[Toyota4ever]

I'm going to get some new spark plugs pretty soon. I think I lost 2 mph when I put in Bosch platnium 2 plugs in.

I should have put in NGK or Denso like I normally would have. Is there any noticable performance gains using these iridium plugs? Of course I am specifically looking for more ways to help my gas bill, but what can I expect if anything from these plugs?

I noticed that the Laser Platinum which I believe is the stock plug for the coil side is more expensive than the Iridium plug?

Spark Plug Part No. Stock No. Plug Gap
Standard BKR5EKB-11 # 3967 .044
V-Power BKR5E-11 6953 .044
G-Power Platinum BKR5EGP 7090 .044
Laser Platinum BKR5EKPB-11 * 4302 .044
Iridium IX BKR5EIX-11 5464 .044

* Premium Laser Plug # Original Equipment

 

[Kyota]

BUMP

I would also like to know what the deal it with the iridium plugs...worth it?

 

[REDMARLIN WITH SOUL]

I have IK 20 but I have performance mods. They are used by Gadget and TRD. If you do not have perfomance modifications I would say they are not at all necessary.

 

[[email protected]]

i have heard that they will give you a seat of your pants power gain for a short time then they will foul and go to sh!t. but me personnaly have never ran them partly because of the horrendous cost. im also intrested in knowing some info on real gains and lasting as long as a normal plug

 

[knoxtaco]

irridium plugs are supposed to be an even longer lasting plug than a platinum. I dont know if it is worth the extra cost though.

 

[Tacoma2]

I bought a set last summer - for about a month a saw about 2 mpg fuel improvment, then is started to drop off. I did not notice any performace improvment on bit. I dont have much upgrades - header,deckplate mod,exhaust. Im about to switch over to a set of NGK's simply because I know they are decent for the money. My .02$ dont throw away the money for them, because they are not worth it.
Bobby

 

[Toyota4ever]

How is the long term performance? About the same as with the NGK or Denso after the drop from the initial fuel economy gain?

 

[bluetaco]

Use dual electrode plugs with the multi cam multi valve intake design the 3.4L has...the Iridium plugs can work well because they give a longer more robust spark like the dual electrode plugs simulate doing...but cost more...if you modify the ignition timing you can take advantage of the precision of the iridium plug ..but on a stock fuel setting running lower quicker burning octane... it does you no good and will foul quicker because the electrode is in a bad position in the combustion chamber with the traditional single electrode design ... hence why toyota recommends dual electrode plugs...the distributor-less coil wires create a longer more powerful spark duration, the dual electrode plugs handle that best...even though the nickel/platinum mixed center electrode available in them is not as accurate as the pure Iridium!

the Iridium plugs are available in colder stages, part of why the URD kit has them! denser fuel content needs a longer spark to burn complete and more powerfully ...other wise you run rich and foul plugs or create detonation with inaccurate spark!!

 

[bluetaco]

I bought a set last summer - for about a month a saw about 2 mpg fuel improvment, then is started to drop off. I did not notice any performace improvment on bit. I dont have much upgrades - header,deckplate mod,exhaust. Im about to switch over to a set of NGK's simply because I know they are decent for the money. My .02$ dont throw away the money for them, because they are not worth it.
Bobby

NGK and Denso Iridium are made in the same plant! there is little to no differences in them!

 

[rjdeluca]

are you sure that the URD kit includes the iridium ones?

and on the website it shows the Denso Copper 5062 as the recommended spark plug w/ the supercharger performance kit.

Iam about the change my spark plugs and I am getting these. Forget those iridiums, too expensive, there only spark plugs!

The Denso 5062

vs.

IK22's

under the 5062's it says the include them in there kits...

but to stay on track I would get whatever is OEM if you do not have a supercharger.

 

[bluetaco]

irridium plugs are supposed to be an even longer lasting plug than a platinum. I dont know if it is worth the extra cost though.

Iridium is a relatively hard precious metal with a high conductivity,conductivity rivaling that of pure platinum...if not higher!
it might be the perfect metal for spark plug use as technology in ignition system improve to take advantage of it!

platinum plugs are really alloy..nickel and platinum because the platinum is not hard enough to survive on its own yet this alloy has good conductivity higher than pure nickel (like 75 cent autolite plugs are made of!

...most Denso/ NGK plugs have some variation of that alloy in them...however to be sold in the USA they have to have a certain % of platinum to be marketed as such... some manufactures have higher platinum content and those cost more and don't last as long because platinum is a softer precious metal and they can profit more on them for having a higher content and you have to buy them more often!!

To summarize Iridium plugs are worth more than platinum because they function better and are more pure precious metal (I haven't checked spot prices on platinum and Iridium lately so I don't know where they are as far as cost for production)
...Iridium plugs marginally cost more than what "platinum" are marketed at right know because it takes special machining to put it in the spark plug application...infact it is patented technology and why competition hasn't driven down(or potentially up) the price yet for NGK and Denso (Denso's plant makes all the Iridium plugs right know)

Platinum labeled plugs are the best marketing ploy around in a long time(low bang for the buck so to speak)...but the name platinum has a nice ring to it doesn't it?!

 

[Uneasy Rider]

I'm holding out for the Tungsten tipped plugs.........

 

[bluetaco]

you would use the IK22's in a SOHC engine like the Solara application!

 

[bluetaco]

I'm holding out for the Tungsten tipped plugs.........

what for, do you want to weld your pistons to the block?! LOL!

you have tungsten filaments in your headlight bulbs...maybe you could use those for spark plugs and start running argon or other halogen gases in your engine! :welder:

 

[Kyota]

Haha tungsten. I think that they would have used it by now if it was pretty conductive. Is what, 8 bucks or somethin for a foot for welding? It has a incredibly high melting point though...safely frun you 3.4 @ 7000 degrees F, haha.

 

[Texan1983]

do the denso's come pre gapped? what tool do you guys use to gap the dual style plugs? regular coin style gapping tool or the wire type since it has that concave curve in the prong?

 

[phoneman]

I dont know but this guy sells lots of plugs on ebay and ive bought plugs from him myself.

He has the(6) Iridiums for like $42 shipped. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/6-NE...33693QQitemZ8031269861QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

[not2XS]

Presumably you're talking thermal conductivity here, because electrical conductivity is pretty irrelevant considering the leads.

 

[98taco4x]

I have a the denso iridium plugs in my 2.7 right now and I have never noticed any difference in HP or MPG what so ever. I personally wish I would have stayed with the regular plugs and that is what will be going back in my truck.

 

[SAR_Squid79]

are you sure that the URD kit includes the iridium ones?

The URD kit DOES NOT come with Iridium plugs, unless you sepcifically request them, and pay the difference. If you do not specify, the URD kit comes with the DENSO 5062's, which are almost impossible to gap correctly, and are prone to misfiring and throwing CEL's.

I am running IK22 plugs with my supercharger, and have never had a single ping, or misfire. If you are supercharged, I HIGHLY recommend the IK22's. They are definitely worth the money.

Before I had my Supercharger I was running DENSO IK16 plugs. Those are supposedly the "best" plugs that you can get, but you also pay about $75 bucks for the set of 6. As far as performance and MPG - I could not tell any difference at all between the OEM Toyota plugs, and my really expensive DENSO plugs - except that when I removed the DENSO plugs, they still looked BRAND NEW!

If you don't have any major performance modifications, IMO, you should just stick with the OEM plugs unless you're like me and just want to spend an extra $50 so you can know that you have the "best" plugs.