Iridium Tipped Spark Plugs

[simon1221]

Anyone had any experiences with these?

I brought one from SparkPlugs, just to see if it made any difference.

If you are unfamiliar with it, they are standard plugs with the tip made from Iridium (stronger, better conductor) instead of copper. More info here

On my 2T tzr i can feel a noticeable difference in acceleration and throttle response, plus the fact that it warms up faster and does not need the choke as long.

I did bugger up the YPVS and the powervalve got stuck open, causing the bike to be derestricted, this however made the bike incredibly fast acceleration (at higher revs, absolutely nothing lower down) and is quite sensitive at the higher rev ranges.

I put the powervalve back to standard setting (see other post - workshop) and then it was fine.

Mine cost £6 plus p+p and tax for a BR9EIX (equivalent of BR9ES) so it was £10 from SparkPlugs.co.uk.

Anybody else notice any difference?
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DNA50 (sorry) ->> TZR125l >> GPZ500S

[Visitor Q]

Placebo?
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[pipnet11]

There supposed to last longer, but i dont know if I believe it yet. Twin tipped plugs are the only thing I have noticed a difference with, and they still arn't really worth it.
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[Kickstart]

Hi

I have heard from fairly independent sources that they work very well on the Aprilia / Rotax engines and give a noticeable improvement in performance. Not sure how they can though.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[GSXR]

Hi,

I got hold of one for my XR600R in a last ditch effort to make it easier to start when hot - kick-start only and brute to start when it's hot

Shocked to say it worked

I can't comment on their ability to improve performance but one other advantage is that you can run a cooler grade of plug as the "fine wire" type plugs are much less prone to fouling. This is handy if you're running non standard ignition timing etc and your engine has a tendency to run a little hot.
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GSXR | Ian
| 1991 GSX-R 1100M | 1994 XR600R | 1965 BSA C15T | 1970 Woman | 2001 Daughter | 1989 Leathers |

[BLOFLY 636]

I will be fitting 4 of them to my ZX-6R as soon as my bike goes in for it's 12,000km service I have heard they are worth the extra money because they increase spark size due to a smaller electrode tip producing a cleaning action each time the spark fires which maintains a healthier plug in terms of premature fowling I can see how this would increase performance closer to the end of a standard plug life expectancy because the iridium tip should stay cleaner longer
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Those bloody footpegs......they ought to do away with em!

[mchaggis]

If they provide a stronger spark and foul less, that should give a better combustion. A stronger (bigger) spark should ignite the mixture better (faster flame speed and hopefully more complete combustion), and less carbon fouling to glow red hot and cause pre-heating/ pre-ignition will give you better burning. It's all about the burn rate, though that's also largely controlled by the mixing and vapourisation of the fuel. Less carbon fouling will keep the plug running better for longer, which obviously is something you'd notice too.

I suppose it's like brake pad ingredients, a little bit of black magic.
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Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Zoffo]

Remember that you can't use a feeler gauge in iridium plugs either.

Hello BTW First post. Blackbird rider from Cumbria
I read you rules etc but I have to warn you that I'm dyslexic and can't always spot mistakes that the spell checker dont pick up.

[John]

[Zoffo]

Takes the iridium coating off. They come as standard in my Blackbird and the Honda manual insists that feeler gauges are not used.

[simon1221]

Yer i got a note with mine advising me not to regap it either.
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DNA50 (sorry) ->> TZR125l >> GPZ500S

[loply]

AFAIK, and I have this from "Four Stroke Performance Tuning, A. Graham Bell" that a spark plug can not possibly make an engine producer more power or better throttle response.

He insists quite forcefully that the only difference from one spark plug to the next is lifespan and temperature rating. And im inclined to agree - A spark is a spark.

Ofcourse, if your existing spark plugs were the wrong temperature rating and caused preignition or the wrong gap size, that would be a different matter.
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Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[simon1221]

I am now thinking all i would probably get is smoother running and better fuel consumption, as ive looked in the tank and i have loads more fuel than I would have if i had the old plug on.

However if it does require less power than a standard plug, then it will help as i have aftermarket tailight and indicators that draw loads of power off the battery.
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DNA50 (sorry) ->> TZR125l >> GPZ500S

[Kickstart]

Hi

I agree. Once it has lit the mixture then that is its job done. I cannot see how it can have any effect on the flame speed (beyond screwing it up if the electrode is too shrowded).

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[map]

[mchaggis]

[simon1221]

[Kickstart]

[mchaggis]

A smaller air gap would certainly make them spark sooner, advancing the ignition. Decreasing the resistance would lower the voltage needed to get a spark I think too. The resistance might not go up as much when they get hot either.

I wonder if they're really just cheating and advancing the timing.

They do go on about the shape of their electrodes altering the shape of the combustion kernel however, though why they don't just have 3 earth plugs instead I don't know.

If they could manage to get a more complete combustion by altering the shape of the kernel by the spark characteristics, they'd certainly have a case for what they say about fuel consumption too.

I think the main point of them really is that they won't decay and erode as quickly as cheaper plugs, and won't attract carbon fouling as easily. Two-stroke fouling is normally from too much oil I thought however.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Kickstart]

[loply]

Yeah to clarify spark plugs with 2 or 3 prongs do not produce 2 or 3 sparks!

They only ever produce one spark, but because there are three prongs effectively you get 3 times less wear, and therefore the prongs remain clean and good for the current flow.
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Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[mchaggis]