Sparkplugs Brands?

[RED-85-Z51]

In my 1989 JD 316, with the 18hp ONAN, John Deere reccommends an NGK plug. So I bought 2 new NGK's FROM DEERE, and put them in it when I got it 3 years ago. It started kinda hard, ran alright, but dropped a cylinder after a few hours. Plugs looked good, one was fouled, no spark.

So I bought 2 new plugs, put them in, same deal, always started hard, idled rough, and after a few hours dropped a cylinder and popped under load, this time, the other cylinder.

I got the Champion Cross referenced plug, and put 2 in, and so far, 2.5 years, and 200 hours, I have nhad to touch the plugs. It fires right up, often not even needing choke, idles great, plenty of power. Also, this engine has 1500 total hours on it.

Plenty of other situations where an NGK has left me with a dead engine with no warning. Ive had push mowers just shut off and it was a bad NGK plug, never had a champion do that. Also it seems like after a backfire, an NGK is more apt to not function...

Or maybe Im just imagining it? Lots of people seems to like NGK...why, Ill never know.

 

[clearance]

When I worked in the bush juvenile spacing years back, when someones saw wasn't running or running poor, my boss would look at it. First thing he would do is pull the plug, if it was NGK, he would yell "NFG" and whip it in the bush. He was firm believer in Bosch. I use whatever but change them often (in saws), its cheap, kind of like oil.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Bosch in car, van
champion in truck
NGK in the golf carts and ATV's
Champion as standard in the saws, I do like the E3 plugs also.

I hear a little different tone to the exhaust on the rancher and 257 after putting in a E3. I have a E3 to put in the 372 one of these days.

I bought a couple of the "E3" plugs from Homedepot when they came out, the promises on the box seemed so sincere..how could I say no?

At 8 bucks and up per plug, I expected more.

Put one in an 8hp briggs on a Snapper Rider, put one in a 4hp Briggs on a 1976 Snapper push mower. And lastly, I put one in a 13.5hp Tecumseh OHV Enduro on a Snapper Rider (I likes some snappers).

I found the Tecumseh started harder, the other 2 felt the exact same in power, sound, starting...The one in the 8hp went "dead" after approx. 35 hours of use, the others are still in.

Im embarrassed to say that I "fixed" the one that started hard. I cut the ground electrod off to unsheild the core, then side-gapped it out to 0.030. Started many times easier, and ran better to boot.

For the money, E3 is overrated in my book, if they were the same price as regular plugs they might be worth it.

I REALLY like the Champion EZ starts in my handheld stuff...It really does start easier.

 

[mikemouse]

NGK for sure in a dirtbike, 2 and 4 stokers, but the local saw shop uses Bosch so thats whats in my 266xp right now. I have not ran the saw for more than a minute or two at a time so I dont know about the Bosch. I only buy NGK, unless they dont gottem when I need one new sparkplug right now.

NGKs have always been good quality and consistent in performance for me .The price seems to always be competitive with other brands also.

 

[16:1mix]

Anything.
Oddly enough I put Autolite plugs in my Chevy pickup recently after running AC's in it for 140K miles!

NGK/Champions in most everything else.
Can't find Bosch anywhere.

 

[newguy18]

I like bosch ,ngk,autolite,denso.I hate champions as soon as you flood the m they are junk.

 

[Brushwacker]

1st choice for me is Bosch ,then NGK,and I will use or try about any brand if I know the correct # for application. I tuned motorcycles in the late 70's and early 80's some and had the least favorable results with champion so I got in the habit of choosing the others most of the time.

 

[andrethegiant70]

I've had two champions fail....no spark, nothing. Drove me crazy trying to figure out what was wrong 'till one of the guys here said.. "jeeze, did ya' check the plug?" Still run just Champions, though, they're easy to get.

 

[buzz sawyer]

I know FORDS always seem to like Autolite plugs, Chevy's seem to like Delco's, not sure why.

I worked for a Chevy dealer for six years. I was told this statement is true because the engine was designed for the original equipment plug and patented. Thought it was BS for a while because I had always used Champions in our family business, but after seeing how much better AC plugs ran in the Chevys than Champion or Autolite, I was a believer. All are good plugs for their designed application.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

I worked for a Chevy dealer for six years. I was told this statement is true because the engine was designed for the original equipment plug and patented. Thought it was BS for a while because I had always used Champions in our family business, but after seeing how much better AC plugs ran in the Chevys than Champion or Autolite, I was a believer. All are good plugs for their designed application.

