# NGK V-Power w1ns.



## KyleGT05usmc (Feb 28, 2009)

If anyone is wondering what the best plug is, here's my semi-professional opinion :lol:

I felt my car was lacking something(besides a new tune) so I pulled the plugs to see what was going on. No real carbon deposits or anything just a red hue to the porcelain housing the electrode. So out of boredom I decided to change them.
The shop that installed my headers about 4 months ago, installed NGK TR6IX Iridiums, if you do simple research you can find that copper is more conductive than platinum, iridium, etc. Copper will send the hottest spark(doesnt last as long but such easy install and you can buy 3 sets for the price of 1 iridium...who cares?) 
So I went to AutoZone and blew 17.77 on a set of NGK V-power Copper Core. After about 30 minutes install, and a test drive, I'm very satisfied with the performance of the plugs. 

Firstly, it started up louder and stronger than before. 
Regular driving around the neighborhood just felt smoother and I heard less crackle out of my pipes, meaning less unburned fuel was being exhausted. 
Under throttle I had much stronger pulls and could feel the car running more powerfully and smoothly. Roads were still damp and through 4th I was spinning tire at partial throttle :willy: I definitely felt a gain in throttle response and in 'seat of pants' feel. 
I'm sure once the computer starts adjusting the tables to the new hot spark I'll gain some efficiency back. 

I still have the Iridiums but don't plan to reinstall, copper core is the way to go. Try copper plugs!!!


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

I love V powers and have used them for a long time.
I have an 01 incoln ls with COPs, coil over plugs, but inside is just a spring that sits on the plug, no click. It fouls plugs all the time, not actually fouls, but spark plug doesn't spark. I had number 3 cylinder out, normally I would change out COP, but I changed out to NGK standard copper plug, miss went away. As Platinum is a bad conductor, path of least resistance was to the top of the spark plug-where you put the wrench, that area was all burnt up after 200 miles. Put the copper in and spark goes through plug like it should. I had just put all 8 new platinum plugs in after changing 2 cops for misses, then the good cylinders started missing. I'm going back to all standard plugs real soon. My buddies have a 2600 HP pro mod, and they run standard plugs in it, 99 cents ea, but change them every run.


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## KyleGT05usmc (Feb 28, 2009)

That's all it is, the platinumm/iridium metals last longer but less conductive. Copper is 3rd most conductive metal next to silver and gold. May not last as long but say every 20k spend 15 bucks for new plugs and the gto is SOOO EASY to change and you have a much better spark. And spark is so overlooked when it comes to making power.


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## New2thefamily (Oct 4, 2009)

I took your advice. Saved about $40 and made the car feel off the showroom floor!

your semi-professional opinion works for me.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

I put the NGK V-powers and some new COPS in the Lincoln and took the car from FL to WI and back, 2400 miles, got 27 MPG in IL, and never had a miss issue! Screw Platinum plugs, they suck, just change them more often and use Copper! I just figured this out, so if you have issues, try this, it really worked! And save a buck or so a plug! Nitrous wants iridium plugs though.


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

aren't the iridium and platinum plugs just tipped with those precious metals with a copper core plugs???...glad to hear a new set woke up you car...
Bill


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## KyleGT05usmc (Feb 28, 2009)

The fancy plugs are just a bunch of hype for nothing. 
Glad to see people are getting good results.


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## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

Those fancy metals are there for a reason. The stupid federal government has decided that car makers need to warranty emmissions for an extended period of time. That includes spark plugs. So the expensive metal tips, and yes they are still copper core, are there to allow them to meet government's ridiculus regulations. 

See a worn out spark plug causes the cats to overheat and all kinds of other bad things to happen to emmissions. Even though manufacturers would recomend a 25,000 mile change or a 30,000 mile change, that isn't good enough for the government. They know that people are stupid and wait till something breaks to fix it so they would drive the car till the cats melted. So they decided to make the manufacturer responsible for the average idiot.

I was involved in a spark plug test of a fancy $25 per plug versus the AC/Delco Iridium versus NGK TR55 copper plugs. The Pulse Star plugs made 7 more hp in my 26,000 mile LS2 C6 than the stock AC/Delco iridiums. Sounds good, but then we threw in the NGK TR55 copper plugs and got 3 more hp than the Pulse Stars. 

Copper is the way to go then change them every 15,000 to 25,000 miles. If you do it yourself the extra cost is ZERO and your car will run much better.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Copper plugs you do have to change, I just hit 30K miles on my NGKs in my work van and the mileage just dropped 3 mpg and it is limpy at idle, so there due. I don't want to do it, it's a pain in the butt.
The car companies also gloat 100K before the first tune up, and comsumers like that. By ex boss had the original platinum plugs in his Chevy truck at 240K and they still looked good and got good MPG.


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

so if the iridium, platinum and copper plugs all have copper cores, why not get the better benefits of the platinum tip or iridium tip for longevity???
Bill


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## nron (Jul 28, 2009)

fergyflyer said:


> I was involved in a spark plug test of a fancy $25 per plug versus the AC/Delco Iridium versus NGK TR55 copper plugs. The Pulse Star plugs made 7 more hp in my 26,000 mile LS2 C6 than the stock AC/Delco iridiums. Sounds good, but then we threw in the NGK TR55 copper plugs and got 3 more hp than the Pulse Stars.


