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Re: [T3] New spark plugs and a confession


On 23 Aug 2005 at 0:34, Constantino Tobio wrote:

> Jim Adney wrote:
> 
> >On 22 Aug 2005 at 17:16, Constantino Tobio wrote:
> >
> > those NGK iridium plugs with the two ground electrodes

> >Indium, really?

> I believe you read it wrong, IRIdium not INdium

Oops, sure did. Sorry. I've been having trouble with my right eye lately and my
vision is blurred. The ri blended together into an n. Thanks for the clarification.

That eye is getting regular checkups, and it gets a little better every day. 
I've been promised that it will clear up with time, but it's been REAL annoying 
for about the last 6 weeks. For awhile there, I was basically down to just one 
eye.   

> Melting point of Iridium: 2410 ¡C (2683 ¡K, 4370 ¡F)
> Melting point of Platinum: 1774 ¡C (2047 ¡K, 3225  ¡F)
> Melting Point of Indium:  156.60¡C (429.75 K, 313.88¡F)
> 
> So, as you could see, there would be some advantages to making plugs out
> of Iridium. Plugs made out of Indium would suck. :)

> Anyway, after looking it up, the OE plugs aren't the iridium-tipped
> ones. But here's a pic of what my Passat has OE:
> 
> http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/images/tip/ngk33D.jpg

There have been a number of spark plugs with multiple ground electrodes over 
the years. I brought some 4-ground plugs home from Japan 20 years ago, just to 
give to a shop owner here who collected odd things like that. I didn't know 
what they were used on, or that anyone still used them.

> Gapping them is kinda interesting. Funny thing- my plugs were OE NGK
> plugs (and they say so), but they have the VW-Audi logo on the
> porcelain. Surprised they weren't Bosch.

NGK probably offered to do that just to sweeten the deal with VW. It's rather 
common for OE Bosch parts to be marked with both logos and both part numbers, 
but if you buy the same item from outside the VW distribution network you'll 
get it with just the Bosch info and no mention of VW. Bosch & VW have always 
done this with all their other parts from ignition coils to relays and fuel 
injectors, but they apparently never thought of doing it with spark plugs. 
Bosch DID, however, package their plugs in special VWoA boxes for sale at 
dealerships here, but the plugs inside were just marked Bosch.

> Here's the NGK Iridium plugs:
> http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/products/cars_trucks_suvs/iridium.asp?nav=11410&country=US
> 
> Whether there's any advantage of these over platinum plugs, I dunno. As
> for our T-3s, I imagine the standard Bosch plug is the best thing.

I'm in the same boat. I've had good luck with all the Bosch VW plugs over the 
years: 145, W145T1, W145T1.1, W8A, W8AC, W8AP. I've heard that some people, 
Berg included, didn't like the Bosch Platinum, but they've been fine for me.

I've heard that the Bosch Platinum plugs have gone thru about 3 generations and 
that there was some trouble with the earliest ones, but mine were all bought 
very early on and have been just fine. OTOH, I really can't claim that they 
seem any better than the W8AC or the W8A.

The W8ACs that I recently wore out completely were probably 10-12 years old.

The ones in our '96 Taurus are the originals and are nearly that old. Maybe I 
should pull one out just to look at it. I wonder if they are anything special.

-- 
Jim Adney
jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, WI 53711-3054
USA


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