We had a '67 Tbird with the 390BB.


I changed the plugs out on it, and went with Delco's. They were the "right" plugs for the engine.

After about 2000 miles the thing barely ran, no amount of carb or timing work could help it. I did points, new vacuum advance...the plugs looked like hell.

Took it to my freinds house and he took a plug out and told me to put AUTOLITES's in it like Henry Ford intended...

I went and got a NEW set of Autolites, and I tell you, that car was immediatly a different car. NEver fouled those plugs in 30K miles before I sold it.

Same with my Vette, except with NGK's. The car almost immediatly rejected them, fouled a few out, dead miss on 2 cylinders...I almost didnt make it home from the parts store. Put in a Set of Delco "rapidfires" and it was better, much better, but still not right. I want back to the 99 cent AC DELCO "OEM" plugs, and the car ran like a bat outta hell...:rockn:

Sometimes, OEM is just the way to go.


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When a mower or peice of equipment comes in and wont start, I pull the plug and look at it. If its wet, I put in a new plug, almost every time it fires right up. Plugs do just die sometimes..sometimes they are DOA out of the box.

 

[ropensaddle]

I like Champion in everything, Ive never been satisfied with NGK, Ive found that they short to ground too easily.

Ive got a mess of big 4 stroke plugs labled "411" not sure of the brand but Ive got a butt load of em.

I know FORDS always seem to like Autolite plugs, Chevy's seem to like Delco's, not sure why.





Why isnt anyone mentioning Nippodenso?

My fords don,t have plugs spark that is!

 

[RED-85-Z51]

My fords don,t have plugs spark that is!

My largest tractor runs fine without spark plugs as well...

 

[pbtree]

I like using Bosch and NGK, but have to work too hard to find them. I end up using a lot of Champions because you don't have to look for them, and the numbering system thing...grew up with it, is an advantage.

Mark

What he said. I use mostly Champion, and they are available just about everywhere...

Sparkplugs start a fire - that is all. Unless you have a compromised plug, they are all pretty much the same thing...

 

[Andyshine77]

My 1st choice is Bosch second is NGK, I'm not a big fan of Champion.

 

[16:1mix]

Plugs do just die sometimes..sometimes they are DOA out of the box.

I had that happen once on a V8 car engine. Put in a full set of plugs and it had a miss. I tracked to down to the new plug. Put the old one back in and it ran fine.

Don't remember the brand of plug.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

What he said. I use mostly Champion, and they are available just about everywhere...

Sparkplugs start a fire - that is all. Unless you have a compromised plug, they are all pretty much the same thing...

Not really.

Plugs have actually gotten prety scientific.

Platinum pucks bonded to the electrodes = much longer life

Fine Wire plugs

Cutback electrodes.

Surface gap plugs

Wedge electrodes

Trapezoid electrodes

Dealing with Quenching...

Its complicated!

 

[newguy18]

In my jeep bosch.
in my saws bosch or ngk.
in my 4 wheeler denso or ngk.
in my lawnmowers bosch or autolites.
I always had trouble with champions But in an emergancy gotta have a plug i keep a few spares lying around until i can go by a new plug.

 

[AUSSIE1]

Nippon Denso

Found the Nippon Denso to be the most reliable plug after using all of the above at some stage.
I don't change them as often as I should but still no drama's with them.

Al.

 

[motosierra]

@ 2000-2001 We had a rash of bad Bosch plugs from Stihl, I think they
were from Pakistan. Switched to Champion, and never looked back, never
had a customer with a plug fouling problem after that.
Champions are the most common, kind of a standard, base to work from.

Had some problems with NGK last winter, several duds out of the box.

I have used Bosch in my saws with only an occasional foul... but if Fisher says "use Champions".... I will use them..

I used to use them exclusively in my automobile engines with a high degree of dependability.... so Fish..I am going to try them in my saws too..

 

[newguy18]

To all thier own but in my opinion champions are garbage.I won't even put them in stuff I fix for customers.I strictly use bosch,denso,autolite,ngk,and delco.As i said before i keep a few spare champions lying around so if I 'm in the middle of nowhere and a plug fouls they are good for that and only that.I do plan to try split fires though.