manufacturer spend the time and money researching this problem and feel it necessary to come out with a TSB for the 95 3.5L that specified only Champion copper plugs gapped at .035"? If they didn't have a reason, then they wouldn't have issued the TSB I would think.
Haven't seen that. Was the sole reason for the TSB to correct improper plug usage, or was that an "aside" comment that was meant only to give the identity of the original specification? Besides, the original post concerned a 3.3, not a 3.5 if that has any bearing on the question.
Spark plugs using platinum tipped electrodes last longer. That is why more and more cars these days have 100,000 mile tune-up intervals. It all has to do with the EPA and emissions and the like. Keep the cars running with lower emissions longer. So cars factory equipped with platinum plugs should be replaced with platinum plugs. Now, vehicles that didn't originally use platinums is a whole different story. I've had some that ran fine using them and others that did not. I had a '98 Caravan with the 2.4L that I used double plats on. They were not the OE plug. It idled horrible. I ran it like that for 6 months. I went back to a single plat plug, that was the OE plug, and it was fine. I don't know much about the electrical characteristics of platinum vs. copper or whatever, but I can say from experience that they are not always the best choice for vehicles that didn't come with them.
Why would your ignition system give a hoot whether it's jumping the spark between two iron electrodes or two platinum electrodes? I've put platinums in every car I've serviced in the last 10 years or so with no problems. This nonsense is like what happened when the Subaru dealer got the timing belt a tooth off on my sister's car--pulled a plug, saw it was a Champion platinum, called it junk and replaced them all with NGK's. Naturally it didn't cure the problem he caused with the belt.
I have a feeling that long ago some idiot ruined his plug wires when replacing plugs and when his car didn't run well he started this rumor.
Regular plugs are not made of iron. And there are electrical differences in different metals. Also, the electrodes are not completely made of platinum. They have platinum attached or embedded into the electrode. Can you imagine how much a platinum plug would cost if the complete electrode where made out of platinum? And there is no myth to this, I've seen it first hand, with a vehicle equipped with single plats, running terrible on double plats.
Also, there are more variables to the ignition system than just the metal used on the spark plug. Heat and pressure in the cylinder create more resistance, and this resistance increases as the rpm's rise. This type of problem is more prevalent in superchagered/turboed engines where cylinder pressures are much higher. But it does still happen in everyday cars.
The resistance of the spark plug wires have a huge effect on the performance of the ignition system. Too much or too little and you can have misfiring or overheating the coil(s). So it shouldn't come as much of a suprise that platinum used on a system where it wasn't equipped could cause these problems.
Regular plugs are not made of iron. And there are electrical differences in different metals. Also, the electrodes are not completely made of platinum. They have platinum attached or embedded into the electrode. Can you imagine how much a platinum plug would cost if the complete electrode where made out of platinum? And there is no myth to this, I've seen it first hand, with a vehicle equipped with single plats, running terrible on double plats.
Also, there are more variables to the ignition system than just the metal used on the spark plug. Heat and pressure in the cylinder create more resistance, and this resistance increases as the rpm's rise. This type of problem is more prevalent in superchagered/turboed engines where cylinder pressures are much higher. But it does still happen in everyday cars.
The resistance of the spark plug wires have a huge effect on the performance of the ignition system. Too much or too little and you can have misfiring or overheating the coil(s). So it shouldn't come as much of a suprise that platinum used on a system where it wasn't equipped could cause these problems.
Hey, I know the electrodes of a std plug aren't iron. They are an alloy, probably containing Ni and maybe other metals. I just used that to keep from going into detail. And I also know the entire tips of Pt plugs aren't Pt. I have to accept your observations about a vehicle running terrible on double Pt's, I'm not going to call you a liar. My experience with them in a 3.3 (what the original questioner owns) is that they're fine. I'm a chemist, not an electrical engineer, but I can see logic in what you're saying about resistance and the coils. My only reservation is, shouldn't the mfr's of the plugs know they aren't suitable and not sell them for engines where that's the case?
He,he,he. Manufacturers are salesmen, period. They have a product that "will make your car run better, use less gas", etc... All the sales pitches. Do you honestly think they test them on every vehicle they make them for? Most likely they have the designs of the OE plugs and manufactuer the "better" plugs from there. Hey, I'm not saying these plugs aren't tested at all, just not on every application they can be used on. That is why we have forums like this. For "real world" tests of products like this. As you see, we've got a variety of replies on this particular product. This is the "hard data" that manufacturers don't share. they just brag with the good press they get from their products, nevermind the bad.
He,he,he. Manufacturers are salesmen, period. They have a product that "will make your car run better, use less gas", etc... All the sales pitches. Do you honestly think they test them on every vehicle they make them for? Most likely they have the designs of the OE plugs and manufactuer the "better" plugs from there. Hey, I'm not saying these plugs aren't tested at all, just not on every application they can be used on. That is why we have forums like this. For "real world" tests of products like this. As you see, we've got a variety of replies on this particular product. This is the "hard data" that manufacturers don't share. they just brag with the good press they get from their products, nevermind the bad.
Thank you all. I really appreciate your time and help.
By the way, I read the sticky post few days ago: "Remember to leave reputations for those who answer your questions" posted by Hypnos.
Then I wanted to thank you all and tried to add your reputations by clicking the scale icon and added to your reputation. Did I do something wrong there? Someone posted a very bad message in my rep and used really bad words. I am here to get some help. I am really sorry if I offended someone although I have no idea how that could be possible since I did not do or write anything bad.
Well, yes and no. With 4 ground electrodes, I would think that the plug should last 4 times as long. But, there's always a but, there is still only one center electrode so when that wears down, the ground electrodes are meaningless anyway. I haven't tried the +4's, as I can't justify spending that kind of money on spark plugs. But it does look more like marketing hype than actual performance, is what you'd pay for.
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