Spark Plugs

[Woody_450]

Hi, it's about time to swap out the spark plugs, just wondering if anyone has used Splitfire on their Chimaera (or any others)? and if so, are they better than the NGK B7ECS?
or should I stick with the old faithful B7ECS

Cheers
Rich

[mrsflipflopgriff]

I think the NGK plugs are seen as the best for the Tiv's. Interested to see if anyone has used anything else though.
FFG

[chassis 33]

Splitfire's arent worth putting in, on a par with neon blue washer jets IMO.

Stick with the NGK's.

ACT suggest running 7's, RPi suggest 6's. I'm going to run 6's this weekend in the racer at Silverstone, the idea is it's a slightly hotter plug and shouldn't foul up so easily trundling round the paddock etc, the only concern is they may lead to a bit of pinking so I may have to adjust the timing a little to suit.

Regards
Iain

[Boosted LS1]

For racing I'd have thought you'd be better with the colder plug, after all pinking can quickly become detonation. Just a thought.

Boosted.

[chassis 33]

Thanks Mike, I'm very wary of that, but I've had a few problems with fouling as well as everything else thats been going on with that engine so I'll be keeping a very close eye on things on Friday.

Regards
Iain

[GreenV8S]

Put clean plugs in and they should be fine for half an hour or so even if the engine is miles out. Better that than start suffering from pinking during a race. It's not like you're going to ease off and let things cool down, is it?

[Boosted LS1]

chassis 33 said:

Thanks Mike, I'm very wary of that, but I've had a few problems with fouling as well as everything else thats been going on with that engine so I'll be keeping a very close eye on things on Friday. Regards Iain

Have you 'read' the corona at the bottom of the insulator right after a race, before to much driving in thye paddock? Is the fouling at low, idle rpm's?

Boosted.

[v8 racing]

just out of curiosity chassis what kind of spec is your engine?

[chassis 33]

Hi Rob,
My engine isn't anything too special in terms of spec;
3.9l RV8 block badged as a 4l by TVR, ie smaller diameter crank journals
Serpentine front end, and hotwire, running standard pistons and CR or if anything a slightly lower CR due to the composite head gasket.

Heads are standard, except for John Eales bulleted bronze valve guides
Cam is a Viper Typhoon running against Rhodes lifters for that clackity clackity sound that you just love...

Thanks to Mike and Peter, I'll get a set of 7's too. I asked the gent who bolted it together for me if he had a choice which would he go for the 6 or 7, he said 6's as they would tend to clear any fouling better 7's. Thus far, his advice hasn't let me down, it's been numb nuts here causing all the problems! Once he's set up at Oulton today he's popping round for a chat so I'll show him the thread and get his (re-considered) opinion.

Regards
Iain.

P.S. Apologies for the hijack...it wasn't intentional, at the end of the day if the car is running well on B7ECS's why change?

[Woody_450]

No probs C33,

Just gathering opinions on plugs and seeing if there is anything new and improved out there!

I'll give ACT a call, when they get back in the office...out until the 18th there answer machine says

Cheers Rich

[peteA]

chassis 33 said:

Splitfire's arent worth putting in, on a par with neon blue washer jets IMO. Stick with the NGK's. ACT suggest running 7's, RPi suggest 6's. I'm going to run 6's this weekend in the racer at Silverstone, the idea is it's a slightly hotter plug and shouldn't foul up so easily trundling round the paddock etc, the only concern is they may lead to a bit of pinking so I may have to adjust the timing a little to suit. Regards Iain

I am running 6's in my pretty much standard 400 - no problems. As you say they should cope better with higher temps. - no reason why there should be any problems with lower temp.s?

[v8 racing]

chassis 33 said:

Hi Rob, My engine isn't anything too special in terms of spec; 3.9l RV8 block badged as a 4l by TVR, ie smaller diameter crank journals Serpentine front end, and hotwire, running standard pistons and CR or if anything a slightly lower CR due to the composite head gasket. Heads are standard, except for John Eales bulleted bronze valve guides Cam is a Viper Typhoon running against Rhodes lifters for that clackity clackity sound that you just love... Thanks to Mike and Peter, I'll get a set of 7's too. I asked the gent who bolted it together for me if he had a choice which would he go for the 6 or 7, he said 6's as they would tend to clear any fouling better 7's. Thus far, his advice hasn't let me down, it's been numb nuts here causing all the problems! Once he's set up at Oulton today he's popping round for a chat so I'll show him the thread and get his (re-considered) opinion. Regards Hmm yse sorry about the hi jacking too, 6's will be fine in that then, however to be totaly honest if you are fouling plugs up that quickly a heat change wont make the slightest bit of difference, the head gasket could be creating you problems, i cant really say because i dont know if you have had the heads skimmed to suit, but if the engine original had tin head gaskets and you have gone to felpro ones your cr is going to be around 8 -1, this alone could cause plug fouling due to a terrible combustion Iain. P.S. Apologies for the hijack...it wasn't intentional, at the end of the day if the car is running well on B7ECS's why change?

[GreenV8S]

peteA said:

I am running 6's in my pretty much standard 400 - no problems. As you say they should cope better with higher temps.

The sixes presumably will run hotter than the sevens and therefore be more vulnerable to pinking/detonation?

[griffter]

I'm going to try BP6RES (standard recommendation for Range Rover) in my 4.3 Griff as my B7's tend to get a bit sooty. My theory is that the extra heat will clear any fouling, and the 'P' meaning a projecting electrode should give a better burn.

Any opinions?

[Boosted LS1]

Projected nose's work well in turbo engines

Boosted.

[mongoose]

Im running bpr7es on mine at the mo.if we have time,i would like to see what,if any,difference there is between these(which i use for the extra resistance),the b7ecs,and some bp7es,on the dyno when i go to Track car solutions next week

[v8 racing]

I normally run 6's on all my engines and customers unless there are going in track cars or race motors

[griffter]

v8 racing said:

I normally run 6's on all my engines and customers unless there are going in track cars or race motors

So for a road car that's tracked (20 min sessions) 2 or 3 times a year would you suggest a 6 is OK? Or should I change to 7's for a track day?

I think I read that projecting plugs run cooler as the electrodes are further in the combustion chamber, in the air/fuel charge, and hence it's wise to go up a heat rating if using a projected plug. Made sense to me!...