I looked on Autozone.com and also Marylandspeed, but did not find an NGK TR55 Copper plug. The one fo Marylandspeed that was a TR55 was Platinum tipped.

Interesting discussion that I would like to know more about.....


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

jetstang said:


> Copper plugs you do have to change, I just hit 30K miles on my NGKs in my work van and the mileage just dropped 3 mpg and it is limpy at idle, so there due. I don't want to do it, it's a pain in the butt.
> The car companies also gloat 100K before the first tune up, and comsumers like that. By ex boss had the original platinum plugs in his Chevy truck at 240K and they still looked good and got good MPG.


He's lucky he got them out. Sometimes when they are left in sooo long they weld themselves in and are almost impossable to get out. Or if they do come out they either break in half or they bring the threads of the head out with them. Ford trucks were notorious for that and ford even makes a special tool for removing the broken plug jackets from the head.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Rukee said:


> He's lucky he got them out. Sometimes when they are left in sooo long they weld themselves in and are almost impossable to get out. Or if they do come out they either break in half or they bring the threads of the head out with them. Ford trucks were notorious for that and ford even makes a special tool for removing the broken plug jackets from the head.


You're talking the Ford 4.6. Some only had 2 threads in the heads and just spit the spark plug out taking the threads with it, but Ford won't stand behind the mistake and fix it. I saw something about the Ford 2 piece plugs and the bottom stays in the head when the plug is removed, nice design.
I'm sure he had antiseize on the plugs. I told him to change the plugs and he still refuses, he's going to run them forever. They're dual tip platinums in a 5.3. I guess GM got it too right if they never need replacing.


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## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

nron said:


> I looked on Autozone.com and also Marylandspeed, but did not find an NGK TR55 Copper plug. The one fo Marylandspeed that was a TR55 was Platinum tipped.
> 
> Interesting discussion that I would like to know more about.....


Here they are at Texas-speed. 2.19 per plug. 

Texas Speed Ignition Components:


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

nron said:


> I looked on Autozone.com and also Marylandspeed, but did not find an NGK TR55 Copper plug. The one fo Marylandspeed that was a TR55 was Platinum tipped.
> 
> Interesting discussion that I would like to know more about.....


I allways bought mine NGK TR55's from the autoparts store. You may have to look them up under the part number *3951* I beleave thats what they are. I'm using NGK TR6's for FI now.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

If you are using Nitrous you def want to use Iridium plugs, or platinums, because the copper plugs melt at a lower temp..


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

but the platinum and Iridium are still copper core...


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

silversport said:


> but the platinum and Iridium are still copper core...


Right, but out of Copper, Platininum and Irridium, Copper is the most conductive, least resistance. The harder metals last longer but don't conduct electricity as well. Electricity takes the path of least resistance and sometimes that isn't the gap in the spark plug which will cause misfires. That is what this whole thread is about.. But the gap is what wears because of the spark acts like a little welder burning up the plug gap, the core of the plug doesn't wear.


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

I get that I guess I didn't know of any copper tipped plugs...when you mentioned you don't want copper because it melts...it threw me...
Bill


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## KyleGT05usmc (Feb 28, 2009)

I just buy my plugs from AutoZone, Just look on the computer for the cheap ones and theyre probably the copper cores lol.


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## SnKGoat (Nov 21, 2006)

*Aluminum Heads*

So....is there a specific torque/force required to tighten the new plugs to? Also, what's a set of the above mentioned plugs run you? I'm at 27,500 miles and have the originals in still.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

SnKGoat said:


> So....is there a specific torque/force required to tighten the new plugs to? Also, what's a set of the above mentioned plugs run you? I'm at 27,500 miles and have the originals in still.


Spark plugs get torqued to about 10in-lbs thats about 1/4 turn past snug. Don't forget anti-seize on the threads. DO NOT Superman torque spark plugs into AL heads.


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## New2thefamily (Oct 4, 2009)

I put NGK's V-power plugs in about 100 miles ago. At first the car ran great, but then I felt more noise than anything when pushing the gas pedal down.

I checked my plugs and found out that the 2nd plug on the right was gapped from .40 to .30..? and the 2nd plug on the right side at .35. I gapped all the plugs at .40 as instructed on past threads, can anyone help with insight on what changed this? 

After fixing them back to .40 the car ran smooth as can be.. but again i hear more noise than acceleration in the pedal... Should i check them again?


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## danfigg (Sep 27, 2009)

*re*

what about those E3 spark plugs Horsepower TV swears by them Then made more horsepower on an LS motor than the other plugs they tried dont remember what they tried though--------danfigg


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

New2thefamily said:


> After fixing them back to .40 the car ran smooth as can be.. but again i hear more noise than acceleration in the pedal... Should i check them again?[/QUOTE
> Nothing will change the plug gap while running except a piston hitting it. YOu may of tapped it on something during install or not gapped it right. I look at the gap and if it looks close I don't even check them, not right, but that's just me.
> I like a V-power plug, but, on my LS-1 Vette I'm not swapping them out, I have Iridiums in it and there staying. My Lincoln LS was fouling plugs and that's the only plug that didn't. The excess heat of nitrous will melt a conventional plug so a harder electrode will stand up in that environment. The V-powers are probably worth a little, but unless you are going to the drags, the maintenance free of the platinums is better. The E-3s unshroud the spark so they make power. You can also index the plugs, shim them so the opening of the plug points at the intake valve and that is worth a couple HP..


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